Pack Expo is celebrating its 20th anniversary in the Las Vegas location this year, and PMMI (The Association for Packaging and Processing Technologies, Reston, Va., the show’s owner and producer) is projecting its largest edition for this location.

The show (which includes the debut of Las Vegas Pharma Expo) will feature 800,000 net square feet of exhibit space, and PMMI expects visitor attendance near 30,000 and over 2,000 exhibitors. These industry leaders serve more than 40 vertical markets, according to PMMI.

The show’s signature Innovation Stage will occupy three stages on the show floor and a fourth in Pharma Expo, all with free, top-tier 30-minute educational sessions running concurrently throughout each day of the show.  The presentations give attendees a heads-up on breakthrough technologies and techniques with applications in a wide variety of industries.

Some educational session highlights of interest to dairy processors:

  • Mon. Sept. 28 (10 a.m. - 10:30 a.m.)    
    • The Regulatory and Risk Landscape for Flexible Food Packaging
  • Mon. Sept. 28 (12 p.m. - 12:30 p.m.)
    • How Bulk Flow X-ray Can Improve Food Safety and Brand Quality
  • Mon. Sept. 28 (2 p.m. - 2:30 p.m.)
    • The Latest Snacking Trends and their Impact on Packaging
  • Wed. Sept. 30 (11 a.m. - 11:30 a.m.)
    • Innovation for Easy Packaging Machine Automation

In addition, product demonstrations, hands-on opportunities and how-to’s will take place in exhibitors’ booths throughout the day. More educational opportunities can be found at the following centers during the show:

  • The Center for Trends & Technology features presentations, informative kiosks and an interactive wall (the wall will feature a fully animated baked goods line, allowing attendees to closely investigate the benefits of technology machine by machine.) Presentation topics include: Ensuring Machinery Safety, Compliance & Productivity; IoT and Plant Floor Virtualization – Emerging Technologies Accelerating Lean Manufacturing; and Line Optimization – Leveraging Data at all Levels of Your Organization for Continuous Improvement.
  • The Food Safety Summit Resource Center will offer free 30-minute presentations and one-on-one consultations from leading subject matter experts that address key issues and solutions on food safety. Learn more about specific food safety challenges, the latest breakthroughs, and gain insight into potential solutions.

A special free seminar (The Value of Print Enhancements: How to Deliver High Value and Rockin’ ROI) takes place on Tuesday, Sept. 29 at 10 a.m. Attendees must register in advance. The presentation will offer an educational experience on how high-visibility enhancements can deliver brand identity, create shelf disruption and add value to packaged products on the store shelf. The former executive director of store brands from a major national wholesale grocer will share firsthand experience about the use of high-visibility enhancements to stimulate attraction, hold attention and communicate value to shoppers. The session will include vivid samples, case studies and concepts for utilizing high-visibility enhancements.

To get more program information, exhibitor and attendee information, travel arrangements, directions and to register for Pack Expo, visit www.packexpolasvegas.com.  

Chicago is coming to Las Vegas at the Pack gives Back event

The Grammy-winning rock band Chicago will be performing at this year’s Pack gives Back event, taking place Monday, Sept. 28 at 5 p.m. (doors open at 4 p.m.) in the north building of the convention center. The event is in support of Fisher House Foundation (which provides free or low-cost lodging to veterans and military families receiving treatment at military medical centers.) A portion of ticket proceeds from the event will benefit the construction of Nevada’s first Fisher House, in North Las Vegas, which broke ground March 2015.

Tickets — available only to Pack Expo Las Vegas and Pharma Expo registrants — are $100 ($90 per person for groups of 10) and include beer, wine and light hors d’oeuvres.