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Agenda

E-PACK US will be taking place in October 2023 in Chicago, IL! View the previous 2022 event features speakers from Veritiv, Fibre Box Association, Fuseneo, Terracycle, H.B. Fuller, and many more!

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Please click on the dates below to see each day's program!

Registration and Exhibit Hall Opens
Registration Opens
Welcome
Brittany Onslow, Conference Producer, Smithers
Keynote
Digital Commerce Growth Still Has Legs
Digital Commerce growth and penetration has meaningfully accelerated through the pandemic and while growth slowed in 1H we expect it to return to double digit gains in 2H with the potential to rise to 33% of total retail sales in 2025. The growth will be driven by the rapid acceleration of video, voice and social commerce. Artificial Intelligence will help underpin this growth and we expect implementation of it to only rise. Using AI to support human capabilities across e-commerce, lifestyle, gaming, chatbots, marketing and more are key. We hope to bring forward use cases of AI, social, video and voice in our discussion.
Poonam Goyal | Sector Head & Senior Equity Analyst , Bloomberg Intelligence
Session I: Market Overview – Trends and Current State of the Industry
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E-commerce is growing, but where is it going? This session will address long term trends and expectations which will impact packaging.
The Future of E-commerce Packaging
Driven by convenience, transparency and price, online shopping has become a major part of commerce globally. The online market is diverse because almost anything can be sold over the Internet and the size of a business is not as relevant as it used to be. Packaging has not quite developed at the same pace as the business models and the creative delivery methods, but things are happening and will happen in this area with lots of room for new ideas.
This presentation will provide insights on the market place, the factors impacting demand and the development of packaging geared for e-commerce applications. Topics will include:
•           What are the macro trends in this space, and how do they affect demand?
•           How has the global pandemic affected this market?
•           What is the global forecast for e-commerce packaging?
•           What are the drivers of demand and how are these expected to evolve?
•           Where are the opportunities and threats?          
 
Benjamin Trent | Managing Consultant, Smithers
Redefining the Role of the Traditional Retail Store
Networking Break
Session II: Designing Packaging for E-Commerce
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This session will address how designing for sustainability, end of life and implementing packaging with a punch is a critical piece to successful e-commerce packaging. During this session, speakers will provide case studies, data and recycling rates to show how design can make an impact.  
Is E-commerce helping or hurting recycling?
Over the past three years, E-commerce has grown at double digit rates, fueled by the pandemic.  Has this shift in retail-buy changed the landscape of recycling?  How will the total recycling network need to change to keep OCC materials flowing through MRFs and mills and out of the landfills?  How will the choice and design of packaging affect this change? 
 
Dennis Colley | President/CEO, Fibre Box Association
Future of Sustainable & Innovative Packaging: Critical Importance of Life Cycle Analysis (LCA)
No matter the industry, achieving ambitious environmental sustainability goals is a priority for every member of the value chain as they face increased pressure from consumers, NGOs, lawmakers, and industry peers. This is true also in the pulp and paper packaging industry, which, in many regions, is still characterized by high energy, water, and emissions intensity throughout the production process. Companies can make great strides by conducting a Life Cycle Analysis (LCA), which will help them better understand the total environmental impact of the materials they use for their packaging and identify ‘hot spots’ within their operations that should be targeted to initiate sustainable improvements. LCAs provide data on different environmental impact categories, such as global warming potential, acidification, and water use – which are increasingly important for all major stakeholders when evaluating potential partners.
Nate Pajka | Sustainability Manager, Metsӓ Board, Americas
The Four Factors of Successful E-Commerce Packaging
Mall Santa, a shrunken sweater, a punch in the face and a cute puppy -  What do these things have to do with e-commerce packaging? Join Brent as he talks about what to consider when designing successful e-commerce packaging.
Brent Lindberg | Head of Curiosity & Founder, Fuseneo
Lunch Break
Session III: Sustainability and Recycling
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What is new in the regulatory space? How are we doing on our sustainability goals? Where are we on recycling rates?
What are the Impacts of Curbside Pick Up?
Sustainability vs Material Availability
Abstract to come: Material selection – what is best for e-commerce packaging?
Greg Rosati | VP of Marketing & Strategy, Amcor Rigid Packaging
Keeping Plastic Out of Oceans and in the Recycling Stream
According to the Ellen MacArthur Foundation, the world’s oceans will contain more plastic than fish by 2050. Now is the time for CPG brands to improve the recyclability of their packaging, specifically for e-commerce channel use, which has increased nearly 50% over the past two years. In this presentation, H.B. Fuller Global E-Commerce Business Manager Tania Montesi will discuss the opportunities for packaging makers to use materials that add high quality fiber to the recycling stream. Learn how even the smallest changes in E-commerce packaging design can make a big impact on our planet. How can we keep the plastic out of oceans and in the recycling stream What are the opportunities for packaging makers to use materials that add high quality fiber to the recycling stream H.B. Fuller will talk about smallest changes in E-commerce packaging design can make a big impact on our planet.
Tania Montesi | Global E-Commerce Manager, H.B. Fuller
Session IV: How to implement e-commerce packaging
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This session will address how to implement e-commerce packaging while reducing packaging costs.
9 Tips to Help You Cut Packaging Costs
Your packaging costs are made of much more than the cost of your materials. Before you create a strategy to cut costs, it’s important to get a clear understanding of the bigger packaging picture. Look beyond the box. Then you can start to understand how you can reduce costs long-term instead of making short-term – and often short-sighted – efforts to cut costs.
 
In this session, you’ll learn nine strategies to help you cut packaging costs:
1. Consolidate your SKUs and standardize your packaging.
2. Reduce waste in your packaging processes.
3. Automate manual processes with packaging equipment.
4. Stop buying in bulk and storing extra on-site.
5. Right-size your packaging.
6. Optimize shipping space to reduce transportation costs.
7. Test packaging designs before rolling them out.
8. Streamline your administrative costs by reducing the number of vendors you use.
9. Yes, sometimes the answer is buying less expensive materials.

Michelle Hawkins, National Inside Sales Specialist, Veritiv
 
David Rose | Marketing Manager, E-commerce Packaging, Veritiv
Networking Break
Session V: Omni-Channel - What is it and why is it so hard to accomplish?
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Description to come
Packaging Trends Across the Supply Chain
Packaging is an evolving area that is key to most companies’ supply chains. Companies are looking to leverage automation, digital technologies, and more sustainable solutions to drive down cost and material savings across the packaging supply chain. Companies must continuously identify opportunities to minimize waste and optimize the entire packaging supply chain.  


 
Alicemarie Geoffrion | President, Packaging, DHL Supply Chain North America
Panel: Omni-Channel – Best Practices
Omni-channel is enticing to consumers so they can blend their shopping methods together, getting items they typically can find and searching for others that they can find exclusively online, etc. How is omni-channel driving greater connectivity with consumers? What are some of the best practices when it comes to omni-channel? How will apps like tiktok, Instagram and other social media platforms change the way consumers shop? Why is omnichannel so hard for some companies to accomplish?

Panelists include:
- Karla Tankersley, Director of Omnichannel, Gap Inc.
 
Networking Reception
Registration and Exhibit Hall Opens
Welcome
Session VI: Consumer Behavior – How do we influence behavior for the better?
How To Influence Consumer Behavior With DTC ECommerce, Bitcoin & Web3
As brands are looking for more ways to connect with the consumer & have more influence on their product experience after the initial point of sale, join us to learn how to effectively differentiate your ecommerce/consumer experience strategy with Bitcoin & Web3!
 
Mayo Akindele | Chief Strategy Officer/Product Manager, Serpiente Ultra Premium Tequila, A Nomad Spirits Company
Session VII: Co-packers and Manufacturers
Pulling the Right Packaging Levers to Drive Improved SEO, Supply Chain Efficiency, Sustainability Results, and an Improved Customer Un-boxing Experience
Join Menasha's Paul Murphy, Vice President of e-Commerce and Retail Strategy, and Evan Padilla, Structural Design Manager. Paul & Evan's session will bring insight into how digital marketplaces reward brands with improved search results when their packaging design enables speed, reduced environmental impact, supply chain efficiency, and overall network cost optimization.
 
Paul Murphy | Vice President Retail Strategy & Sales, Menasha Packaging Company, LLC
Networking Break
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How do you drive a supply chain you can’t control? How are private brands dealing with co-packers and co-manufacturers? What are some of the struggles with their packaging choices and how they align with your company sustainability goals and preferences?
Session VIII: Logistics and Supply Chain
Global Supply Chains in Chaos - How To Respond Now
Logistics costs have skyrocketed. Backlogs in moving goods have extended to months. The Trade War is still raging and there is no tariff relief in sight. Port congestion remains an issue. There are persistent shortages of supplies and equipment around the world. The pandemic drove e-commerce to all-time highs. We’ve never seen so much turbulence in global supply chains before.  Is there any good news? Are there solutions on the horizon? Why most companies are now considering sourcing and manufacturing in America for the first time in 25 years.  Learn how companies are coping and innovating to take advantage of emerging global trends.
 
Rosemary Coates | Executive Director, Reshoring Institute
Lunch Break
Fireside Chat Panel: From Fulfillment to Delivery
Fulfillment challenges, supply chain, packaging challenges, optimizing last mile large parcel delivery

Moderator: Tom Egan, Vice President, PMMI

Panelists include:
- Steven Moelk, Fulfillment Project Implementation Manager, IKEA
Tom Egan | Vice President of Industry Services, PMMI
Session IX: What does e-commerce package design look like for the future?
Forest-friendly Solutions to the Plastic Problem
Many brands are actively transitioning their packaging away from plastic and are looking to paper as a solution, not aware of the risks to their supply chain and the impact their shift is having on the world’s forests. Each year 3 billion trees are logged to produce paper packaging, making it a significant contributor to the climate and biodiversity crises we face today. The good news is that there are solutions. In this session, learn how your brand can eliminate risk in your paper packaging supply chain, and of latest innovative Next Generation solutions that help keep forests standing.
Canopy is an award winning not-for-profit organization that’s partnered with more than 800 brands to transform unsustainable supply chains and scale-up solutions that keep forests standing.

 
Michelle Cliffe | Senior Corporate Campaigner, Canopy
Sustainable E-Commerce Solutions Begin in the Design Stage
Packaging leader DS Smith has produced solutions for e-commerce retailers to mitigate some of the most common problems facing the industry. From time efficiency and cost solutions to product protection and a new and exciting unboxing experience, DS Smith’s latest product innovations are providing its customers with packaging that is reliable, sustainable and able to withstand the demands of the harsh supply chain. In this session, Melanie Galloway of DS Smith will discuss how the E-box secure solution delivers a new and exciting consumer experience when the package arrives on their doorstep, walking the audience through how DS Smith uses its advanced design capabilities to drive innovation in this category. To demonstrate the sustainability of these solutions, the Design and Innovation team will use DS Smith’s Circular Design Metrics, developed in collaboration with the Ellen McArthur Foundation, to measure the environmental impact of this type of packaging before and after the latest innovative redesign. The Circular Design Metrics use eight main distinctive indicators to measure and quantify the sustainability performance of packaging designs: carbon footprint, design for reuse, recyclability, source renewability, recycled content, supply chain optimization, planet safety and material usage. By showcasing the Circular Design Metrics rating of a solution like Ebox, the unboxing experience and presentation will provide a different way of thinking about sustainability, showing how the minimization of waste and optimization of the circular economy begins at the design stage.
Melanie Galloway | Vice President of Sales, Marketing and Innovation - North America, DS Smith
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How will package design change to meet consumer demands, trends and innovation with materials? Sustainability and environmental impact will change the way we design and package products – so what does this mean for the e-commerce industry?
Session X: What does e-commerce need to succeed for the consumer and the industry in the future?
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This final session will feature a closing keynote from WalMart eCommerce, addressing how retailers will need to build a business model to sustain the growth of e-commerce while still successfully making the connection between what the consumer wants and how the retailer is able to deliver.
Closing Keynote: What retail e-commerce needs today, to deliver for the customer of tomorrow
With the growth of e-commerce, retailers need to build a goods and services business model. This presentation will discuss how retailers view the connection between what customers want delivered and how they want it delivered, and what they need to win at both.
 
Angela Gray Samuelson | Senior Director of Strategy & Operations, eCommerce - Last Mile Delivery, Walmart
Closing Remarks