Future in motion at Logistics & Automation and Empack: Smart meeting place for logistics and packaging

The parallel presentation of future-proof solutions for the packaging and logistics industries in Switzerland made the EMPACK and LOGISTICS & AUTOMATION trade fairs at Bernexpo a successful duo. Here, the next stage of both fairs became tangible.

By Easyfairs/Urs Seiler || January 31, 2026

Thanks to continuous innovation, Easyfairs is a consistently award-winning trade fair organizer.

The latest innovation at EMPACK and LOGISTICS & AUTOMATION at Bernexpo from January 28th to 29th was a text message reminder for the trade fair visit, along with the admission ticket. This was designed with the customer in mind. It helped me on-site because logging into my iCloud Drive wasn't working. Easyfairs is also award-winning for its corporate social responsibility policy, which includes environmentally conscious business practices that go beyond greenwashing.

Another Easyfairs innovation is the Touch & Collect innovation, which allows visitors to download exhibitor information by clicking their badge on the QR code of an exhibition stand.

Further information can be found at www.empack-schweiz.ch/de/nachhaltigkeit and www.empack-schweiz.ch/de/touch-collect-fuer-besucher .

With such ongoing innovations, Easyfairs Switzerland also led EMPACK and LOGISTICS & AUTOMATION Logistics & Automation 2026 to success.

EMPACK and the LOGISTICS & AUTOMATION trade fairs are a successful concept because:

Synergy effects arise from parallel execution.

...have a broad, current range of topics across the entire value chain

a strong combination of networks and knowledge transfer exists

This leads to high visitor quality, closely aligned with the target group.

Exhibitors report having high-quality conversations, many new leads, and a high quality of visitors – especially due to the mix of professionals from different regions and sectors.

Interim trade fair director Kristina Nadjarian (pictured left) and her team welcomed the invited trade press on the first day of the fair. She particularly emphasized the innovative strength of the Swiss logistics sector and the valuable personal exchange: “LOGISTICS & AUTOMATION 2026 has once again demonstrated how innovative and sustainable the Swiss logistics sector is. The trade fair provided a platform where experts, start-ups, and research partners could network and jointly develop solutions for the future of logistics along the entire value chain. We are proud of the intensive exchange, the new products presented, and the impetus generated here for the industry.”

Jan Eberle (picture on the right), The Head of Industry Engagement Logistics at GS1 commented on the trade fair: “GS1 Switzerland presented initiatives such as Lean and Green at LOGISTICS & AUTOMATION 2026, which provide concrete support to companies in reducing emissions in the logistics sector. At the same time, technological developments are driving the industry forward significantly. Automation, robotics, autonomous transport systems, big data, and artificial intelligence are becoming increasingly important, a topic highlighted in our Logistics Talks. AI, in particular, unfolds its potential where structured, high-quality data is available – for example, in predictive planning, inventory management, or process automation – and we showcased new possibilities in this area at LOGISTICS & AUTOMATION in Bern. In the future, expertise in handling complexity, data, and networked systems will become increasingly crucial. Looking ahead, we see an industry undergoing a transformation with great opportunities.” This was clearly demonstrated at this year's ‹LOGISTICS & AUTOMATION› in Bern by the positive feedback at the GS1 Switzerland stand and in the engaging dialogues during the ‹Logistics Talks›.

«EMPACK» 2026: Spectrum of innovations and best-practice solutions

EMPACK 2026 offered the full spectrum of innovations and best-practice solutions – from the packaging value chain and creative packaging development phase to the technical packaging and filling process with the latest packaging machines and services – and brought together decision-makers, newcomers, and start-ups. These formats underscored the trade fair's commitment to appealing to both established companies and innovative newcomers. Further information on the presented innovations can be found at www.empack-schweiz.ch/de/innovations/ .

Andreas Zopfi (left), Managing Director of the Swiss Packaging Institute (SVI), said about this year's EMPACK: "2026 marks the transition from discussion to implementation for the packaging industry. After debates about PPWR, decarbonization, and the circular economy, the focus is now shifting to implementation and measurable results. Key challenges include transparent, data-driven decisions and resilient supply chains – our enthusiastic customers, partners, and trade fair visitors received up-to-date information on these topics from our experts at the 'Packaging Talks'. Functional circular materials, pragmatic digitalization, and new partnerships are in demand. Therefore, further education and platforms like the EMPACK trade fair are gaining in importance, as they pool knowledge, promote networking, and enable innovation. This is what inspired me here in Bern in 2026."

Conclusion

The success of EMPACK and Logistics & Automation 2026 was based on the ideal combination of broad topic coverage, synergies between packaging and logistics solutions, qualified trade visitors, strong networking and learning opportunities, and the practical relevance of the exhibited innovations – all in one place and at the right time for the target groups. The next Logistics & Automation will take place on January 27 and 28, 2027, again together with EMPACK at Messe Zürich. Further information about the trade fair and future events can be found on the website www.logistics-automation.ch .

Outlook 2027

The next EMPACK will take place on January 27 and 28, 2027, again in conjunction with LOGISTICS & AUTOMATION at Messe Zürich. Further information about the trade fair and future events can be found on the website www.empack-schweiz.ch .

TAKEOUTS: Exhibitor comments

Armin Koller, CEO of KEMARO AG: “The ‘LOGISTICS & AUTOMATION’ 2026 trade fair in Bern was a resounding success for KEMARO. We had many valuable discussions and clearly sensed the strong interest in autonomous, water- and chemical-free cleaning solutions for logistics and industry. Thank you to all the visitors for the exchange. We look forward to the next steps and joint projects.”

Jürg Frefel, Group CEO of Stöcklin Logistik AG: “LOGISTICS & AUTOMATION 2026 once again demonstrated the importance of personal interaction in intralogistics. As the ‘Home of Intralogistics,’ we experienced the trade fair as a powerful industry gathering – characterized by open dialogue on equal footing with customers, partners, and decision-makers. These discussions confirmed that future-proof, scalable, and sustainable intralogistics solutions must be considered holistically now more than ever. It is precisely this exchange that makes the trade fair so valuable to us.”

Stefan Meier, Managing Director of Murrelektronik AG: “At Murrelektronik, we see ourselves as the global partner for decentralized automation technology. At LOGISTICS & AUTOMATION 2026, we specifically sought direct dialogue with our customers and partners to present key intralogistics solutions and discuss future projects. The impressive response to the qualified technical discussions at our booth demonstrates the high demand for a meeting place like LOGISTICS & AUTOMATION. On-site, we were able to clearly convey our comprehensive expertise – from robust power supplies and I/O systems to network solutions. A particular highlight was our Vario-X automation platform. This eliminates the need for costly control cabinets, allowing valuable production space to be used efficiently. The close exchange with the industry, the intensive interactions, and the feedback from hundreds of booth visitors per day were crucial for us at the trade fair. We look forward to realizing customized application solutions together in the future.”

Volker Bluhm, Managing Director of Bluhm Systeme GmbH: “Bluhm Systeme has a long tradition of participating in trade fairs and has always valued direct contact with customers and prospective clients. Personal consultation and subsequent support are our strengths and make all the difference. The EMPACK trade fair in Bern offers us precisely this opportunity in a compact format. The visitors and the fair's theme are a perfect fit for our field of activity in industrial product marking technology. We look forward to returning.”

Mirko Ackermann, Commercial Manager Videojet Technologies Suisse GmbH:

“We at Videojet look back very positively on EMPACK 2026 in Bern. The trade fair offered us excellent networking opportunities. We were able to make many valuable contacts and had exciting discussions about interesting new projects. Overall, EMPACK 2026 in Bern was a complete success for us.”

Dominik Müller, Head of Marketing at SCHELLING AG: “EMPACK 2026 was the ideal kickoff for our 150th anniversary year. We were impressed by the high visitor numbers and, above all, by the exceptional quality of the technical discussions. The trade fair concept worked perfectly as a platform for networking and synergies: The direct exchange with decision-makers in such a vibrant atmosphere was invaluable for us. Our ‘everything from a single source’ approach – from packaging to displays – resonated perfectly with this quality-conscious audience. We are taking this positive spirit and the many concrete inquiries as a strong starting point for our anniversary year in 2026.”