Capping off an unprecedented year of record-breaking events in the Pack Expo Portfolio of trade shows, Pack Expo Las Vegas and Healthcare Packaging Expo 2017 welcomed nearly 1,000 more attendees than 2015, making it the largest Pack Expo Las Vegas in history. Preliminary numbers reveal 29,500 attendees and 2,000 exhibiting companies convened over almost 900,000 net square feet of the Las Vegas Convention Center.

Show owner and producer PMMI, The Association for Packaging and Processing Technologies, saved the best for last in its most ambitious year to date, with four best-in-class events that raised the bar for North American packaging and processing trade exhibitions.

“The overwhelming success of Pack Expo Las Vegas and Healthcare Packaging Expo, coming on the heels of our success at Pack Expo East, ProFood Tech and Expo Pack Guadalajara confirmed our belief that our industry views the PACK EXPO brand as must-attend events,” says Jim Pittas, COO, PMMI. “Our exhibitors and attendees expect Pack Expo to carry out first-class events, and this show was no exception.”

Exhibitor Gary Bach, director of sales and marketing for Digital Design – A Matthews Company, has attended every Pack Expo Las Vegas Show since the very first Pack Expo West at the Sands Convention Center in 1995. As far as he is concerned “Pack Expo Las Vegas has been getting better and more attended every year.”

Up nearly 4% in size from Pack Expo Las Vegas 2015, the larger crowds continue to be high-level attendees with decision-making power, organizers said.

Mechanical engineer Kevin Bennett from Cosmetic Essence LLC attended Pack Expo Las Vegas looking for filling and labeling equipment based off his positive experience at Pack Expo International 2016.

“I was impressed with my first Pack Expo visit to the Chicago show during 2016, so visiting Pack Expo Las Vegas was a must,” Bennett says. “There aren’t many comparable shows and this one stands out in size and the range of solutions you can expect to see.”

To keep up with the growing size, PMMI continues to offer the most up-to-date online technologies like My Show Planner both online and via a mobile app which include enhanced Virtual Exhibitor Booths to ensure attendees and exhibitors come to the show prepared to make the most of every minute.

Pack gives back

Pack gives Back, sponsored by Rockwell Automation, offered another milestone as it produced the largest crowd to date in the event’s seven-year history. Not only was the standing room only crowd entertained by the legendary rock and roll band, The Doobie Brothers, but proceeds from the performance, combined with industry donations and PMMI’s $100,000 match, pushed Pack Expo hurricane aid past $325,000.

“The generosity of attendees and exhibitors was truly inspirational,” says Chuck Yuska, at the conclusion of his last Pack Expo after more than a quarter century as President and CEO of PMMI. “Ours is an industry that has consistently risen to the occasion to help others in times of need.”

Next up in the Pack Expo portfolio is Pack Expo East, April 16-18, 2018 at the Pennsylvania Convention Center in Philadelphia.