The British Contract Manufacturers and Packers Association (BCMPA) has welcomed the addition of fulfilment, e-commerce and logistics as forum topics at this year’s Contract Pack & Fulfilment show.

The new Packing, Fulfilment & Logistics Forum has attracted industry leading speakers who will present seminars on collaborative robots in packing lines, the impact of e-commerce, reverse logistics, leveraging value-added services, and achieving consistency in kitting, collation & logistics across multiple markets.

BCMPA members represented among the speaker line-up include Mark Catley of XPO Logistics, Steven Hurworth of Communisis UK and Kevin Rogers of LGI Logistics Group.

The Contract Pack & Fulfilment show, which takes place at the NEC Birmingham on February 26 and 27, forms part of Easyfairs Packaging Innovations, the UK’s largest packaging exhibition.

By making fulfilment and logistics an integral part of the show, the organisers have recognised that brand owners are looking more and more to outsource their operations and to be provided with a full end-to-end service. This trend has also been reflected by the BCMPA itself, which recently updated its identity to become the ‘Association for Contract Manufacturing, Packing, Fulfilment & Logistics’.

Rodney Steel, chief executive of the BCMPA, said: “The new programme adds real value to the show, sharing insight from experts across the industry. We are also delighted to welcome to the speaker line-up Peter Ward, CEO of the UK Warehousing Association, and Josephine Coombe, MD of Nulogy UK.”

Centre piece of the Contract Pack & Fulfilment zone is the BCMPA hospitality lounge. Here the show plays host to 17 accredited BCMPA exhibitors offering brand owners and manufacturers the opportunity to meet potential outsourcing partners for their contract manufacturing, packing, fulfilment and logistics projects.

The BCMPA will also be celebrating its 20th anniversary at the show. “We are excited to share this milestone celebration with our members and reflect on both the success and growth of the association and the industry over the past 20 years,” said Rodney.