The fourth Kappa Rus conference in Russia, titled ‘Packaging in the New Reality’, took place at the Royal Beach in St. Petersburg on September 8. The conference was attended by over 150 customers from 80 companies.
At the opening of the event, Kappa Rus Director Olga Rudova welcomed the guests and talked about the continuity of past conferences held in 2015, 2017, and 2019. She also spoke about the company’s rebranding and commitment to key principles: understanding the current needs of customers, dedication to solving their problems, and applying knowledge and experience for the maximum benefit of the customers’ businesses.
Kirill Mostolygin, Kappa Rus’s Innovation and Development Manager, showcased how modern packaging, despite its external resemblance to last century’s samples, differs from its predecessors. He also discussed how modern technologies and trends are reflected in packaging and the company’s approach to developing contemporary solutions that consider the important demands of the new reality.
Traditional presentations of successful projects implemented by Kappa Rus in collaboration with the customers became a major event of the conference. These presentations covered various aspects such as creative marketing approaches (Dodo Pizza), online commerce (Splat), eco-friendly solutions trend (Enervik), optimisation projects (Jacobs, Avangard), and import substitution (Svetogorsk Pulp and Paper Mill).
The conference’s special guest was the master of the popular intellectual TV show with a 48-year history ‘What? Where? When?’. Alexander Druz, a six-time Crystal Owl and Diamond Owl winner, shared his experience of effective teamwork and decision-making under conditions of uncertainty and tight timeframes.
Guest speaker Stefan Doorslaer, President of the Alers Group, President of the Belgian-Luxembourg Chamber of Commerce in Russia and Belarus, and Chairman of the Executive Committee of the St. Petersburg International Business Association (SPIBA), gave a talk on how businesses can cope with uncertainty.
The event included traditional interactive sessions. At the ‘Retail’ station, participants were offered a task of assembling their own shelf and evaluating the positioning of products on it. The ‘Marketing’ session immersed participants in a virtual world, providing a practical opportunity to track a customer’s gaze on the shelf using EYE tracking technology. The ‘Online commerce’ session allowed participants to package a product and test its durability using readily available tools. The basic elements of packaging necessary for secure storage in the warehouses of online marketplaces and stores were discussed. The ‘Production’ and ‘Chain of Custody’ sessions discussed interesting technological aspects such as printing, stamp products, gluing, and the importance of choosing the right methods of palletising, as well as their overall impact on logistics. The final ‘Ecology’ session was an environmental quiz that included questions about the environmental impact of packaging components.
The conference concluded with a gala dinner where customer companies were awarded for their active and successful implementation of projects in various market segments in collaboration with Kappa Rus. Awards were presented to Dodobrands, Avangard, Jacobs Dow Egberts Rus, Enervik, Splat Global, and Svetogorsk Pulp and Paper Mill.
Summing up the event, Vladimir Shestakov, Managing Director of Kappa Rus in Moscow, noted, ‘This is the fourth time we have held the conference in Russia. We trust that once again, our presentations and interactive sessions have sparked inspiration in our customers for new designs and unique ideas for present and future packaging solutions.’
Maxim Chekavinsky, the Sales and Marketing Director of Kappa Rus, shared his impressions from interacting with the conference attendees: ‘The event’s incredible atmosphere, comprehensive program, and the high level of engagement of all participants fostered business communication. Receiving glowing reviews from customers is always gratifying. We appreciate everyone’s participation in the conference, as well as your kind words, and eagerly anticipate seeing you at our future events.’
