PACK EXPO East Earns Positive Reception After February Debut
By Isaac Fletcher, contributing writer, Food Online
With a perfect location to attract manufacturers across the Northeast region, PACK EXPO East’s debut in Philadelphia exceeded expectations for attendance, exhibits, and overall opportunities for connections, discussions, and education
PACK EXPO East, which made its debut appearance February 16 through 18 in Philadelphia, PA, appears to have exceeded expectations for several important areas. The event attracted more than 6,500 attendees and 386 exhibiting companies to the more than 92,000-square-foot exhibition space. Hosting the event in Philadelphia placed PACK EXPO East within 200 miles of roughly one-third of U.S. consumer packaged goods companies and drew large portions of its attendance from Pennsylvania (35.5 percent), New Jersey (24.6 percent), and New York (10.3 percent). For many manufacturers located in the region, a nearby location meant they were able to send larger teams to the event than they typically send to others, such as PACK EXPO Las Vegas and PACK EXPO International.
Regarding the success and reach of the event, Jim Pittas, senior VP of PMMI, contends, “All you have to do is look at the numbers to see just how well PACK EXPO East met the need for processing and packaging in the Northeast. The show was the top-tier event PACK EXPO exhibitors and attendees expect.”
In 2013, PMMI concluded that the market desired a regional show, and the success of PACK EXPO East 2015 validates that belief. PMMI president and CEO, Charles D. Yuska, says, “PMMI is always looking for new ways to achieve our mission to convene processing and packaging supply chain, and Northeastern manufacturers needed an easier way to connect with leading processing and packaging suppliers. Based on initial feedback, I’d say buyers and sellers found PACK EXPO East fostered connections, discussions, and, ultimately, solutions for end users’ operational challenges.”
According to one exhibitor, Jeff Bigger, president and CEO of Massman Automation, part of the event’s success is attributable to the ease with which exhibitors could connect with their target audience. He asserts, “Other regional shows we attend typically include co-located shows. This might give the impression of size, but in reality, the audience directly relevant to our business is much smaller. PACK EXPO East is a processing and packaging equipment show. The entire audience of customers is focused on the industry’s technologies, and it showed in the quantity and quality of leads.”
The event also featured an Innovation Stage — an on-floor education format that has become a PACK EXPO standard. Attendees were able to gain knowledge and insight on topics including OEE, sanitary design for low-moisture foods, automation trends, and various other industry-altering technologies and innovations.
With PACK EXPO East being heralded as a success, PACK EXPO trade shows can now be found across the continental U.S. Upcoming events include PACK EXPO Las Vegas, which will take place September 28 through 30, 2015, and PACK EXPO International, taking place in Chicago during November 6 through 9, 2016. PACK EXPO East will return to Philadelphia in February 2017.