FPLMA conference program confirmed

The Flexible Packaging and Label Manufacturers Association of Australia has announced its 2026 annual conference, taking place on August 27 and 28 at the Melbourne Convention and Exhibition Centre, with the Gala Ball hosted at Palladium at Crown.

The two-day event, themed Packaging in Motion, opens on August 27 with a keynote from Tony Kelly, head of international economics and markets research at NAB, on Australia's economic outlook.

Three sessions follow covering compliance, sustainability and growth, innovation in flexo printing and automation, and the future of print and packaging. Speakers include Sandra Dal Maso of APCO on Australian packaging regulation, Ben Prout of Kirk Group on flexo automation, Mark Daws of Currie Group and Craig Walmsley of HP Indigo on the future-ready print factory, and Mangesh Bhise of Apex Asia Pacific on ink transfer for modern packaging. Piotr Wnuk, senior online editor of Labels and Labeling, will present on growth strategies for the modern converter.

Day two opens with keynotes from Demi Samaris of MCC Adelaide on building and leading teams, and Koki Noritake, president and CEO of Noritake Kougado, on fifth-generation business succession.

Sessions cover cybersecurity, wide-web CI flexo setup optimization, flexible packaging market dynamics, 100 percent print inspection, and bridging the gap between brand expectation and pressroom reality. Pascal Thomas of Esko and Nathan Ridnouer, president of the US FTA, will lead the afternoon program, with Ridnouer chairing a panel discussion on market shifts, customer expectations and future skills across the packaging industry.

The Gala Ball on the evening of August 28 will include the association's Print Awards and Apprentice of the Year honors.

Sponsors include patron sponsor The Label Print Group, platinum sponsor CJC Color and Comfort, and gold sponsors Amcor and Esko.

More details and registration available on the FPLMA website.