Talking with Maria Font, new Vice President of INDPULS

On the occasion of the change in the Vice Presidency of INDPULS, we speak with Maria Font, Innovation Director at Font Packaging Group and new Vice President of the association. Maria is part of the third generation of the family leading the company, together with her siblings Francesc Font, General Manager, and Martina Font, Corporate Director of Font Packaging Group and CEO of Kartox.

Drawing on her experience leading innovation at Font Packaging Group, a benchmark company in packaging solutions, Maria shares her vision of the challenges facing the industry, the role of collaborative innovation and the future of INDPULS as a space for building a more innovative, sustainable and competitive industry.

You are taking on the Vice Presidency of INDPULS in a new stage for you within the association. How do you feel about this transition, and what would you like to contribute in this new role?

I see it as a challenge, with enthusiasm, responsibility and a desire to give back part of what INDPULS has given me over the years.

For me, the great value of INDPULS lies in the trust that has been built among the companies that are part of the association, sharing challenges, learnings and a commitment to the future. And, from this new role, I would like to help continue growing what we have built and make even more visible the value we can generate when we collaborate to address shared challenges.

As the new Vice President, what do you think INDPULS’s main areas of focus should be in order to continue generating value for its member companies?

I believe INDPULS has a great opportunity, because we are living in a time when technological, regulatory and market changes are constantly accelerating, and companies need to learn, adapt and make decisions faster.

The ability to work together to address challenges that a company can hardly solve alone — and even less so at the speed required by the current context — will become increasingly important.

That is why I believe the main areas of focus should be to continue strengthening the community and shared learning, connect knowledge and capabilities, promote new collaborative projects to address common challenges, and help anticipate trends and changes that will impact companies’ competitiveness.

From your experience as Innovation Director at Font Packaging, how do you understand innovation within an industrial company?

For me, innovating in an industrial company means constantly questioning the way we do things in order to find new ways of creating value. This means researching, experimenting and developing new products, but also optimizing processes, gaining efficiency, incorporating technology and improving service.

But I believe that today the challenge goes further. Innovation should no longer transform only products, processes or the business model; it must also transform the core of companies. AI, sustainability, social changes and people’s new expectations require us to evolve our culture, leadership and the way we organize ourselves and make decisions.

Font Packaging Group was recognized last year with three Liderpack 2025 Awards for solutions that combine design, sustainability and innovation. What do these recognitions mean for the company, and how do they reflect the way you understand innovation within the packaging sector?

These awards are a recognition of the team, but also of a way of doing things. At Font Packaging Group, innovation is part of our DNA and an important part of our value proposition, together with service. We have always been committed to combining design, sustainability and technical knowledge to help our clients find better packaging solutions — more efficient and with a lower environmental impact.

That is why these recognitions are especially meaningful to us. On the one hand, because they highlight the work of many people and, on the other, because they confirm that we are moving in the direction we believe is right.

INDPULS places strong emphasis on collaborative innovation. What does be part of an ecosystem where challenges, experiences and knowledge are shared with other industrial companies bring to a company like Font Packaging Group?

Being part of an ecosystem like INDPULS brings us something very valuable: the chance to step away from the day-to-day and see how other companies facing realities similar to ours address their challenges. This gives you perspective, helps you identify opportunities, contrast ideas and learn from collective experience.

In addition, there is something that I find especially relevant. Startups, technology centers and universities are essential, but sharing experiences with industrial companies that have to implement change in real production environments offers a very close perspective and a shared context that make learning much more applicable.

What kind of industry would you like us to help build through INDPULS in the coming years?

I would like INDPULS to help build a more competitive, more sustainable and more resilient industry. An industry capable of adapting to change without losing its values, and of understanding that the future can be built by combining innovation, cooperation and purpose.

I believe that the ability to innovate together will be a differentiating factor. I would like us to take collaboration to another level and turn it into a true competitive strength for our industry.

And, as a collective ambition, I would like INDPULS not only to generate impact among its member companies, but also to help inspire new ways of innovating and collaborating, consolidating itself as a benchmark model for industry.

This interview is part of the INDPULSTALKS series, our conversation platform with the INDPULS community, where we explore topics related to the industrial sector, innovation, sustainability and management, among other key areas.