PACK EXPO East Attracts 6,500 Attendees to Debut Show in Philadelphia

March 2, 2015

The debut of PACK EXPO East in Philadelphia drew 6,500 attendees, 386 exhibiting companies and 92,413 net square feet of exhibit space at the Pennsylvania Convention Center, according to show owner and producer PMMI, The Association for Packaging and Processing Technologies.

Its location in Philadelphia placed PACK EXPO East within 200 miles of one-third of U.S. consumer packaged goods companies (CPGs), including the life science and pharmaceutical industries, which have a stronghold in the region.

Attendance — which drew primarily from Pennsylvania (35.5 percent), New Jersey (24.6 percent) and New York (10.3 percent) — surpassed initial projections by 60 percent, according to show management.

“All you have to do is look at the numbers to see just how well PACK EXPO East met the need for processing and packaging in the Northeast,” said Jim Pittas, senior vice president, PMMI.

He added, “The show was the top-tier event PACK EXPO exhibitors and attendees expect.”

For PMMI President and CEO Charles D. Yuska, the success of PACK EXPO East 2015, from its location to the attendee and exhibitor experience, validated PMMI’s 2013 conclusion that the market warranted a regional show.

“PMMI is always looking for new ways to achieve our mission to convene the processing and packaging supply chain, and Northeastern manufacturers needed an easier way to connect with leading processing and packaging suppliers,” he added. “Based on initial feedback, I’d say buyers and sellers found PACK EXPO East fostered connections, discussions, and, ultimately, solutions for end users’ operational challenges.”

The strength of PACK EXPO East stemmed from this aspect, says exhibitor Jeff Bigger, president and CEO, Massman Automation, and vice chairman of the PMMI Board of Directors.

“Other regional shows we attend typically include co-located shows,” he said. “This might give the impression of size, but in reality, the audience directly relevant to our business is much smaller. PACK EXPO East is a processing and packaging equipment show. The entire audience of customers is focused on our technologies, and it showed in the quantity and quality of leads.”

Attendee Ronald Yakubison, director — GTO Packaging Technical Operations, Merck, said that because PACK EXPO East was close to home, his company was able to send larger teams than it does to PACK EXPO Las Vegas or PACK EXPO International.

“A local trade show allows us to give the whole staff the opportunity to attend,” Yakubison said. “In addition, the team reported seeing some things of interest that they may have missed [at a national event], since they typically fill up their time with known suppliers.”

PACK EXPO East also featured Innovation Stage, the on-floor education format that’s become a PACK EXPO standard. With topics as diverse as OEE, sanitary design for low-moisture foods and automation trends, attendees learned more about industry-changing technologies and trends.

Not far from the Innovation Stage, Vanderbilt University, the National Fluid Power Association (NFPA) and The Center for Compact and Efficient Fluid Power (CCEFP) sponsored The Future of Pneumatics. This exhibit showcased advancements in pneumatic technology and demonstrations of the school's pneumatic exhaust gas recovery system, which can reduce air consumption of pneumatic actuators by as much as 25 percent.

In another aisle, Rutgers University’s Packaging Engineering program presented student designs for automated loading and unloading systems, custom-order snack mix production and innovative packaging prototypes. 

PACK EXPO East will return in February 2017 to Philadelphia.

Add new comment

Partner Voices
Here at Mandalay Bay, venues are inviting and innovative. As one of the most iconic names on the Las Vegas Strip, the Mandalay Bay Convention Center has recently undergone an exciting upgrade. This renowned venue now offers everything your business needs, with a refreshed convention space designed to inspire productivity and creativity, as well as an impressive selection of world-class restaurants and amenities. If you're searching for a venue that is both inviting and innovative, Mandalay Bay is the place to be. Mandalay Bay is committed to investing in a new wave of enhancements, not only in the convention space but also throughout the entire resort. With new restaurant openings and remodels, spectacular entertainment, and updated rooms, Mandalay Bay promises to deliver new and exciting experiences to its guests until 2024. To create a truly effective conference venue, Mandalay Bay has carefully considered what businesses require. The right technology, capacity, and inspiration are essential to take ideas to the next level. The refreshed Mandalay Bay Convention Center has been designed with your business in mind. Every room is equipped with newly-upgraded technology, enhancing our ability to support bandwidth demand and overall data capabilities. Additionally, the addition of 10 new digital walls provides bigger and more dynamic ways to display customized content messages. Mandalay Bay offers world-class conference space and service. The venue options range from ballrooms to ample pre-function spaces, catering to teams of any size while accommodating multiple large groups simultaneously. Our certified planners work collaboratively with you to understand your specific event requirements, anticipating your business needs and offering the best-fit solutions. In addition to providing exceptional conference facilities, Mandalay Bay is also dedicated to sustainability. We strive to give our guests an unforgettable experience while minimizing our impact on the environment. As part of our sustainable energy efforts, you'll find refillable water stations throughout the property, eliminating the need for single-use plastic bottles and reducing unnecessary plastic usage. Mandalay Bay is proud to offer an upgraded and enhanced experience for businesses seeking a venue that combines innovation, convenience, and sustainability. Whether you're hosting a conference, meeting, or other business event, Mandalay Bay's refreshed convention space, world-class service, and commitment to sustainability make it the ideal choice. Come and discover the new wave of experiences awaiting you at Mandalay Bay on the Las Vegas Strip. Wherever your organization is going, getting there starts with being here.