The packaging technology comprises a wide variety of methods and stages of the value chain in order to prepare a product for transport or saleable. These include the manufacture of packaging materials, packaging machinery and packaging materials (such as a bottle or carton) and the packing of the products themselves.
The range of companies in the Baden-Württemberg packaging industry ranges from several global companies to a variety of smaller, specialized companies. Manufacturer of packaging machines are represented as well as the producers of packaging materials and packaging means, packers and distributors.
The Packaging Valley Germany centered in Schwäbisch Hall is a globally important site of packaging machinery manufacturers. Around 7,000 employees work merely in this region in the packaging industry and over 80% of the machines produced there are exported. The Stuttgart area with the Packaging Excellence Center (PEC) is a further regional focus of packaging technology in Baden-Württemberg. With the Cluster packaging technology in the four-country region of Lake Constance, there is also a significant cross-border networking initiative. On the German side a focus of this cluster is set in the packaging industry for the food and pharmaceutical industry.
An important part of the Cluster packaging technology is the International Packaging Institute (IPI), which offers, amongst others, studies as the "Master of Engineering in Packaging Technology" at the University of Technology, Business and Design in Konstanz. The Media University in Stuttgart also offers an engineering degree in packaging technology.
With proceeding globalization and increasing flows of trade the packaging of products gains importance as well. The packaging requirements are becoming increasingly complex, so that innovations in this field of technology will shape the future development of the sector.