With nearly 700 exhibitors committed, live showroom hours will now run Monday through Thursday, 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. CT and Friday 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. CT. PACK EXPO Connects will bring together a full range of solution providers, minimizing the time and effort necessary for attendees to find answers to real-world packaging and processing challenges. The virtual event was designed to foster interactions between CPGs and suppliers with an intuitive, state-of-the-art virtual platform that makes live engagement easy.

The information below will help guide you to creating your event plan.

Preview Week

Preview Week is Nov. 2-6, when registered attendees can browse live demo descriptions, build their planner and save items to Outlook calendars. Organization and pre-planning will help navigate the event, as there will be a lot to see and experience.

Sunrise Breakfast Kickoff

8:30-9 a.m. CT, Monday, Nov. 9:
Sunrise Breakfast Kickoff with Dr. Kim Houchens, Director, Customer Packaging Experience at Amazon. She will provide insights on engineering your packaging to meet the challenges of the future of e-commerce fulfillment.

Live Product Demonstrations

These 15-minute, live demonstrations will allow attendees to check out what’s new, ask questions and engage with exhibitors in real time. There are currently more than 2,500 scheduled demos to view. Turn to page 44 to see just a few of the exhibitors’ products. See the latest scheduled demo times and events.

Live 1:1 Chat

The chats will allow attendees to chat directly with exhibitors during dedicated event hours. If you can’t catch an exhibitor during the event hours, Virtual Business Cards will help foster those connections even after the event has ended.

PACK EXPO Green

Green Exhibitors: Exhibitors who provide sustainable solutions either with new materials or technology — such as biodegradable packaging, new reduction processes, recyclable and biodegradable materials  and technology to reduce carbon footprint — will be highlighted online by the PACK EXPO Green. View Green Exhibitors here.

Sustainability Sessions: Attend sessions presented during PACK EXPO Connects which feature topics and solutions for sustainability.

Showcase of Packaging Innovations

The Showcase of Packaging Innovations, sponsored by Klöckner Pentaplast and association sponsor Institute of Packaging Professionals, will share the best and brightest product packaging ideas advancing the industry in 2020. Get inspired by viewing the Showcase of Packaging Innovations featuring high-quality images that let you rotate the winning products and zoom in on details.

This year’s Showcase of Packaging Innovations participants include:

  • Association of International Metallizers, Coaters and Laminators (AIMCAL)
  • Flexible Packaging Association (FPA)
  • Foil & Specialty Effects Association (FSEA)
  • Institute of Packaging Professionals (IoPP)
  • PMMI Media Group’s Profood World Sustainability Excellence in Manufacturing Awards
  • Paperboard Packaging Council (PPC)
  • Reusable Packaging Association (RPA)
  • Tube Council North America (TCNA)
  • World Packaging Organisation (WPO)

Miles to McCormick Walk/Run Challenge

Get moving with the Miles to McCormick Walk/Run Challenge. A gift card prize provides a little more incentive to meet your goal.

In this fun and free event, participants log steps in real life and then view progress against others on an online route from O’Hare Airport to McCormick Place in Chicago. It isn’t so much a race, as it is motivation to get some movement during the virtual event experience. Participants who log their walks/runs at least three times or complete the trail to McCormick Place will be entered to win one of three $150 gift cards for a Chicago-themed food treat. Good luck. A separate registration is required to join. There is no registration fee for the Challenge, however donations to the PMMI Foundation are encouraged. Enter Walk/Run Challenge registration.

The journey begins at 8 a.m. CT on Monday, November 9 and ends at 8 p.m. CT on Friday, November 13. Winners will be announced the following week.

PMMI Education Foundation

The PMMI Foundation provides financial support for packaging and processing education throughout the U.S and Canada. Since its inception in 1998, the PMMI Foundation has given more than $2.3 million
to strengthen the workforce within the packaging and processing industry. The Foundation is a 501(c)3 tax exempt organization, and all donations made to the foundation are tax deductible.

Five Trends that Impacted Packaging During COVID-19

PMMI came out with an infographic from its report, “Economic Impact of COVID-19: Guidance in an Uncertain Economy.” These market trends are worth considering if there is a second wave of the virus.

PMMI, The Association for Packaging and Processing Technologies, represents more than 900 North American manufacturers and suppliers of equipment, components and materials as well as providers of related equipment and services to the packaging and processing industry. We work to advance a variety of industries by connecting consumer goods companies with manufacturing solutions through the world-class PACK EXPO portfolio of trade shows: PACK EXPO International, PACK EXPO Las Vegas, Healthcare Packaging EXPO, PACK EXPO East, EXPO PACK México, EXPO PACK Guadalajara. Learn more at pmmi.org.

 

More information here. Register here.

 

View all PACK EXPO articles

Education

All times are in Central Time

MONDAY MORNING SUNRISE BREAKFAST KICKOFF: Monday, 8:30 a.m. – 9 a.m.

JUMPSTART: Monday through Friday, 9 a.m. – 10 a.m.

INNOVATION STAGE SESSIONS: Monday through Thursday, 12 p.m. – 2:30 p.m.

TREND CHATS: Monday through Thursday, 2:30 p.m. – 3 p.m.

DAILY DOWNLOAD: Monday through Friday, 3 p.m. – 3:30 p.m.

THE SOLUTION ROOM: Friday, 10 a.m. – 2 p.m.

Note: All education sessions will be available on demand for international attendees to watch at times convenient to them. Spanish language closed captioning will be provided for specific content and interviews with industry newsmakers.