PACK EXPO Las Vegas 2019, co-located with Healthcare Packaging EXPO 2019, is the year’s most comprehensive packaging event on the continent. Taking place September 23-25 at the Las Vegas Convention Center, the shows will offer the latest packaging technologies to help manufacturers improve operations and stay competitive. Combined, they bring together 2,000 exhibitors and 30,000 attendees over 900,000 net square feet of exhibit space from 40+ vertical industry markets and nearly 130 countries. In addition to returning features, attendees will find new features focused on automation, knowledge sharing, filling the workforce pipeline and more.

NEW in 2019

The debut of the Robotics Zone will showcase the latest advancements in industrial robots. The industrial robot market in the Americas was estimated to be $3.5 billion in 2017, with the U.S. accounting for more than 70% of sales, according to PMMI’s whitepaper “Industrial Robot Opportunities in Food and Beverage Processing.”

In the Future Innovators Robotics Showcase, attendees will be welcomed by the PACK EXPO Omron Greeter Robot and experience interactive demonstrations by local robotics teams. The Robotics Zone will also feature live demonstrations of artificial intelligence, end-of-arm tools, collaborative robots (cobots) and pick and place/relocation activities.

The premier of The Forum will provide opportunities for interactive industry knowledge exchange. The Forum offer free 45-minute learning sessions each day of the show on the latest industry trends, including hands-on activities, small group discussions and Q&A. Organizations hosting sessions include the OpX Leadership Network, Contract Packagers Association (CPA) and Robotic Industries Association (RIA).

The Technology Excellence Awards will recognize exhibitors’ innovative technology, never before seen at PACK EXPO Las Vegas. All registered attendees will be able to vote on their favorites among the finalists selected in specific market segments.

CareerLink, PMMI’s online job board, is going live for the first time at PACK EXPO Las Vegas and Healthcare Packaging EXPO in 2019. CareerLink LIVE @ PACK EXPO is an opportunity for PMMI, CPA, The Association for Contract Packagers and Manufacturers, Institute of Packaging Professionals (IoPP) members and consumer packaged goods (CPG) companies to meet with students and veterans pursuing careers in packaging and processing during one-on-one informational interviews.

Educational Opportunities

Suppliers present free 30-minute seminars throughout the day at Innovation Stage venues on the show floor. This year’s Innovation Stage topics will include Branding Through Packaging Innovation; Applying Cobots in Packaging Applications; and Meeting Sustainability Goals in the E-Commerce Channel, among others.

The Reusable Packaging Learning Center will showcase how investing in reusable packaging assets can increase sustainability in the supply chain and cost-effectiveness.

And the Amazing Packaging Race will get students excited about careers in packaging. Teams from colleges and universities across North America race around the PACK EXPO Las Vegas and Healthcare Packaging EXPO show floor completing tasks at the booths of participating exhibitors.

Networking Opportunities

Before the floor opens on each day of the show, attendees are invited to join Vision 2025 breakfasts for interactive discussions on key industry topics including asset reliability, onboarding and request for proposal (RPF) strategy. Registration is free and is first-come, first-serve.

During the show, attendees can network and recharge at the Beverage Cooler Lounge, the Snack Break Lounge and the Candy Bar Lounge, where there will be a reception on Tuesday, Sept. 24, from 3:30-5:00 p.m.

The Packaging & Processing Women’s Leadership Network’s (PPWLN) breakfast takes place on Tuesday, Sept. 24 at 7:30 a.m. It features Ellen Ochoa, the first Hispanic woman ever to go to space, and the second female Director of NASA’s Johnson Space Center where she led the human space flight enterprise for the nation from 2013 to 2018. 

Pack Gives Back, sponsored by Rockwell Automation, will feature Steve Miller Band, known for hits such as “The Joker,” “Take the Money and Run,” “Fly Like an Eagle,” “Jet Liner,” and “Jungle Love.” A portion of the proceeds will support NS2 Serves, a nonprofit dedicated to helping recent U.S. military veterans transition from combat boots to business suits. For more information, visit: packexpolasvegas.com/pack-gives-back.

Registration, which includes access to both events, is $30 through Aug. 30, after which the price increases to $100. For more information and to register online, visit packexpolasvegas.com and hcpelasvegas.com.