Visy, a packaging company based in Australia, and Water.IO, a provider of Internet of Things (IoT) smart packaging solutions, formed a strategic partnership to bring smart packaging to the region.

Under the partnership, Water.IO solutions will enable Visy to provide highly advanced "intelligent packaging" options to its customers, which include brands and manufacturers in the beverage and food industries as well as other verticals across Australia and New Zealand.

Israel-based Water.IO leverages a unique combination of sensors, algorithms, cloud servers and mobile apps to provide a complete IoT platform for consumer packaged brands. Its patented Smart Cap technology can convert any bottle into a smart bottle to provide consumers with important personal reminders and alerts, like when it is time to hydrate, or when the product is about to run out and needs to be re-ordered. Through Water.IO, brands and manufacturers gain a direct channel to end-users for access to customer data, real-time analytics and ongoing engagement opportunities.  

"As we enter a new era of smart packaging, companies must partner together to solve problems and move the market forward,” says Richard Macchiesi, general manager of insights and innovation at Visy. “This is why we're working with Water.IO; we have found an exciting mature technology and dedicated team to partner with. This new relationship represents our belief that the future of packaging has the potential to improve customer engagement, personalize products, supply data to brand owners, maintain the authenticity and integrity of food and pharma products and improve convenience for consumers."

"We are thrilled to be partnering with Visy," says Yoav Hoshen, co-founder and executive vice president for Water.IO. "Together, we look forward to setting a new standard for what's possible through packaging. As the Internet of Things raises consumers' expectations for products that anticipate their every need, Water.IO is leading the charge on doing this for consumer goods. For the first time, brands can gain first-hand insights on how their customers are using their products. Through our technology expertise and Visy's extensive production capabilities and global reach, we are excited about bringing the ‘smart packaging’ revolution and the opportunity to markets worldwide."