DÜSSELDORF, GERMANY — The North American packaging market is expanding, and the Packaging Machinery Manufacturers Institute – The Association for Packaging and Processing Technologies (PMMI) is expanding to serve it. At interpack 2023, Jim Pittas, president and chief executive officer, PMMI, reported that the organization supporting packaging equipment suppliers was expanding its regional show offerings to meet the ever-growing industry.

Pack Expo International, held in Chicago last year, was the organization’s largest event ever in terms of attendance and space. Pack Expo Las Vegas, to be held Sept. 11 to 13, is expected to be the largest Las Vegas packaging event ever with the organization exceeding space and exhibitor projections already. More than 2,000 exhibitors are expected.

“The Las Vegas event started out as a small regional show for the West Coast in the United States in 1995 and has grown to be on par with our Chicago event,” he said.

To meet the industry’s changing needs, Pack Expo Las Vegas will include a new feature in the Logistics Pavilion to highlight the changing challenges of supply chain, warehousing and distribution.

“For PMMI and everywhere in the world in packaging and processing, we hear a lot about sustainability,” Pittas said. “Sustainability means a lot of things to a lot of people; it’s a huge topic for our members and our members’ customers.”

Sustainability Central will offer speakers, interactive content and solutions around sustainability. The Processing Zone will be 50% bigger than previous events.

Pack Expo Las Vegas’ success and growth as a once regional show, highlights the appetite in North America for more opportunities for the packaging industry to gather, collaborate and network. Expo Pack Guadalajara will return for its first in-person event in four years on June 13 to 15. PMMI hosts two regional shows in Mexico: Expo Pack Guadalajara and Expo Pack Mexico City, which will take place June 4 to 7, 2024.

PMMI is building on the success of its regional shows by adding Pack Expo Southeast in Atlanta, March 10 to 12, 2025. PMMI’s other regional show is Pack Expo East, which will be held in Philadelphia, March 18 to 20, 2024.

“We see the value of the Southeast. We believe that’s a place PMMI can do well in as a regional show. We see it as a very good opportunity for our members,” Pittas explained.   

The next Pack Expo International will be held in Chicago, Nov. 3 to 6, 2024.

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