Label Summit returns to dynamic Colombia

The Label Summit Latin America returns to Colombia for the first time since 2019 and is the first event of its kind in the region since 2020. Colombia has maintained a strong claim as the region’s most dynamic label printing market over the past two decades.

Experts from well-known Colombian brands and leading associations in the region’s label and package printing industry will speak at the event taking place on March 12-13 at the Agora Bogota Convention Center in Bogota, Colombia.

The event features a table-top exhibition running alongside the conference features 60 leading international and local suppliers. Visit www.labelsummit.com/colombia for more information.

Conference program

Opening day one, which focuses on market trends, design and branding, is Chelsea McDougall, group managing editor of Labels & Labeling, who will give an overview of the global market. 

This will be followed by Tatiana Duarte, president of Andigraf, who will talk about the economic, political and supply chain challenges in Colombia and the wider region. 

Andrés Felipe Peláez, R&D director at platinum sponsor ARclad, will demystify the terminology behind label and package printing sustainability. 

Further day one highlights include a keynote address from Laura Reyes Castellanos, executive director at Cempre (the Business Commitment to Recycling), who will discuss how the Plastics Pact for Colombia can drive a circular economy for plastics across the supply chain. 

‘It is essential that all organizations transmit the transparency and authenticity of their actions in favor of the circular economy in order to avoid greenwashing and greenhushing,’ she said. ‘First of all, it is important to timely communicate tangible and verifiable data on the positive impact of your practices to interest groups and provide tools and information that inspire the adoption of new production and consumption habits.’

Other day-one sessions include a presentation led by Eric Pell, client development director at Makro (Colombia), and Juan José Posada, president and COO at Grey (Colombia), on innovations in packaging design. Fernando Arendar, founder of Nitid Studio, will present the ways in which neuromarketing can influence packaging design. 

Closing the first day of the event will be an insight into creating the perfect coffee label, led by Daniel Jaramillo, director of innovation at Alico, along with Buendía’s brand director Catalina Hoyos Restrepo and brand design leader Juanita Jimenez.        

Day two sessions, which focus on business improvement and taking advantage of commercial opportunities, will open with a presentation on diversification and moving into new print segments led by Carolina Petro, commercial manager at converter Ideartes Impresores. 

Aislan Yaron Baer, CEO of ProjetoPack, will speak about improving operational efficiency and financial management. Maria Paula Murcia, freelance talent hunter and career advisor, will discuss upskilling and attracting and retaining new talent post-pandemic.

Further day two highlights include a debate on pan-regional growth opportunities, moderated by Giovanni Gómez, director of economic affairs at trade association Analdex. Panelists include Jaime Yoshiyama, general manager at Peruvian converter Kuresa, and Alessandra Costa, head of innovation at All4Labels, which has recently expanded its operation throughout Latin America. 

The following session, led by Ari Vonderwalde, CEO at Etiflex Mexico, and Nathan Anderson, CEO and co-founder of Scantrust, will focus on the rise of counterfeiting and opportunities in brand protection.

The conference will end with a discussion about the future of the label converter, moderated by David Ricardo Muñoz, editor-in-chief of El Empaque + Conversión. Panelists include Manuel Yepes, commercial director of Viappiani; Luis Fernando Herrera, production director at Impreac – Impresos y Acabados; and Jorge Galofre, CEO of Alfa Print.

Mirco Mazzarella, event manager for Label Summit Latin America 2024, says: ‘Label Summit Latin America always aims to deliver highly engaging, educational content with an esteemed line-up of expert speakers looking into the latest industry trends and market insights that are shaping the future of the industry. 

‘This year’s edition is no exception. We want to inspire all delegates and exhibitors with the knowledge and tools they need to drive their businesses forward in Colombia and the wider region, and this year’s two-day conference is the perfect opportunity for them to achieve just that.’