Ben Daniel, Editor-in-Chief, Packaging MEA reports from Gulfood Manufacturing, Dubai
Tetra Pak used the global stage of Gulfood Manufacturing 2025 to launch Tetra Pak® Factory OS™, its most advanced Automation and Digitalisation platform to date. Positioned as a modular, open and scalable smart-factory ecosystem, Factory OS™ represents a strategic shift in how food, beverage and packaging operations will manage data, optimise efficiency and prepare for AI-driven production.
As the official MEA packaging media present at the unveiling, Packaging MEA saw firsthand how Tetra Pak aims to move manufacturers away from fragmented automation toward unified, contextualised and real-time factory intelligence.
A connected digital foundation for production and packaging lines
At the centre of Factory OS™ is a new data-integration layer built on open standards and advanced analytics. It links equipment and systems across the entire plant—irrespective of vendor, age or prior digital maturity—to deliver a single operational view, enabling faster, more accurate decision-making.
Industry benchmarks shared by Tetra Pak highlight the benefits of higher automation levels:
- 20% improvement in OEE
- 45% reduction in product waste
- 20% fewer packaging-line stops
For packaging operations, these gains directly translate to higher material utilisation, reduced downtime and more consistent pack quality.
Addressing pressure on producers
Speaking at the launch, Sean Sims, Vice President, Automation & Solutions, described the pressures reshaping the sector:
“Producers must deliver more with fewer resources—less water, less energy, less waste—while maintaining quality and reducing costs. Our next-generation portfolio transforms complexity into clarity, giving manufacturers the confidence to act decisively in volatile markets.”
For operations balancing food safety, packaging integrity and sustainability mandates, access to contextualised data is becoming indispensable.
A roadmap for future-ready, sustainable manufacturing
Charles Brand, Executive Vice President, Processing Solutions & Equipment, framed Factory OS™ as a long-term strategic platform: “Factory OS™ is more than technology; it reflects our vision for the future of food and beverage manufacturing—where resilience, efficiency and sustainability align.”
Key capabilities supporting packaging and sustainability goals include:
- Reduced material losses across filling and packaging lines
- Improved line uptime through predictive and condition-based insights
- Real-time monitoring of energy and utility consumption
- Support for circular-economy and responsible-production targets
These strengths carry particular relevance in the Middle East, where food security, sustainability and packaging efficiency remain top priorities.
sustainable packaging innovations and breakthrough structures now rolling out across the region and globally.
An ecosystem built for flexibility and scale
Co-developed with Accenture and supported by technology partners Siemens, Rockwell Automation and Inductive Automation, Factory OS™ is designed to let producers scale digitalisation at their own pace—from small initial deployments to fully integrated AI-enabled factories.
Crucially, it is engineered to work with legacy equipment, enabling converters and co-packers to modernise without full infrastructure replacement.
Implications for the packaging value chain
Factory OS™ strengthens every stage of the packaging process—from primary filling to secondary packaging, labelling and palletising. Benefits include:
- More stable and predictable packaging quality
- Lower defect and rejection rates
- Better material efficiency and reduced waste
- Clearer visibility across complex SKU portfolios
- A digital foundation for AI-enabled quality assurance and smart packaging innovation
In a market facing increasing pressure to optimise materials, reduce waste and operate more sustainably, such digital foundations are rapidly becoming essential.
A timely launch for the MEA region
Now available globally, Factory OS™ made its official international debut in Dubai—one of the world’s most important hubs for food manufacturing and packaging innovation. With digital transformation and sustainability shaping investment decisions across the GCC and broader MEA region, the platform arrives at a strategically relevant moment.
As the sector moves toward more intelligent, connected and resource-efficient operations, Tetra Pak Factory OS™ sets a strong benchmark for the next generation of manufacturing excellence—and from Dubai, Packaging MEA was on the ground to report it.