The Future of Packaging is being written now. Will you be part of it?

From regulatory transformation and sustainability demands to generational shifts in leadership and rapidly evolving customer expectations, the pace and complexity of change have never been greater. For label printers across Europe, the question is no longer if transformation is needed, but how to navigate it successfully.

This is exactly why the FINAT European Label Forum 2026 (ELF) remains the place where the industry comes together. Not only to understand these changes, but to shape the response. At ELF 2026, one of the standout sessions will bring together industry leaders for a candid, story-driven panel discussion on how packaging businesses are evolving in practice and what it truly takes to build a future-proof label company.

From Disruption to Direction: Learning from Industry Leaders

Change in packaging is not arriving in a single wave. It is unfolding through multiple forces at once: regulatory pressure, technological innovation, and shifting market dynamics. As panelist Isidore Leiser, CEO and owner of Stratus Packaging Group, highlights: 'The label industry is entering one of the most transformative periods in its history. Regulatory developments such as the PPWR, the EUDR, the CLP revision, and increasingly stringent food safety requirements are reshaping not only materials and formulations, but entire supply chains.'

These developments go far beyond compliance. They demand a fundamental rethink of how label businesses operate, from product design and sourcing to recyclability, traceability, and customer advisory. 'Sustainability is no longer a positioning argument — it is becoming a structural requirement embedded in legislation.'

This new reality requires more than technical adaptation. It calls for strategic leadership, operational excellence, and above all, collaboration across the value chain.

Building Businesses That Endure

Alongside regulatory transformation, another critical dimension of future-proofing lies within the organisations themselves: leadership, succession, and long-term vision. Stefanie Wareka, representing a fifth-generation family business, shares a powerful perspective: 'For us, future-proofing is not a trend but a responsibility: each generation must leave the company stronger, economically and sustainably, than it inherited it.'

Her experience underlines a key theme of the panel: resilience is built over time, through deliberate choices. From managing succession and leadership transitions to scaling operations without losing agility to redefining business models, the discussion will explore the real decisions companies are making today to remain competitive tomorrow. 'Open dialogue across generations, the courage to innovate while respecting legacy, and strong family alignment are key to ensuring long-term resilience and relevance.'

Turning Insight into Action

What makes this panel particularly valuable is its practical focus. This is not theory. It is a conversation grounded in real-world experience, from companies actively implementing innovation, navigating regulatory complexity, and transforming their operations. Whether you are leading an established family business, scaling a growing label operation, or stepping into leadership as part of the next generation, this session will offer honest lessons, actionable perspectives, and the confidence to navigate transformation.

Why This Conversation Matters, and Why It Happens at ELF

For over two decades, FINAT has played a vital role in helping the European label industry anticipate change rather than react to it. Isidore Leiser comments, 'As industry leaders, our responsibility is clear: transform regulatory pressure into innovation, strengthen transparency, and ensure that labels continue to deliver performance, safety, and sustainability.' The European Label Forum is where this responsibility comes to life.

It is where label printers connect with peers, exchange ideas, and gain insights unavailable elsewhere. It is where the pulse of the industry is felt, not in theory, but in conversation, collaboration, and shared experience.

Join the Conversation at ELF 2026

If you want to understand where the label industry is heading and how to position your business for what comes next, this is the place to be. The European Label Forum 2026 brings together the people, perspectives, and expertise that define the future of our industry.

Now is the time to be part of that conversation.

If you have not yet registered, secure your place and join your peers at the most important gathering of the European label community.

Because the future of packaging is not something to observe from the sidelines, it is something to help shape.