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Already present at Prod&Pack in 2021, VIF will be at the second edition of France's unmissable packaging show in 2023! And, for the first time, it will also be taking part in the Re-Use Packaging Line, a 600 m² demonstration line shedding new light on how to move towards a reduction in single-use packaging.

Communications Manager Patrick Rineau and Artistic Director and Innovation Showroom Manager Eric Delorme explain why they are taking part in the show's flagship event, built around a theme that is more topical than ever for all industrial sectors: reuse.

Gentlemen, introduce your company...

Éric Delorme: VIF SOFTWARE is a Nantes-based company that designs and develops software solutions for industrial SMEs and ETIs, mainly in the agri-food sector, but not exclusively, since we also work with process manufacturers. The idea is to support these companies in terms of execution, sustainable improvement and software such as ERP, MES and supply chain planning. Our aim is to digitalize their commercial and industrial processes, while anticipating their future needs. The company has been in existence for over 40 years, with more than 700 customer sites and 18,000 users.

What did you think of the 2021 edition of Prod&Pack?

Patrick Rineau: We're among the most loyal of exhibitors, and we were already taking part when the show was called Europack Euromanut CFIA! As far as we're concerned, the change of name and positioning of the show were well received, since we were at a time when we were beginning to diversify our activities, after more than 40 years' experience in the food industry.

Prod&Pack is a very interesting show. It takes place in Lyon, and for us it complements the CFIA Rennes, which we also attend, and which is very much focused on the food industry. It enables us to reach out to a wide variety of other industrial sectors.

In 2021, you didn't take part in the Re-Use Packaging Line. What were your impressions of this event?

P.R.: We had a look around this event a number of times, to see who was taking part... We then noticed that companies we work with were present on the line. That's when we said to ourselves, "Why not us? It's a great showcase for what we can do. In 2021, there will still be people on this line, and it's a great showcase for our company.

Could you explain what you will be presenting on the Re-Use Packaging Line 2023...

E.D.: Our area of expertise on the Re-Use Packaging Line 2023 lies mainly in the implementation of our MES software, more specifically focused on OEE (Overall Equipment Effectiveness) and quality control. The aim is to improve the performance of production and packaging lines by measuring and sharing reliable indicators in real time, identifying the causes of non-productivity and non-quality, and managing performance on a daily basis.

P.R.: When we talk about animation, we're not just talking about the software itself, but rather about showing how it can be used to animate teams. We'll also show how it's possible to improve team performance by presenting dashboards and information from the production line.

E.D.: Thanks to a counting sensor, we'll be able to detect microstops, so as to gather statistics on the cost in terms of time at the end of the day, and identify the causes of these microstops.
We can also integrate sensors for temperature, humidity, density, etc., to collect additional data and compare anomalies on the line at that precise moment, enabling us to determine the origin of the problem.

This line is also a real challenge for the organizer and/or participants...

E.D.: Yes, it's a real challenge for all participants and organizers. For our part, we also wanted to promote our solution, which is quick to install and easy to use, thanks in particular to the tool's intuitive ergonomics. All we have to do is get the names of the machines from the other participants, agree on the products, the labels, the quantities and the production orders.

Taking part in both Prod&Pack and the Re-Use Packaging Line also gives you greater visibility. So there's a twofold interest: the desire to take up a challenge and to present your software in a different context...

P.R.: Exactly Our participation in the Re-Use Packaging Line is motivated as much by the desire to take up the challenge as by the desire to present our software in a different context. Very often, on the stand, we can't demonstrate the full potential of the software... This time, on the line, we'll be in a real-life situation, which will enable us both to demonstrate all its possibilities and to have a very nice showcase.

E.D.: What's interesting for us is to invite visitors to our stand to visit the Re-Use Packaging Line to see how our MES solutions fit into an industrial context with other well-known players in our partner ecosystem. And, conversely, we'll be able to tell them that if these visitors want more information on our other ERP and Supply Chain Planning solutions, they can get it directly from o