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Packaging and containers made in Colombia have become a solution for the international food, cosmetics and massive consumption market, as these industries demand continuous innovation and designs, two features that have become key ingredients for Colombian products abroad.
" To be a leader in design is crucial because products have a very short life. If they are successful, competitors will soon follow with their own version and innovation is lost. That&rsquo s why I&rsquo m in Colombia&rdquo , declared Daniel Riadi, Foodpack General Manager, a Chilean plastic packaging importer.
The country&rsquo s renown as a supplier encouraged Riadi and 32 other international buyers to attend Andinapack 2013 at Corferias, where they participated in the Business Matchmaking Forum organized by PROCOLOMBIA with 50 Colombian exporters.
" I always meet qualified suppliers with well-structured services. In addition, there are interesting opportunities regarding packaging materials and machinery&rdquo , pointed out Cristian Donoso from Ecuador.
According to the President of PROCOLOMBIA, Maria Claudia Lacouture, international attendants reported business expectations worth $19.4 million USD, " thus confirming the competitive factors in the country regarding this sector, including product design variety and continuous innovation of national entrepreneurs.&rdquo
Design and Innovation Success Stories
Different innovation instances were presented at the trade show. Phoenix group, for example, introduced their aluminum bottles made through an " impact destruction technique&rdquo . " This is a fully recyclable product including advantages like greater cold perception than regular glass bottles or greater transportation resistance,&rdquo explained Camilo Mora, representative of this Bogotan company exporting to 33 countries, from Canada to Argentina.
For Andrea Ramirez, the person in charge of new products and market trends at Phoenix, design is the key. " It is indeed a core ingredient and is the link between the product and the end consumer as it is always on display.&rdquo
Colombian companies are actually recognized abroad thanks to their innovation. ImasD, from Medellin, is one of the main examples as it was the recipient of the 2012 Pentawards and the 2013 Dieline Package Designe Awards, two of the top awards in the world in the packaging industry. " The key to success is that our products are comprehensive and we have understood that business opportunities are abound. Almost every product needs packaging and packaging entails design,&rdquo explained Carolina Alzate, company designer.
However, buyers also demand quality materials, and Colombian companies like Antioquia&rsquo s Alico have taken this fact into account today they export flexible packaging towards 15 countries. " This is our contribution to innovation, we are contrasting matte finishes against shiny materials, matte against metallic materials, and also shaped bags. The replacement of rigid elements is more and more common as the market is demanding a longer useful life than that of glass or a piece of tin sheet&rdquo stated Alvaro Arango, Exports Manager.
Trends and Opportunities
Canada, United States, Peru, South Africa, The Northern Triangle and Chile are some of the markets where PROCOLOMBIA has found business opportunities to export packaging materials and containers.
As a rule of thumb, there are market niches like that of the environmental-friendly consumer and, as a result, new developments have been made including resins or techniques to use less materials and provide more efficient water and energy consumption. Countries like Canada and South Africa are the most demanding in this arena.
" We have also noted that the senior population brings another opportunity&rdquo , added Andrea Ramirez from Phoenix.
In Chile, the massive consumption food industry and the cosmetics and pharmaceutical industry have enormous potential, as packaging and product appearance are value-added elements. There&rsquo s demand for disposable trays to package meats and fish, as well as folding boxes in the pharmaceutical and food industries.
" Colombian exporters must be aware that Chile has a very high consumption and general well-being standards. As a result, people can afford more expensive products. Therefore, if in the past a plastic plate had low quality characteristics, consumers now demand higher quality products, more rigid and resistant,&rdquo added Chilean buyer Daniel Riadi.
Another niche is that of packaging aimed at busy consumers with little time to have lunch, an evident niche in countries like the USA, where business opportunities include packaging and polyethylene and PVC films to wrap, bake and separate food, cups and plastic containers in the food industry, among others.
On the other hand, the Northern Triangle demands folding boxes, covers and containers, mainly aimed at the food and pharmaceutical industry. Design, shape, size and color are determining factors.
