What debuted in 2005 as a single show—Packaging Services Expo-has blossomed this year into the Packaging Summit. Organized by Tarsus Group with Landon, Farrey & Associates, the event—two trade shows and a conference running concurrently—is from May 16-18 at the Donald E Stephens Convention Center in Rosemont, IL.
“The Institute of Packaging Professionals (IoPP) has created this conference as an expression of our vision to the central unifying force in packaging for the benefit of our members, the packaging community, and society,” explains Larry Dull, IoPP president. “We focused this program on today’s important packaging issues with input from IoPP’s membership on content and speakers. We are positive the Packaging Summit Conference will be the professional gathering place of the year.”
The well-received Packaging Services Expo will return, to be joined by a new show called Packaging Containers & Materials Expo, as well as the Packaging Summit Conference.
With more than 100 exhibitors and 1귔 attendees, last year’s launch of Packaging Services Expo was considered a solid success. As the filling and packaging of many products shifts to contract manufacturers and packagers, rising interest in outsourced packaging services should continue to help this expo grow.
Among visitors to Packaging Services Expo 2006 will be product manufacturers and companies that provide services related to contract packaging and manufacturing. They will be able to find outsourcing partners to handle new product launches, product recalls, upsurges in demand, product or packaging compliance, specialty filling, packaging or labeling expertise, and fulfillment services.
Exhibitor booths at Packaging Containers & Materials Expo will feature companies involved exclusively in those two packaging segments and will focus solely on package developments. No machinery or machinery components will be on display.
Packaging Containers & Materials Expo should interest anyone who manages and influences how products are packaged, from both the structural and graphics perspectives. The exhibition will explore the role of innovative technologies in paperboard, flexible and rigid plastics, glass, metal, composites, and label technologies.
The third component of the Packaging Summit is the Packaging Summit Conference. Topics at this year’s more formalized conference will integrate with the two trade shows. Attendees will have the opportunity to choose specific educational programs to generate ideas, and then visit the show floor to obtain packaging solutions.
The conference will be divided into tracks. The roster of speakers will include representatives of companies such as Procter & Gamble, Nestech, Estèe Lauder, and the World Packaging Organization. One track will explore the new world of sustainable packaging, kicking off with a roundtable discussion moderated by Packaging World Editor Pat Reynolds.
Packaging Summit will also feature a “Hall of Packaging Excellence,” an exhibition of award-winning designs from all the major packaging association awards competitions. In addition, the hall will feature the IoPP’s display of the 2005 AmeriStar Packaging Awards winners. Some of these packages are featured in Packaging World’s pre-show coverage of the Packaging Summit in this issue.
Expo hours are noon to 5:00 Tuesday, 10:00 to 5:00 Wednesday, and 10:00 to 3:00 Thursday. Conference hours are 8:30 to 5:00 Tuesday and Wednesday and 8:30 to noon Thursday.
For a complete list of exhibitors, conference program agenda and speakers, and details on registration, visit www.pkgsummit.com.
