The packaging industry is entering a decisive phase of transformation. Sustainability, digitalization and artificial intelligence are no longer future-oriented concepts, but practical drivers that are already reshaping the way packaging and production processes are designed, managed and optimized.
With the Packaging and Packaging Waste Regulation setting new requirements for packaging across the European market, 2030 represents an important milestone for the industry. By then, packaging will need to be increasingly recyclable, traceable and aligned with circular economy principles, while plastic packaging will also be subject to progressive recycled-content targets.
In this article, we discuss these changes with Stefano Marelli from the Research and Development division of Cama Group, exploring the key technologies and approaches that will shape the future of packaging: from Design for Recycling and the Digital Product Passport to digital twins, artificial intelligence, collaborative robotics, format changeovers and cybersecurity.
Design for Recycling: packaging designed for circularity
One of the most significant changes concerns the way packaging is conceived from the earliest design stages. Design for Recycling is becoming a central principle for the entire packaging value chain, encouraging solutions that are easier to collect, sort, recycle and reuse.
This approach favors mono-material structures, simplified layer separation and the use of inks, adhesives and materials that are compatible with existing recycling technologies. The goal is not only to reduce environmental impact, but also to make packaging easier to manage within real industrial and recycling systems.
The same direction is reflected in recycled-content requirements for plastic packaging. By 2030, several categories of plastic packaging will need to include minimum percentages of recycled material, with higher targets expected by 2040. For companies, this means combining compliance, material performance and packaging functionality from the very beginning of the design process.
Digital Product Passport: transparency becomes part of the product
Another key development is the Digital Product Passport, a digital identity designed to make product and packaging information more structured, accessible and verifiable.
“The DPP is based on the principle that every product should be supported by a true digital identity containing structured information, such as production batch, origin, ingredients, processing stages and materials used for packaging,” explains Marelli.
This information can be made available through barcodes or QR codes applied to the packaging, using technologies such as laser marking or integrated in-line printing. While many details are already present on labels today, the Digital Product Passport represents a further step: it requires information to be collected, organized and made accessible within a coherent digital system.
In this context, digitalization becomes a bridge between compliance, transparency and product value. Data management, traceability, marking and process control are no longer separate activities, but interconnected elements of a more transparent production model.
Digital twins and artificial intelligence: machinery becomes more intelligent
Digital twins are among the most advanced tools for managing and optimizing industrial machinery. Initially developed as simulation systems to verify performance and design compliance, they are now evolving into operational platforms that support operators in daily machine management.
“Today, the digital twin brings together maintenance procedures, format changeover operations, component replacement instructions and technical documentation within a single environment,” says Marelli. “When integrated with augmented and virtual reality, this information becomes immediately accessible and contextual.”
Through tablets or smartphones, operators can receive intuitive graphical guidance directly on the machine, exactly where and when intervention is required. Behind this ease of use lies a high level of technological complexity, designed to make human-machine interaction more effective.
Artificial intelligence further expands this potential. By continuously analyzing operating parameters and component wear, AI-based systems can help identify early signals of possible failures and support predictive maintenance. The objective is not to replace human expertise, but to provide operators with clearer, faster and more contextual information.
Collaborative robots and AMRs: a new organization of production processes
Technological evolution is also changing the organization of production processes. Collaborative robots and Autonomous Mobile Robots make it possible to rethink intralogistics, reducing the need to keep materials and components constantly available on board the machine.
Packaging materials can be managed centrally and transferred to the line only when needed. Collaborative robots can work together with AMRs to load machines and palletize finished products, making them available for the next stages of the process.
“This organization reduces the physical workload for operators and frees up their time for higher-value activities and decisions,” explains Marelli. “Technology does not replace people, but enables them to work more effectively.”
Data and digitalization: transforming information into value
The industry of the future will be increasingly data-driven, but human expertise will remain essential. Machines generate large volumes of information; the real value lies in the ability to aggregate, interpret and transform this data into useful insights for production, maintenance and technical support.
“Advanced analysis makes it possible to identify correlations, trends and critical issues that are not immediately visible,” says Marelli. “But to be truly effective, data must always be interpreted within its operating context.”
Variables such as materials, temperature, humidity and dust can significantly affect machine performance and process stability. For this reason, data analysis must be combined with process knowledge and field experience. The result is a more precise understanding of production conditions, supporting the design of more efficient machines and enabling more effective customer support.
Format changeovers: reducing downtime through automation and augmented reality
As market demand becomes more varied and production batches more diversified, format changeovers are becoming increasingly important. In the past, these operations were largely manual and depended heavily on operator experience. They required time, precision and continuous verification, with any uncertainty potentially extending line downtime.
Today, format changeovers are becoming guided, intuitive and integrated into machine logic. Advanced technologies can support each stage of the operation, indicating what to do, when to do it and where to intervene.
“The most advanced technologies reduce complexity, increase precision and make format changeovers faster and more repeatable,” explains Marelli.
Augmented reality and human-machine interfaces make information easier to access. Operators can consult instructions, technical documentation and adjustment parameters through a tablet, overlaying them directly onto the machine at the exact point where the intervention must be carried out. Tool-less solutions and sensor technologies further support this evolution, making operations simpler, safer and more ergonomic.
The result is a faster, more repeatable and more reliable changeover process, with reduced downtime and lower risk of error. In an increasingly automated production environment, ease of use becomes a key factor in efficiency, continuity and final product quality.
Cybersecurity: protecting machines, data and production continuity
As industrial machines become more connected, cybersecurity becomes a structural element of machine design. Digitalization increases efficiency, control and data availability, but it also requires adequate protection for systems, information and production processes.
“Industrial data may contain sensitive information regarding know-how, production volumes and the operating methods of production systems,” explains Marelli. “Protecting this information means safeguarding intellectual property, preserving competitiveness and ensuring production continuity.”
Cybersecurity applied to industrial machines includes technical and organizational measures such as user authentication, role-based permissions, firewalls, secure remote connections, access traceability and network segregation. The aim is to ensure that production, maintenance and technical support remain accessible, but only through controlled, authorized and monitored systems.
In this perspective, cybersecurity is not an obstacle to daily operations. It is a tool that increases machine reliability, protects the value of production systems and supports the growing connection between machines, company systems and digital platforms.
Towards 2030: a more sustainable, intelligent and connected packaging industry
The packaging of the future will be shaped by the convergence of sustainability, digital technologies and human expertise. Regulations are accelerating the transition toward more circular and transparent packaging, while digital tools are making production systems more efficient, flexible and controllable.
For Cama Group, this transformation is not only a technological challenge, but also an opportunity to design solutions that combine innovation, reliability and industrial responsibility. Looking towards 2030, the future of packaging will depend on the ability to integrate smarter machines, more sustainable materials, secure data management and people-centered technologies into a single, coherent vision.