The Packaging Cluster has obtained two COSME projects to help improve the competitiveness of its associated companies, especially SMEs, in an international framework and open markets to new countries.

In both projects, there is a part of the budget allocated to participating companies, which will have a travel bag to implement their internationalization strategy.

Below are the characteristics of both projects, which will begin in January 2018 and will last for two years.

FOODPACKLAB (Photonics-Packaging Partnership for Food Innovation)

The aim of this project is to enhance the synergies between the photonics industry, packaging and food towards the current challenges worldwide: food processing, safety and hygiene, reduction of food waste and circular economy in packaging procedures. The activities planned for the companies associated with the cluster are:

1. Possibility of carrying out up to 3 Brokerage Events (Spain, Germany and France) to promote collaborative projects and initiatives among companies, technology centers and R&D centers associated with the clusters that make up the consortium.
2. Study the markets of third countries (outside the EU) and the challenges of food packaging.
3. Develop a strategy and a roadmap towards internationalization in third countries to have a detailed action plan (report with relevant contacts, fairs, market data, challenges and additional considerations for each selected third country).

Consortium: Secpho (SP), Optics Valley (FR), FoodRegio (GE), Packaging Cluster (SP) i Food Processing Initiative (GE)

ADPACK 2.0 (European Strategic Cluster Partnership for Advanced Smart Packaging)

AdPack 2.0 aims to encourage intersectoral cooperation between clusters and their members, as well as support internationalization and position them in the global value chain of advanced intelligent packaging in Canada, China and the United States.

The consortium brings together actors related to the final product (packaging), the application market (food), cross-cutting technologies (nanotechnologies, microelectronics, software, IT and plasma technologies) and new materials (polymers and Biopolymers).

The participating companies will have a travel bag of up to € 2,000 to carry out the following activities:

1. AdPack offers a set of internationalization services to SMEs: international missions, ambassador services, market intelligence, support to establish collaborations with counterparts in Canada, China and the United States and the 6 countries where the Adpack 2.0 consortium comes from (Czech Republic, Portugal, Belgium, Germany, Spain and France).
2. Adpack 2.0 will prepare SMEs through a training program (webinars), which will include aspects such as: Smart Packaging sector opportunities in the target country, barriers, requirements and measures to support trade in the target country, business culture, support in the preparation of business meetings, or support on how to negotiate and sign a cooperation agreement.
3. Finally, the interested companies will carry out missions in the selected countries with the aim of signing cooperation agreements with clusters, business associations, technology centers, universities, innovation centers or local investment promotion agencies, which previously Adpack 2.0 will have identified and contacted.

Consortium: Nanoprogress (CZ), BalticNet PlasmaTec (GE), InovCluster (PT), Packaging Cluster (SP), Plastiwin (BE), Solutions Communicantes Securisées (FR).