The international Pack Expo, to be held in Las Vegas this October, is 91 per cent sold and on pace to be a record-setting event - according to its organisers.
To date, more than 600 exhibitors have contracted for 379,000 net square feet of space. The Packaging Machinery Manufacturers Institute (PMMI), sponsor and producer of the event, expects to exceed 700 exhibitors, taking up some 400,000 net square feet.
In addition, the new Containers & Materials Pavilion is 92 per cent sold with 96 exhibiting companies contracting for 46,000 net square feet.
"Past exhibitors know that Pack Expo Las Vegas delivers the senior decision makers from corporate buying teams across multiple market sectors," said Charles D. Yuska, PMMI president. "That's why we're seeing such a large number of exhibitors contracting for space; we expect to sell out the show."
Within the Container & Materials Pavilion, Pack Expo Las Vegas will feature a 'Showcase of Packaging Innovation'. The Showcase will feature award winning packaging designs from seven different internationally recognized organisations, including DuPont, the Flexible Packaging Association, the Food Service & Packaging Institute and the Glass Packaging Institute.
"We're seeing a large number of first time exhibitors at the show, especially in the Containers & Materials Pavilion," reported Yuska. "These companies are excited about the prospect of exhibiting their new, innovative packaging ideas in the Pavilion along with award winning packaging designs within the Showcase."
Containers and materials companies participating in the show will include Berry Plastics, Cargill Dow, FinnIndustries andUltrapak.
"These companies are impressed with the past success of our shows where almost 33 per cent of our attendees came to the show looking for a new packaging materials or containers," reported Yuska. "Our promotional efforts in 2003 will further develop this attendee demographic as we educate the industry that Pack Expo is the only show to visit to solve their toughest packaging challenges."
Conferencing will also be playing a significant role at the show and the organisers are currently receiving proposals for topics. Proposals can be sent through the event's website, and the deadline is currently 14 March for final entries. Current topics include such discussion questions as Cutting Costs without Sacrificing Packaging Performance/Quality, RFID in Packaging - Are we There Yet?, and Terrorism, Security and the Management of Packaging Operations.
"The conference programme will focus on a wide variety of packaging trends and current issues," said Yuska. "Proposed presentation topics will be reviewed by a committee of packaging professionals to maximise their value to manufacturing and packaging management."
Pack Expo Las Vegas 2003 will be held on 13-15 October 2003 in the Las Vegas Convention Center. Detailed information on the show can be found in the Tradeshow Center area of the event's website.