COUNTDOWN TO PACK EXPO

Special Showcases, Pavilions, and Resource Centers Drive Success of Pack Expo 2004

The curvy and colorful Rose’s Cocktail Infusions won IoPP’s “People’s Choice” award in the Showcase of Packaging Innovations.

Package designers and marketers who visited Pack Expo International 2004 at Chicago’s McCormick Place in November found much to engage their imaginations. The show attracted 2000 leading packaging and processing industry suppliers as exhibitors, and this year over 400 of those were companies that supply package materials or package design expertise.

The enormous scale of Pack Expo and provides a comprehensive forum for package designers to network, explore new technologies, and generate ideas. Among other special pavilions, the Showcase of Packaging Innovations returned in full force after making its debut at Pack Expo Las Vegas the previous year. The 2004 Showcase displayed more than 300 of the past year’s most innovative products and striking designs.

Fourteen prominent packaging organizations from North and South America presented their award winners in attractive and accessible display cases for all visitors to inspect. The Institute of Packaging Professionals had visitors vote for the show’s “People’s Choice” award, which they presented at their awards dinner during the show. The curvy and colorful Rose’s Cocktail Infusions by Cadbury-Schweppes took home that honor.

Pack Expo attendees were able to get up to speed about the newest advancements in supply chain tracking and packaging security with two new special areas on the show floor—the Radio Frequency Identification (RFID) Pavilion and the Packaging Security Resource Center.

Thirty-eight exhibitors were featured in the RFID Pavilion, dedicated to presenting technologies for case and pallet tagging and verification. Twenty-four companies exhibited in the Packaging Security Resource Center, a pavilion dedicated to protecting packaging operations against the threat of counterfeiting, bio-terrorism, and product adulteration.

Among the 54 seminars of the Conference at Pack Expo was a track solely devoted to package design topics and market trends, with over a dozen seminars. A total of 1,638 packaging professionals attended conference presentations from companies such as Hormel, Coca-Cola, PepsiCo, Frito-Lay, and Procter & Gamble.

Looking ahead to Mexico and Las Vegas

Pack Expo 2004 filled Chicago’s McCormick Place to capacity, with plenty to offer to package designers.

The 20th edition of Expo Pack Mexico 2005, newly acquired by the Packaging Machinery Manufacturers Institute (PMMI), will be held June 21-24 at Centro Banamex in Mexico City, Mexico. The new facility will feature more than 700+ exhibitors in over 135,000 square feet of space.

This year’s Pack Expo Las Vegas will take place September 26-28 at the Las Vegas Convention Center. Making its second appearance will be the Containers & Materials Pavilion, one of the most well received pavilions to debut at Pack Expo Las Vegas in 2003. With 133 materials and containers suppliers in over 50,000 square feet of space, the pavilion highlighted all aspects of the $100 billion packaging industry, including plastics, resins, films, glass, metal, additives, coatings/treatments, rubber, textiles, and woven materials.

In addition, a brand new Contract Packaging Pavilion will debut at Pack Expo Las Vegas 2005. This pavilion will enhance the visibility of important suppliers and offer a showcase of the latest contract packaging services available. To register and learn more about Pack Expo Las Vegas 2005, visit www.packexpo.com, call (703) 243-8555, fax (703) 243-8556, or email expo@pmmi.org.