Marel at IPPE 2024: A hub of connectivity

For Marel, IPPE 2024 represented a pivotal moment. Our booth not only showcased the latest advancements in food processing technology but also provided a welcoming space for fostering connections. We were delighted to welcome both new and returning customers, offering an inviting lounge atmosphere where personal interactions flourished, complemented by delicious food prepared by our kitchen team. This event underscored Marel's commitment to innovation, customer satisfaction, and building lasting relationships within the industry.

Long-lasting partnerships

The turnout was impressive, with significant participation from leaders across North and Latin Americas. Our booth became a focal point for nurturing existing relationships and seeding new partnerships.

“The IPPE holds a special place as one of the foremost trade shows of the year, with approximately 40% of our business originating from either North America or Latin America. It’s like a family reunion where we not only unveil new features on our machines but also engage in meaningful conversations about future plans. The essence of the event lies in driving innovation, fostering business connections, and collectively envisioning the future”, says Jesper Hjortshøj, EVP RFS Solutions & Wenger Group.

Connections and collaborations

Roger Claessens, EVP Poultry, adds, “At Marel, we prioritize working with our customers as partners. Therefore, attending IPPE is always a highlight, enabling us to develop partnerships. It’s a crucial moment of deep engagement with our customers, reinforcing our commitment to collaborative progress. The groundbreaking innovations we showcase here underscore the growing interest in our vision of becoming a full-solution provider.”

Tatiana Gillitzer, EVP Service, underlines that IPPE facilitates new connections and collaborations, “The IPPE serves as the focal point for connecting with our valued customers and newcomers alike in the food industry who seek to engage with us. We’ve had meaningful interactions with our key customers in the region, as well as with highly skilled professionals and engineers eager to explore our latest innovations. Additionally, we’ve garnered interest on discovering our services and training opportunities.”

Automation and product value

Amid the discussions on the stand, one theme came through loud and clear: the growing demand for automation and the strong drive to raise the value of products for export markets. For those seeking process improvements, automation stands out as the most sought-after solution, driven by the challenges of workforce retention and skills training. Customers express great interest in simplifying operations and “de-skilling” tasks to ensure consistency and efficiency. In this context, the impressive presentations in the 3D immersive room gave customers already a real-life experience of how automation can work effectively in primary poultry and meat processing.

“The predominant topic of discussion revolves around automation, with clients repeatedly asking about how to simplify processes and mitigate the challenges related to workforce retention and skills training. Many express the difficulty of retaining labor and adequate training of new hires,” says David Bertelsen, Meat Sales & Marketing Director.

TechTalks

Marel was the host of three TechTalk presentations at the Theater: “Robotics and beyond: Envisioning the next wave of food industry automation” and “Understanding volumetric portioning: The role of connectivity in modern food processing”. The third presentation was hosted by Nick Saharan (second from left on the picture above), Marel Regional Software Sales Manager for North America, who addressed the theme “Innovate, automate, and grow with software”. During the panel discussion, he was joined by executives from Wayne-Sanderson, Infor, and AWS, who talked about the obstacles that may come in the way of a successful digital transformation journey. “I saw a good mix of customers and prospects in the audience. We expect to foster our partnership with external enablers to drive our software success in North America,” concludes Nick.