Pack Expo Las Vegas 2017 breaks attendance record

PACK EXPO Las Vegas and Healthcare Packaging EXPO 2017 welcomed nearly 1,000 more attendees than 2015, making it the largest PACK EXPO Las Vegas in history.

Photo by pedphoto36pm.Image | BigStockPhoto.com
Photo by pedphoto36pm.Image | BigStockPhoto.com

PACK EXPO Las Vegas and Healthcare Packaging EXPO 2017 welcomed nearly 1,000 more attendees than 2015, making it the largest PACK EXPO Las Vegas in history. Preliminary numbers reveal 29,500 attendees and 2,000 exhibiting companies convened over almost 900,000 net square feet of the Las Vegas Convention Center.

Show owner and producer PMMI, The Association for Packaging and Processing Technologies, saved the best for last in its most ambitious year to date, with four best in class events.

“The overwhelming success of PACK EXPO Las Vegas and Healthcare Packaging EXPO, coming on the heels of our success at PACK EXPO East, ProFood Tech and EXPO PACK Guadalajara confirmed our belief that our industry views the PACK EXPO brand as must-attend events,” said Jim Pittas, COO of PMMI, in a press release. “Our exhibitors and attendees expect PACK EXPO to carry out first-class events, and this show was no exception.”

Up nearly four percent in size from PACK EXPO Las Vegas 2015, the larger crowds continue to be high-level attendees with decision-making power. To keep up with the growing size, PMMI continues to offer up-to-date online technologies like My Show Planner both online and via a mobile app which include enhanced Virtual Exhibitor Booths to ensure attendees and exhibitors come to the show prepared to make the most of every minute.

“It was great to see the number of people coming to the show with [real-world] applications, ready to do business,” said Stacy Johnson, director of marketing and strategic planning, Dorner Mfg. Corp. “We get both quality and quantity attendees [from] PACK EXPO Las Vegas which is ideal. The pre-show planning PMMI provides [us] is [beneficial]. We take advantage of the online booth upgrade and receive nothing but positive feedback from it.”

PACK gives BACK, sponsored by Rockwell Automation, offered another milestone as it produced the largest crowd to date in the event’s seven-year history. Not only was the crowd entertained by rock and roll band The Doobie Brothers, but proceeds from the performance, combined with industry donations and PMMI’s US$100,000 match, pushed PACK EXPO’s hurricane aid past US$325,000.

What was new at Pack Expo Las Vegas 2017

In addition to supporting hurricane relief, PMMI gave out US$30,000 in PACK EXPO Scholarships at the show. 

For the first time PACK EXPO Las Vegas welcomed the Department of Labor’s Veterans’ Employment and Training Service (VETS) to the NextGEN Networking Fair which offered a matchmaking opportunity for exhibitors and attendees to connect with the emerging workforce. The event offers the opportunity for employers to connect with qualified veterans and guide them into careers in the packaging field.

A first-time addition to the show experience received mainstream media coverage and was the first stop for many at PACK EXPO Las Vegas. The PACK EXPO DRONE DEMO – Packaging for the Last Mile provided insight on the latest frontier in supply chain logistics: drone package delivery by Workhorse. Every hour attendees witnessed Drones taking off from the top of electric trucks and making deliveries to mock houses populating the 15,000 sq. feet exhibit in the North Hall.

PACK EXPO Las Vegas also hosted its first Packaging and Processing Woman’s Leadership Network (PPWLN) breakfast. Over 500 attendees took advantage of the opportunity to network and hear Caterpillar Vice President Tana Utley’s keynote address titled “Dancing on the Glass Ceiling.”

Next up in the PACK EXPO portfolio is PACK EXPO East, April 16-18, 2018 at the Pennsylvania Convention Center in Philadelphia. Information and registration for the upcoming show can be found at packexpoeast.com.

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