HIPE at the heart of innovation: back to the 112th Sheet Plant Association conference in Liverpool
From September 18 to 19, 2025, HIPE was honored to take part in the 112th Sheet Plant Association conference in the UK. A major event for the cardboard and packaging industry, it brought together industry leaders to discuss the economic, technological and human issues shaping the future of our sector.
A landmark event for packaging professionals
Organized in an exceptional setting in Liverpool, the conference was distinguished by impeccable logistics and top-quality speakers. Many thanks to Tim Gray, President of the SPA, for his warm welcome and communicative energy throughout the event.
We would particularly like to highlight :
- Inspiring speeches, like that of former footballer Kevin Keegan, who shared his journey and lessons learned in leadership and adaptability.
- An in-depth look at the current economic challenges facing the packaging industry: digitalization, energy transition, talent management, regulatory changes...
- An impressive visit to the Shotton Mill Limited site, currently undergoing a colossal £1.4 billion transformation thanks to the Eren Group. This project is a keystone in the industry's development, and a testament to its dynamism.
- A focus on the attractiveness of the sector, too often underestimated, yet rich in opportunities for young people and new talent.
- And above all... a powerful conference on AI in B2B sales, hosted by Emile Hall, on the theme: "From Artificial to Emotional Intelligence". A presentation that resonated deeply with our own vision.
A strategic meeting for HIPE
Our presence in Liverpool marks an important step for HIPE in its international development. The UK corrugated board and packaging market faces similar challenges to those encountered in continental Europe: the need for speed, pressure on margins, a shortage of skilled labor, and increasingly complex customer demands.
With our AI agents in R&D, feedback from the field, direct from the professionals present, was invaluable in validating the relevance of the use cases already tested, and in designing new ones.
At HIPE, AI is a strategic lever, but never the only one
This conference was an opportunity to affirm a strong conviction that we hold at Hipe. AI won't replace teams, but it can help them considerably.
With HIPE, we're not just offering a CPQ platform for packaging. We're building an intelligent ecosystem where :
- Technology boosts productivity (configurators, AI agents, intelligent pricing...)
- The method structures processes (sales, sales, quotations, etc.)
- And training makes teams autonomous and efficient.
Because AI, without a trained team and a clear process, remains a gadget.
It's the trio of Technology - Method - Training that creates real, measurable and lasting impact.