Arlington, Va. (PMMI) – Consumer goods companies expressed confidence in the future of the economy last week by turning out for PACK EXPO Las Vegas in near-record levels, reports leading packaging and processing trade association PMMI, which produces and sponsors the PACK EXPO trade shows. The attendees were in search of packaging and processing innovations, and were not disappointed.
“We’ve attended PACK EXPO for several years and this is one of the best shows we have been to. Our goal every show is to find innovative packaging machinery to help us improve our operations — and that is definitely what we are finding,” says Tom Bert, Plant Manager, Seneca Foods. “We are also very interested in the expansion of the show next year when it will include processing equipment. For attendees like myself, it’s invaluable to see packaging and processing solutions in the same place.”
PACK EXPO Las Vegas, at the Las Vegas Convention Center October 5–7, 2009, attracted 22,721 packaging and processing professionals, making it the second-largest PACK EXPO Las Vegas since PMMI launched the show in 1995.
“Given the economy this year, we are extremely pleased with the turnout,” says Charles D. Yuska, president and CEO of PMMI. “Trade shows mirror the industries they serve, and the strong attendance may indicate an economic recovery as consumer goods companies
leverage the show for their capital equipment investments and packaging innovation efforts.”
Final attendance figures are as follows:
| PACK EXPO Las Vegas | 2009 |
2007 |
2005 |
| Visitor Attendance* | 22,721 | 23,864 | 21,785 |
| Exhibitor Personnel* | 11,246 | 13,492 | 11,247 |
| Total Attendance* | 33,967 | 37,452 | 33,032 |
| International Attendance | 3,580 | 3,718 | 2,773 |
| Number of Exhibiting Companies | 1,140 | 1,281 | 1,149 |
| Net Square Footage | 521,147 | 560,379 | 483,608 |
*Includes Process Expo and CPP Expo Attendance Data
“This PACK EXPO was great. We had traffic in and out of our booth all day – much more than expected. So much so that we were able to close the deal on two pieces of machinery," notes Wesley Carpenter, marketing manager, Loveshaw. "What really pleased us was the quality of the leads. We saw qualified buyers ready to do business."
About PMMI
PMMI is a trade association with more than 530 member companies that manufacture packaging, processing and related converting machinery, commercially-available packaging machinery components, containers and materials in the United States and Canada. PMMI's vision is to be the leading global resource for packaging, and its mission is to improve and promote members' abilities to meet the needs of their customers.
PMMI organizes the PACK EXPO trade shows: PACK EXPO International, PACK EXPO Las Vegas and EXPO PACK México, connecting packaging and processing equipment and materials suppliers with their customers around the world. Coming in 2010: EXPO PACK México in Mexico City, June 22–25, and PACK EXPO International, Oct. 31–Nov. 3, at Chicago’s McCormick Place. PACK EXPO Las Vegas returns to the Las Vegas Convention Center Sept. 26–28, 2011. For more information visit PMMI.org and Packexpo.com.