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Welcome to PACK EXPO International: Four Days in October, Four Years in the Making
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The of cial pre-show planner from:
Four Days in October, Four Years in the Making
Welcome back to the biggest packaging event in the world this year, PACK EXPO International. Joe and I both live here in Chicago, so we’ve been waiting for you since we saw you here last, way back in 2018. But we’re not the only ones who have been waiting for you—well over 2,100 exhibitors have had these four days circled on the calendar for going on four years.
Now, none of this is to say that we at PMMI and PMMI Media Group have been just biding our time during the pandemic disruptions. The media group pivoted to create a digital show, PACK EXPO Connects, during the height of the pandemic in 2020 when in-person events were restricted. After the advent of COVID-19 vaccines, PMMI’s PACK EXPO Las Vegas 2021 was not only a “go,” it was an energized release of pent-up engagement. And earlier this year, PACK EXPO East attracted a targeted, quali ed regional crowd in Philadelphia.
Even so, the overwhelming sense is that this is the big one; it has all been building up to Chicago in 2022, the agship event. Four years’ worth of innovation, technology, and R&D are nally ready for prime time on the biggest of stages in packaging, over four days in October.
With that in mind, PMMI has pulled out all the stops to make this the most action-packed event in packaging this year—or likely, ever. Flip over to page 6 to go over an exhaustive list of what’s happening at the show. All the usual favorites are back and described in detail in the pages that follow, so allow me to focus on some new features.
Originally scheduled for Chicago 2020, museum-inspired PACK to the Future nally makes its betterlate-than-never Chicago debut, after a strong opening salvo last year in Las Vegas. PACK to the Future is a lot of different things at once. It’s a historical retrospective of how packaging evolved with society through time, it’s an interactive experience with packaging’s current challenges, and it’s a forward-looking glimpse into the future of our industry via cutting-edge talks at the PACK to the Future stage.
Another new but quickly developing theme at PACK EXPO International 2022 is the recognition of—or more importantly, the connection with—emerging brands. Sure, Mondeleˉz, P&G, and Coca-Cola will be attending the show in search of faster equipment and more sustainable materials. But what about those who are much earlier in their brand journeys? What about brands that are just starting to scale, are expanding from local to regional, or are just ramping up to go national? Or maybe they’re looking to partner in some way with a big brand owner that can take them to the next level? The Emerging Brands Summit on Sunday will give these folks a voice and a platform to interact with suppliers and peers as they ascend the steep brand-launch curve. The all-new PACK MATCH program, with its complimentary consultation, is a variation on the emerging brand theme. Advisors are available for 30-minute virtual consultations to connect attendees with the right suppliers, but spots are limited so check out details on page 7.
Finally, we know you’re going to want to enjoy your evenings out to dinner in Chicago after show hours. Joe and I have a certain amount of city pride, and Chicago is a world-class food city, so we rallied the Chicago-area PMG troops to provide some insider and local restaurant recommendations. Find those on page 37, in a section sponsored by Nercon. One somewhat eerie question we had to ask ourselves when we set about to compile a restaurant list was, whether all of our favorite spots had survived the pandemic. We were relieved to nd that all of them are still going strong and just waiting for you to make a reservation during PACK EXPO International. So are thousands of exhibitors with packaging tech that will help you grow your business.
Looking forward to seeing you there. PW
Joseph Angel President/Publisher
Matt Reynolds Editor
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