Turkey’s carton packaging sector, among Europe’s most important carton packaging manufacturers, is actively seeking solutions to industry problems and keeping itself up-to-date for a promising future through events and organizations like this. The 2023 edition of KASAD’s Carton Packaging Seminar, sponsored by Sekamsan Paper & Carton company and held for the fourth time, focused on innovations and the future of the industry around the theme of “Prevention of Errors and Productivity.” During the opening speech, Altuğ Ulu, KASAD Board Member and Chairman of Görsel Sanatlar Printing and Packaging, emphasized the importance of sectoral training seminars in promoting the development of employees and the sector as a whole. He stated that by sharing the problems, solutions, and opportunities in the industry, they increase the synergy and unity within the sector.
The first speaker of the seminar was KASAD Secretary General Erol Gül, who provided information about carton types, common carton errors, and proposed solutions. Nihal Yılmaz, KASAD Deputy Secretary General, delivered presentations on sustainability topics. The participating companies also enriched the seminar with presentations related to their areas of expertise.
In his speech at the seminar, KASAD Secretary General Erol Gül emphasized that the goal of productivity efforts is to achieve the maximum output with minimum input in the shortest possible time. He highlighted the importance of using fewer resources like carton, ink, chemicals, energy, and water, reducing downtime and errors through planned maintenance to improve the efficiency of a business. Gül also emphasized that improving efficiency is not only crucial for sustainable businesses but also essential for reducing carbon emissions and combating global warming and climate change.
During her speech titled “Cardboard Packaging from a Sustainable Framework,” KASAD Deputy Secretary General Nihal Yılmaz addressed five important responsibilities related to sustainability. She presented data from the European carton and cardboard packaging industry, demonstrating how cardboard packaging not only meets the demands of a bio-based and circular economy but also plays a key role in transitioning to a low-carbon economy due to its renewable, 100% recyclable, biodegradable, and compostable properties.
In the seminar, Emin Direkçi from KalDer Quality Association spoke about what companies should do in their production activities to reduce errors and increase productivity within the quality systems. Kutay Ercan from Heidelberg Turkey addressed issues in the offset printing process, Arda Zambak from Bobst Istanbul Packaging discussed issues in the die-cutting process, and Eren Şentürk from Koenig & Bauer Duran focused 
on the folding and gluing process. They provided examples and solutions to improve efficiency in their respective fields. Müjde Özdemir from Toyo Printing Inks explained the relationship between cardboard and ink in offset printing and shared the common issues and solutions in cardboard packaging production with the audience. The final speaker, Levon Karabosyan from Duran Doğan Packaging, delivered a presentation on the historical development of the carton packaging sector and the challenges faced by the industry.
Overall, the KASAD Carton Packaging Seminar provided valuable insights and solutions to enhance productivity and address issues in the carton packaging industry, making it an important event for the sector’s development and progress.
