The power of packaging is contagious. That’s why the Packaging Machinery Manufacturers Institute (PMMI), the Reston, Va.-based organizer of Pack Expo Las Vegas 2011, is, as always, presenting one powerful show.




The power of packaging is contagious. That’s why the Packaging Machinery Manufacturers Institute (PMMI), the Reston, Va.-based organizer of Pack Expo Las Vegas 2011, is, as always, presenting one powerful show.

Pack Expo Las Vegas 2011, scheduled to take place Sept. 26-28 at the Las Vegas Convention Center in Las Vegas, promises to give visitors an opportunity to connect with 1,600 world-class suppliers, find total systems solutions and cutting-edge technologies and attend industry pavilions and an enhanced conference program led by industry leaders.

The show will kick off with keynote speaker, General Colin Powell, former U.S. Secretary of State. In his address titled “Diplomacy: Persuasion, Trust & Values,” Powell will discuss how he defied racial barriers and how his leadership skills helped him become chairman of America’s Promise Alliance, an organization that works with more than 400 partner organizations to provide resources that build better lives for America’s youth.

Attendees can connect with the snack food and bakery community via the baking and snack break lounge, a meeting place established to offers specialized opportunities for baking and snack professionals to connect with suppliers and partners for even faster access to the solutions they seek.

The lounge will house an “Ask the Expert” resource center staffed by the Snack Food Association, Arlington, Va., (also the endorser of the lounge), where attendees can receive guidance from experts on specific packaging- and processing-related challenges. In addition, a micro-site is being created, which will feature baking and snack trends, news, live blogging from experts on the show floor and other show-related tidbits. Industry executives can also attend a reception on Sept. 26 and receive an additional opportunity to network with industry peers.  

In addition to the industry-specific lounge, Pack Expo Las Vegas remains home to the Processing Zone, where attendees can find innovative processing solutions for the food, baking and snack industries.
Meanwhile, the Confectionery Pavilion is a venue where snack producers can find innovations that address specific packaging and processing challenges, enhance versatility, minimize changeover time, maximize convenience, guarantee freshness and more. The Confectionery Pavilion is sponsored by the National Confectioners Association, Washington, D.C.

The Reusable Packaging Pavilion, sponsored by the Reusable Packaging Association, Arlington, Va., showcases how choosing reusable pallets, hand-held containers, bulk containers, dunnage and other transport packaging solutions can raise productivity and profitability.

Attendees can swing by the Food Safety Summit Resource Center and learn from subject matter experts on the latest breakthroughs in food safety and receive insight into potential solutions.

Lastly, the Brand Zone-Containers & Materials that Shape Winning Brands, offers the latest advances in package design for glass, plastic, metal and paperboard packaging, decorating and labeling techniques. And the Showcase of Packaging Innovations features award-winning packaging from around the world. The 6th annual Pack Expo Selects awards recognize best-in-class consumer packaging by exhibitors. And, Project 2020: The Consumer Experience focuses on the future of packaging with a design competition that forecasts upcoming trends.

For exhibitor and attendee information, travel arrangements, airfare discounts, registration links and more, go to www.packexpo.com.