Packaging Innovations & Empack, in partnership with the BCMPA, has won Best Event Partnership at the Exhibition News Awards, recognising two decades of collaboration that has evolved from closing a market gap into shaping the UK contract packing and fulfilment sector itself.
Packaging Innovations & Empack, in partnership with the BCMPA (Association of Contract Manufacturing, Packing, Fulfilment & Logistics), has won Best Event Partnership at the Exhibition News Awards.
The award recognises a rare example of long-term industry collaboration that has moved beyond participation into infrastructure. For more than 20 years, this partnership has helped define how the UK packaging sector connects with the contract packing and fulfilment industry.
What started in 2000 as a response to a clear but overlooked market gap has become a permanent and defining feature of the show. The Contract Pack & Fulfilment Zone is now the UK’s only dedicated platform of its kind, bringing together brands, retailers, manufacturers and specialist providers in a single commercial environment designed to generate real business outcomes, not just visibility.
That impact is measurable. In 2025 alone, the partnership drove significant value, with over 25% of BCMPA members actively participating. It also represents the largest concentration of contract packing and fulfilment providers in the UK, reinforcing its role as a central meeting point for the sector.
Emma Verkaik, CEO of BCMPA, said: “I’m absolutely delighted that Packaging Innovations & Empack have been recognised for their work in partnership with the BCMPA. This is fantastic recognition of the team’s hard work, and a testament to the power of close, collaborative partnerships. Together, we are continuing to raise awareness of the value of third-party outsourcing among brand owners and retailers. BCMPA members provide vital services that support brands with their packaging needs, and it’s great to work with partners who help champion and amplify this across the industry.”
Over two decades, the partnership has evolved from a simple idea into industry infrastructure, shaping how brands, retailers and supply chain partners engage with a critical but often unseen part of the packaging ecosystem.
Sema Tezel Basbug, Head of Marketing at Easyfairs, said: “Through its long-standing partnership with the BCMPA, Packaging Innovations & Empack has created and continually developed the Contract Pack & Fulfilment Zone, a dedicated space that places this specialist sector firmly within the heart of the UK packaging industry. The collaboration has ensured that contract packers and fulfilment providers are not only represented, but actively connected with brands, retailers and manufacturers in an environment designed to generate meaningful business outcomes. By bringing this expertise into a single, focused platform, the partnership has strengthened visibility, engagement, and commercial opportunities across the sector.”
The recognition at the Exhibition News Awards confirms what the sector already reflects in practice. When collaboration is sustained over time, it stops being a feature of an event and becomes part of the industry itself.