Pack Expo Int’l 2014 attendance tops 2012 by 6.5%

Packaging and processing professionals gathered in Chicago in early November for Pack Expo International and Pharma Expo 2014, the largest packaging and processing trade show in North America.

With preliminary figures topping 48,600 attendees, show owner and producer PMMI — The Association for Packaging and Processing Technologies — anticipates recording a 6.5% attendance jump over 2012.

The four-day event, Nov. 2–5, covered more than 1.2 million net square feet of exhibit space in McCormick Place with 2,352 exhibiting companies — an increase of more than 19% for exhibiting companies from Pack Expo International 2012.

“Pack Expo International 2014 was definitely a success,” says Jim Pittas, senior vice president, PMMI, “Exhibitors sold machines right off the show floor and collected high quality leads from the steady flow of attendees.”

Pre-show registration was well ahead of 2012 figures, and that momentum continued on site. Pharma Expo, which PMMI produced in partnership with the International Society for Pharmaceutical Engineering (ISPE), clearly contributed to the surge in attendance, with twice as many attendees identifying their primary or secondary markets as “pharmaceutical.”

Pittas notes the successes of Pharma Expo and Pack Expo International 2014 strengthened the groundwork for excellent results for exhibitors at upcoming Pack Expo trade shows including Pack Expo East in February and Pharma Expo and Pack Expo Las Vegas 2015.

“Exhibitors begin planning their strategy for the next Pack Expo almost immediately after the close of the previous year’s show, and they need to know they’ll get a strong return on their investment,” says Pittas. “The success of the inaugural Pharma Expo proves the strength of the Pack Expo brand across all vertical markets and reinforces the industry’s view of Pack Expo as the preeminent North American packaging and processing show.”

Coming in February, PMMI brings the strength of Pack Expo to the East Coast with Pack Expo East (Feb. 16–18, 2015; Pennsylvania Convention Center, Philadelphia). Learn more about it at Packexpoeast.com. Registration is $30 through Jan. 21, when it increases to $60.

Also in Pack Expo news: Rutgers University takes first in PACK Solutions Challenge, with Clemson University in second University of Wisconsin, Stout, earning third prize.

The team from Rutgers University – Miles Borgeson, An Cierpial, William Kim and Melissa Lekulitch — took first place in the annual PACK Solutions Challenge competition, presented by the PMMI Foundation and sponsored by B&R Industrial Automation. Team members will share $4,000 in scholarship funds.

Winners were announced at the 2014 Packaging Hall of Fame Reception & Induction Ceremony.

The PACK Solutions Challenge is an annual student contest where teams from PMMI Partner Schools research and develop a real-world packaging solution. This year’s contest saw teams from eight programs: Cal Poly, Clemson University, Purdue University – Calumet, Rochester Institute of Technology, Rutgers University, University of Florida, University of Wisconsin – Stout and Virginia Tech.

In addition to any prize its students may win, each participating school receives a $2,500 donation from the PMMI Foundation. Clemson University received second place ($2,000 in scholarship funds, to be shared by team members), and University of Wisconsin — Stout took third place ($1,000 in scholarship funds), respectively.

For this year’s challenge, the fictional “Ray’s Premium Pet Food Company,” requested proposals for a dedicated line to package and ship its new retail-ready line of all-beef jerky treats. The students began their research using resources on packexpointernational.com and followed up with exhibitors on the show floor.

Poster presentations, which students submitted prior to arriving in Chicago, were on display in the Education & Workforce Development Pavilion at Pack Expo International 2014. Attendees and exhibitors were invited to see the display and vote for a favorite solution as the “People’s Choice” award winner. The winner of the People’s Choice Award will be announced shortly. All voters have been placed in a drawing to win a new iPad.

“Every student and educator who participated in this year’s competition will benefit from the experience. I would like to thank the schools who have participated in this year’s contest,” says Marc Ostertag, president, B&R Industrial Automation.

“We also appreciate the efforts of the judges and the time they gave to be part of this contest,” Ostertag added. “The contest gives students a chance to see what they’ll do with their education. It’s hands-on, real-world experience that is absolutely vital.”

Judges for this year’s event were: Paul Baker, Big Heart Pet Brands; Chris Baker and Jim Powers, Teva Pharmaceuticals; Travis Powell, Schreiber Foods, Inc., and Tony Vandenoever, Pepsico.