It’s nearly time once again for PACK EXPO Las Vegas, which returns September 25-27 to the Las Vegas Convention Center for its biennial stint in Sin City. The show themes for the 2017 event are efficiency, product safety and sustainability.

According to event organizers, the 2017 show has the potential to be the largest PACK EXPO Las Vegas on record. Organizers are anticipating more than 30,000 attendees and 2,000 exhibitors spread out over about 900,000 square feet of exhibit space. In 2015, when the event was previously held in Las Vegas, organizers reported 28,699 attendees and 2,006 exhibitors across 844,510 square feet of exhibit space.

PACK EXPO Las Vegas will co-locate with Healthcare Packaging EXPO.

“The PACK EXPO and Healthcare Packaging names are synonymous with quality, innovation and progress,” says Charles Yuska, CEO and president of PMMI, producers of PACK EXPO events. “You can expect your participation in these shows to result in quality ideas and solutions that will move your business forward. If you want to keep up with innovation in packaging and the latest trends in pharmaceutical manufacturing, you need to attend these shows.”

In addition to the extensive show floor, PACK EXPO Las Vegas will also feature a number of other education opportunities and special areas. These include:

• The Containers and Materials Pavilion
• The Showcase of Packaging Innovations
• The Reusable Packaging Pavilion
• The Confectionary Pavilion
• Industry-Specific Lounges
• The PMMI Education and Workforce Development Pavilion
• PACK Gives BACK
• The Innovation Stage

One notable new feature this year is the PACK EXPO Drone Demo, an interactive display that focuses on e-commerce packaging. PMMI is collaborating with The Association for Packaging and Processing Technologies to produce the display with Workhorse, an electric truck and drone manufacturer.

“When it comes to automated packaging delivery, whether it be a drone or driverless vehicles, many in the packaging industry, as well as consumers, are not exactly sure what this technology looks like or how it will apply to their everyday operations,” says Jim Pittas, COO of PMMI. “Our interactive display offers a real visualization of the final process that brings the package the last mile to a consumer’s home.”

For a more in-depth preview of the 2017 PACK EXPO Las Vegas, see the September issue of Flexible Packaging.

PACK EXPO Las Vegas When: September 25-27 Where: Las Vegas Convention Center, Las Vegas, Nevada More info/register: www.PACKEXPOLasVegas.com