Since its inception, PACK EXPO has brought together both the processing and packaging supply chains to create an immersive, comprehensive experience for both attendees and exhibitors. This year’s PACK EXPO, which is making its biennial pit stop in Las Vegas at the Las Vegas Convention Center from September 25-27, is poised to deliver on that experience in ways that it has never done before.

In addition to an expansive show floor featuring exhibitors from across the globe, PACK EXPO Las Vegas will also be holding networking sessions, educational tracks and special sessions to help attendees explore everything from packaging technologies to materials and equipment.

The themes for this year’s show are efficiency, product safety and sustainability.

“Product and operational safety is a fundamental requirement. A business must offer a safe product to consumers that are produced by operations teams working in a safe environment. PACK EXPO exhibitors provide materials, machines and services to keep operations teams on top of their game,” says Jorge Izquierdo, vice president of market development for PMMI, organizer of PACK EXPO Las Vegas. “Sustainability demands by the consumer marketplace are also a fundamental consideration of the tens of thousands of products offered for sale. The exhibitors will have solution sets that meet these increasingly more stringent sustainability demands of both the corporate parent and the consumer.”

Poised to be the Biggest

In 2015, PACK EXPO Las Vegas attracted about 28,700 attendees and more than 2,000 exhibitors across 844,500 square feet of exhibit space. According to show organizers, this marked about a 4 percent increase in attendance and a 12 percent increase in exhibitors from the 2013 event in Las Vegas. The 2017 event, however, is poised to be the biggest ever. In fact, organizers are expecting more than 2,000 exhibitors and more than 30,000 attendees across about 900,000 square feet of exhibition space.

The Drone Zone

New to PACK EXPO Las Vegas this year is a special demonstration area in the North Hall that will focus on packaging for the last mile. The PACK EXPO Drone Demo zone is possible via collaboration with Workhorse, a drone and electric truck maker, and will simulate package delivery throughout a 15,000-square-foot virtual landscape consisting of mock housing and mailboxes. Drones are scheduled to take off from the top of delivery trucks and actually make deliveries to the homes. Monitors will be arranged to offer attendees perspectives from the drone and the delivery van.

Drone demonstrations are scheduled to take place hourly throughout the trade show.

“When it comes to automated packaging delivery, whether it be a drone or driverless vehicles, many in the packaging industry, as well as consumers, are not exactly sure what this technology looks like or how it will apply to their everyday operations,” says Jim Pittas, COO of PMMI. “Our interactive display offers a real visualization of the final process that brings the package the last mile to a consumer’s home.”

Other Education Opportunities

Here’s a rundown of further educational opportunities that PACK EXPO Las Vegas offers to attendees:

The Showcase of Packaging Innovations: Sponsored by Dow, award-nominated packaging solutions will be on display at the Showcase of Packaging Innovations located within the Containers and Materials Pavilion. Attendees will be able to see inspiring technology that addresses the evolving needs of demanding consumers. 

The Reusable Packaging Pavilion: As demand rises for sustainable packaging solutions, the Reusable Packaging Pavilion, sponsored by the Reusable Packaging Association, is a hot spot to help inform attendees on how to reduce waste, cut costs and gain chain efficiency.

Industry-Specific Lounges: Attendees can network with peers, gain specialized insights, and rest and recharge at three different industry-specific lounges. Hosted by the International Society of Beverage Technologists, the Beverage Cooler Lounge (Booth #7632) will offer educational presentations, including Ask-the-Expert sessions. The Baking and Snack Break Lounge (Booth #S-7832), sponsored and hosted by the American Bakers Association, offers professionals within those industries a similar hub as does the Candy Bar Lounge (Booth# S-7202) sponsored by Dorner Manufacturing Corp. and hosted by NCA, located in the Confectionery Pavilion.

The PMMI Education & Workforce Development Pavilion: Attendees can start maximizing their time in Las Vegas before the show doors even open. Two of PMMI’s most popular training workshops will be offered in the Upper South Hall. The Risk Assessment Workshop (Sept. 23-24), prepares manufacturing professionals to conduct complete and successful risk assessments while the Certified Trainer Workshop (Sept. 25), is a cross-industry seminar on the best tactics to train well across all employee skill levels.

The Innovation Stage: During the show, attendees will have free access to a schedule of 30-minute seminars delivered by exhibitors to address the latest challenges, technologies and trends. Topics include clean labeling, brand protection, smart packaging, sustainability, and coding and serialization technology.