Largest ever Pack Expo breaks records

On the 60th Anniversary of its debut, the 2016 Pack Expo International and the co-located Pharma Expo became the largest processing and packaging show in its history.

Show owner and producer PMMI, The Association for Packaging and Processing Technologies, reported a record-breaking 2,512 exhibitors spread over 1.25 million net square feet of exhibit space welcomed more than 47,000 targeted buyers.

“Exhibitors reported that not only were leads up, but the quality of the attendees continues to grow,” said Jim Pittas, senior vice president of PMMI. “A full audit of the event will be forthcoming, but all initial reports from exhibitors and attendees clearly show Pack Expo International and Pharma EXPO 2016 was an overwhelming success.”

Long-time exhibitor and Fortune 500 mainstay Sealed Air, of Charlotte, N.C., supported the anecdotal evidence, calling 2016 one of its finest Pack Expo events.

“Our senior management has been talking this year’s show up for months and, with lots of self-driven planning and promotions, it was one of the best we’ve ever had,” said Jenn Grubenstetter, executive director of Global Communications/Product Care for Sealed Air. “We secured an average of 200 organic leads per day in addition to hosting 350 customers and channel partners for pre-scheduled meetings.”

“This Pack Expo International was our best show yet,” said Virginia Price, CEO and founder of exhibitor Planet CanIt, Highland Park, Ill. “We are always excited when we have the opportunity to meet manufacturers seeking a high-end packaging solution. At this show, we [saw] top-level executives, marketers and package designers for brands across the food, toy, personal care and other industries we serve.”

Pack Expo also received a record number of endorsements with the largest ever Partner Program including 31 associations. International pavilion organizers came from all corners of the globe, including Argentina, Bavaria, Brazil, China, France, Germany, Italy, Switzerland and Taiwan.

The inaugural NextGEN Networking Fair connected both supplier companies and consumer goods manufacturers with student talent in the Education and Workforce Development Pavilion. Fourteen teams of students from 10 partner schools also participated in the Amazing Packaging Race, sponsored by ASCO. A team made up of undergrads from Indiana State University, Cal Poly, Virginia Tech and Rutgers University took home iPads for finishing first in the seventh annual competition. ASCO also awarded $5,000 academic scholarships to Nathaniel Weger, a junior at the University of Iowa, and Quinnlan Sweeney, a junior at Clemson University.

PMMI hosted the 6th annual PACK gives BACK featuring the magic and comedy act of Penn and Teller. The sold-out event, sponsored by co-title sponsors Rockwell Automation and DuPont and Bronze sponsor Massman Automation Designs, LLC, drew more than 1,400 attendees. A portion of the proceeds will benefit No Greater Sacrifice (NGS), a nonprofit organization providing educational scholarships to the children of wounded and fallen military.

“We took the band Chicago to Las Vegas last year so we thought we should bring a little Las Vegas to Chicago this year and raised money for a great cause,” said Jim Pittas. “Thank you to the sponsors and all those who attended and donated to NGS.”