What Packaging Valley Germany does

Packaging Valley Germany e.V. is a registered nonprofit industry association (eingetragener Verein) founded in 2007/2008 and headquartered in Waiblingen, with a branch office in Schwäbisch Hall. It operates as a regional cluster network in the southern German triangle between Stuttgart, Frankfurt, and Nuremberg, networking over 100 member companies that include packaging machine manufacturers, software and automation providers, component suppliers, and packaging service providers. Members collectively employ close to 20,000 people and report export shares above 80%, giving the association a meaningful international industrial footprint despite a small internal staff of 1–10 employees led by Managing Directors Martin Buchwitz and Dr. Marc Funk.

The association's core technology proposition is its role as a coordination layer for the German packaging machinery ecosystem. It does not produce or sell its own products; instead it operates a searchable online supplier directory, organises joint trade fair presences (interpack with 40+ exhibition spaces in 2023; FACHPACK with a 1,400 sqm joint stand and 26 co-exhibitors in 2024), runs Makeathons and working groups on Sustainability, Technology, HR, and Marketing, and produces content such as the Packaging Valley Podcast covering AI, Industry 4.0, and modular packaging systems. Strategic technology partnerships include the Open Industry 4.0 Alliance and the Virtual Dimension Center (VDC), and the cluster is referenced in Prof. Dr. Hermann Simon's book on hidden champions as a key location for packaging machinery leadership.

Revenue mechanics are based on membership fees, event participation, and joint marketing activities rather than product sales or external investment. Pricing and financial figures are not publicly disclosed. Go-to-market is hybrid: digital channels (online directory, newsletter, social media, podcast) drive top-of-funnel awareness, while trade fair booths and members' meetings (e.g., the 2023 networking event at Harro Höfliger's Allmersbach facility) drive mid-funnel engagement with international buyers in pharmaceutical, food, cosmetics, and chemical end markets. The membership-based board (Harro Höfliger, Syntegon, OPTIMA, Rommelag, Bucher Automation, Rotzinger PharmaPack, E+K Sortiersysteme, ZEBRA Engineering) indicates a distributed, peer-led governance model rather than a venture-backed or hierarchical ownership structure.

Name

Packaging Valley Germany

Legal name

Packaging Valley Germany e.V.

Website

https://packaging-valley.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

2008

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

Packaging Valley Germany e.V. is a nonprofit industry association in southern Germany that networks over 100 packaging machine manufacturers, software/automation providers, and component suppliers, serving international buyers in pharmaceutical, food, cosmetics, and chemical end markets through joint trade fairs, events, and supplier matching.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Industry Association and Packaging Network

NAICS

Packaging Machinery Manufacturing (333993)

SIC

General Industrial Machinery & Equipment, Nec (3569)

akta.pro primary industry

Custom Engineered Transit Packaging & Packaging Design Services (IMALAFAM)

Keywords

• Packaging machinery network
• Industry cluster association
• Packaging automation solutions
• Packaging supplier directory
• Membership industry network

Headquarters

HQ city

Waiblingen

HQ country

Germany

HQ region

Europe

Offices2 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Operations, Personnel, Marketing or Sales, Technology or R&D, Others

Distribution channels4 records

Marketing channels8 records

Core offering

Packaging Valley Germany e.V. is a membership-based industry association that networks over 100 packaging machine manufacturers, software and automation providers, component manufacturers, and service providers in southern Germany. The association operates an online supplier directory that connects buyers in pharmaceutical, food, cosmetics, and chemical industries with qualified member companies, and organizes joint trade fair appearances (FACHPACK, interpack), working groups, networking events, and a podcast covering Industry 4.0, digitalization, and packaging innovation.

Product overview

Packaging Valley Germany e.V. is a packaging industry network and association, not a product company. It does not offer its own standalone products or services. Instead, it serves as a networking cluster that connects manufacturers of packaging systems and machines, software and automation providers, component manufacturers, and service providers. The network facilitates business connections, organizes joint trade fair appearances (such as FACHPACK and interpack), hosts events, and promotes the packaging industry in southern Germany. Member companies offer diverse packaging solutions including primary/secondary packaging machines, robotics, automation systems, software, components, and related services.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• Packaging Valley Podcast: The organization's podcast covering packaging industry topics, digitalization, and innovation.

Products and services

• Association Membership
• Online Supplier Directory and Search Platform
• Working Groups (Focus Groups)
• Packaging Valley Podcast
• Joint Trade Fair Presence

Quantifiable outcome

• Over 80% export share across member companies
• +2 more outcomes

Named customers5 records

Segments5 records

Ideal customer profiles2 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Partnerships

14 partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• Open Industry 4.0 AlliancecoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 7 September 2021Partnership to jointly shape Industry 4.0 in the packaging industry. The alliance focuses on interoperability standards and digital integration across manufacturing sectors.
• FACHPACK - NürnbergMesse GmbHcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerNürnbergMesse organizes FACHPACK, one of the central European trade fairs for the packaging industry held in Nuremberg for over 40 years. Packaging Valley maintains a major joint exhibition presence at FACHPACK with around 1,400 sqm of common space.
• Heilbronn University of Applied SciencescoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerWith around 8,000 students, HHN is one of the largest universities of applied sciences in Baden-Württemberg, focusing on technology, business and computer science. Partners with Packaging Valley on research and talent development.
• Town of CrailsheimminorOthersThe city of Crailsheim is described as the cradle of Packaging Valley, hosting the first packaging robot. It is a supporting member of the association.
• Rems-Murr-Kreis District Economic DevelopmentminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerThe district economic development department supports Packaging Valley as part of regional cluster management initiatives promoting networking among players in specific technology areas.
• food.net:z – Lebensmittelnetzwerk Rhein-Neckar e.V.minorStrategic or Co-development PartnerThe association connects companies from all areas of the food industry. food.net:z has 45 member companies and creates opportunities for exchange and cooperation with Packaging Valley.
• Wirtschaftsförderung Region Stuttgart GmbH (WRS)minorStrategic or Co-development PartnerWRS is the central contact for companies in Stuttgart and surrounding districts, supporting industrial production, innovation processes, and transformation. Packaging Valley functions as a regional innovation and competence center.
• Hochschule AalenminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerAalen University works closely with regional companies including world market leaders. Students can build business contacts through project work, internships and theses. The Innovation Center INNO-Z supports startups.
• Hochschule der Medien StuttgartminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerThe HdM Stuttgart is a public university of applied sciences preparing specialists for media and packaging technology. Offers nearly 30 accredited Bachelor's and Master's degree programmes.
• Town of Schwäbisch HallminorOthersThe city of Schwäbisch Hall is a member as a municipality and hosts one of the branch offices of Packaging Valley. Approximately 26,000 employees work in the city including packaging industry companies.
• Town of WaiblingenminorOthersWaiblingen is a strong business location home to globally successful companies. It is a supporting member of Packaging Valley and hosts the headquarters of the association.
• ZLV – Zentrum für Lebensmittel- und Verpackungstechnologie e.V.minorStrategic or Co-development PartnerZLV is a cooperative network connecting the entire value chain for factory-made packaged foodstuffs, from raw materials through retail trade. Represents a broad spectrum of food and packaging competencies.
• All About Automation (Heilbronn)minorStrategic or Co-development PartnerTrade fair series for industrial automation, robotics and digitalization focused on regional visitors. Partners with Packaging Valley to showcase automation solutions for the packaging industry.
• dvi – Deutsches Verpackungsinstitut e.V.minorStrategic or Co-development Partnerdvi is the only network covering the entire packaging value chain in Germany. Connects packaging industry stakeholders, organizes the German Packaging Prize, Deutscher Verpackungskongress, and other initiatives.

Scale indicators7 records

Recent moves7 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Direct peers

• PMMI (Association for Packaging and Processing Technologies): US trade association representing packaging and processing machinery manufacturers, very similar operating model to Packaging Valley: networking, education, member directory, and owner of major US packaging events like PACK EXPO. Direct functional peer for industry-association benchmarking.
• Deutsches Verpackungsinstitut (dvi): German packaging value-chain network covering materials, design, and sustainability; organizes the German Packaging Prize and Deutscher Verpackungskongress. Comparable cluster-style organization operating in the same German packaging ecosystem with overlapping member interests.
• Ucima: Italian national association of packaging machinery manufacturers, comparable in mission to Packaging Valley: it networks Italian packaging-machinery OEMs, represents them internationally, and operates joint trade-fair presences. Ucima and Packaging Valley are the two leading national packaging-machinery clusters in Europe.
• High Tech Packaging Cluster - Emilia-Romagna: Italian regional packaging cluster bringing together packaging machinery, materials, and supply-chain players in Emilia-Romagna. Closely mirrors Packaging Valley's cluster-management model of connecting regional OEMs with research and training partners.

Emerging players

• Foodvalley NL: Dutch food-and-agri cluster organization following a similar regional-cluster management model and working closely with packaging industry partners (including Packaging Valley through food.net:z). Comparable as an industry-cluster operating model, though food-rather than packaging-centric.
• Zentrum für Lebensmittel- und Verpackungstechnologie (ZLV): German cooperative network connecting the full food-and-packaging value chain and an existing Packaging Valley partner. Structurally similar (cluster-style cooperative), though smaller and more food-processing-weighted than Packaging Valley.

Others

• Messe Düsseldorf (interpack organizer): Organizer of interpack, the world's leading packaging-industry trade fair where Packaging Valley maintains a 40+ exhibition-space joint presence. Ecosystem partner rather than direct peer, but a shared gateway for member firms to international customers.
• Open Industry 4.0 Alliance: Strategic alliance focused on interoperability and digital integration across manufacturers, and an existing partner of Packaging Valley. Comparable in mission as a multi-firm network organization, though industry-4.0 oriented rather than packaging-specific.
• NürnbergMesse (FACHPACK organizer): Trade-fair organizer behind FACHPACK in Nuremberg, Packaging Valley's primary European exhibition partner. Not a member-network peer, but an ecosystem partner whose success directly drives joint fair-floor value for the cluster.

Broad incumbents

• VDMA (Verband Deutscher Maschinen- und Anlagenbau): Germany's main engineering federation, which includes a Packaging Machinery Association (Nahrungsmittelmaschinen und Verpackungsmaschinen). Broader in scope than Packaging Valley and a potential alternative umbrella for member firms, making it an adjacent incumbent rather than a direct competitor.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• YouTubeyoutube.com/channel/packaging-valley

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles13 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Packaging Valley Germany