PACK EXPO Las Vegas 2019 (Sept. 23–25; Las Vegas Convention Center) co-located with Healthcare Packaging EXPO 2019, will unite machinery suppliers together with end users across vertical industries for the largest, most comprehensive packaging event of the year. Produced by PMMI, The Association for Packaging and Processing Technologies, the show will address trending issues such as sustainability, efficiency and product safety, bringing together solutions from 2,000-plus exhibiting companies on the almost sold-out 900,000 net square foot exhibit floor.

The show is expected to host 30,000 attendees, including 5,000 international visitors from more than 125 countries, with a wide range of job functions, including engineers, purchasers, production supervisors, package designers, brand managers and marketers, logistics and supply chain management, as well as corporate, general, plant and project managers among others.

Check out this year’s exciting features:

• The Innovation Stage: PACK EXPO Las Vegas and Healthcare Packaging EXPO attendees will have free access to educational programming at the Innovation Stage. Industry-specific solutions and best practices will be addressed by suppliers during the 30-minute seminars in the Central Hall presenting throughout the show.
• The Forum: New to PACK EXPO Las Vegas 2019, The Forum offers attendees a unique, interactive learning experience featuring free 45-minute seminars. Attendees can delve into the latest industry trends, with hands-on activities, small group discussions and Q&A sessions. Topics include packaging design to enhance the consumer experience, planning for a successful career in packaging, and the best practices in education and workforce among others.
• Robotics Zone: Making its debut at PACK EXPO Las Vegas 2019, the Robotics Zone showcases lively, interactive robot and cobot displays, including pick and place/relocation activities and an artificial intelligence and human interaction demo,  sponsored by Siemens Packaging Automation Fair. Visitors will be greeted by the PACK EXPO Greeter Robot, sponsored by Omron Automation and can listen to live music by the Kuka Robotic Band. Robots will pack snacks for children facing food insecurity issues across Las Vegas and the United States for PACK for a Purpose: Robots Fighting Hunger, in collaboration with Blessings in a Backpack.
• The Reusable Packaging Pavilion: As demand rises for sustainable packaging solutions, the Reusable Packaging Pavilion, sponsored by the Reusable Packaging Association (RPA), is a hot spot for technologies that reduce waste, cut costs and gain chain efficiency. At the Reusable Packaging Learning Center, attendees can discover how investing in reusable packaging assets can both increase sustainability and lower supply chain cost.
• The PACKage Printing Pavilion: New to PACK EXPO Las Vegas, the PACKage Printing Pavilion located in the Central Hall, gathers exhibitors showcasing the latest digital printing advancements in one convenient location. Industry professionals can expect to find cost-effective solutions for smart, short-run, on-demand, variable data and personalized packaging.
• The Containers and Materials Pavilion: Attendees can find the latest innovations in paperboard, glass, metal and plastic, flexible and resalable packaging as well as containers and materials in the Lower South Hall.
• The Confectionery Pavilion: Discover the latest trends and technologies relating to aeration, batch refining, shaping, cluster production and more in the Upper South Hall.
• Industry-Specific Lounges: PACK EXPO Las Vegas attendees can interact and network with industry peers to acquire new insights in three comfortable and conveniently located industry specific lounges, The Candy Bar Lounge (booth #S-7201), The Snack Break Lounge (booth # S-7628), and The Beverage Cooler Lounge (booth #S-7629).
• Student Opportunities: PACK EXPO Las Vegas offers programs and activities with a special focus on students, aimed at educating and exciting the next generation about careers in packaging. The Amazing Packaging Race is designed to highlight the possibilities in the packaging industry, and the Future Innovators Robotics Showcase, will feature robotics teams from local schools in Las Vegas and their innovations. Suppliers can meet with students and veterans pursuing careers in packaging and processing during one-on-one informational interviews, through CareerLink, PMMI’s online job board, now live at PACK EXPO. At the Workforce Development Pavilion, attendees and exhibitors can learn about PMMI’s student activities and find out about packaging programs.
• Training Sessions: PACK EXPO Las Vegas’ PMMI U offerings including popular training workshops keep industry members well-equipped to address evolving needs. Schools will present mechatronics, packaging and processing offerings, and attendees can meet students interested in careers in the industry. Attendees can attend a session on Risk Assessment (Sept. 21-22), which explores ways to improve productivity and ensure worker safety, and a Certified Trainer workshop (Sept. 23-24), which delivers strategies and tactics to train across all employee skills. The Fundamentals of Field Service session (Sept. 23-24), open to PMMI members, delves into non-technical knowledge and skills needed to be a great technician.
• PACK gives BACK:  Headlined by the Steve Miller Band, PMMI’s regular benefit returns to PACK EXPO Las Vegas with a networking event in support of the PACK EXPO Scholarship on Monday, Sept. 23 in the North Hall. The 4 p.m. reception will be followed by a performance by The Steve Miller Band at 5 p.m. A portion of the proceeds will support NS2 Serves, a nonprofit dedicated to helping recent U.S. military veterans transition from combat boots to business suits by providing valuable IT training and employment assistance at no cost to veterans. Tickets are $95 and include drinks and light hors d’oeuvres. For more information and to purchase tickets visit: www.packexpolasvegas.com/pack-gives-back.
• Packaging & Processing Women’s Leadership Network (PPWLN) Breakfast: Launched in 2016, PPWLN’s mission is to recruit, retain and advance women in processing and packaging. This year’s keynote speaker is Ellen Ochoa, the first Hispanic woman to visit space. Her experiences as a history-making astronaut ad her message of innovative change will inspire other women (and men) to embark on a voyage of self-discovery.
• Technology Excellence Awards: New to PACK EXPO Las Vegas, the technology excellence awards, bestowed by PMMI, recognize innovative technologies that are being showcased for the first time. All registered attendees will be able to vote on their favorites among the finalists selected in specific market segments.

Explore just a few of the innovations that attendees will discover on the show floor:

• BOPP packaging solutions for lightweight, ‘recycle ready’ films  

Innovia Films (Booth #LS-6649) will highlight its range of biaxially-oriented polypropylene (BOPP) high-barrier, packaging films that allow converters to produce recyclable, lightweight printed barrier structures that maintain product integrity. The multi-layer extrusion technology means converters can incorporate more levels of functionality than with orientated polypropylene (OPP) films. One of the transparent films from the line, Propafilm™ Strata SL, is designed to stand alone as a mono filmic solution or to be used in laminate.  The transparent packaging film provides consumers assurance of product freshness for products like cereal bars, biscuits, snacks, dried fruit and nuts as well as tea and coffee.  

• Unique vacuum-based soft gripper effectively handles sensitive and delicate objects 

Piab Inc. (Booth #C-4736) will feature piSOFTGRIP, its vacuum-based soft gripper designed for sensitive and lightweight objects of odd geometries or an unusual surface. This includes food products, as well as other applications like bin-picking of small irregularly shaped objects. The suction cup’s three gripping fingers vacuum cavity are all one unit, resulting in a simple and robust product. Easy to integrate into automated procedures, the gripper’s intuitive and user-friendly design provides extra quality assurance and increases overall productivity. 

• Advanced case packer boosts reliability and uptime 

Douglas Machine Inc. (Booth #C-2014) will showcase the patent-pending CpONE intermittent motion case packer, which leverages the development of more advanced mechanisms and engineered motion control to improve machine usability and uptime. The case packer’s robotic arms are engineered to suit specified speeds and payloads and enhance case setup, loading and sealing functions. Compared to traditional case packers, the CpONE uses fewer parts, requires less maintenance, minimizes changeover for greater production and increases efficiency by up to 30 cases per minute.  

• Sustainable humidity indicator cards provide detailed package history  

Clariant Corporation (Booth #LS-6373) will present Humitector Type 2, a halogen and cobalt dichloride-free humidity indicator card that combines multiple, reversible color humidity indicators with a patent-pending, non-reversible 60 percent humidity signal. This pairing provides package history that is more detailed than traditional reversible Type 1. Additionally, these cards comply with and is preferred for handling, packing, shipping and use of moisture/reflow and/or process sensitive devices (IPC/JEDEC standard J-STD-033D) regulations. Often, reductions in a package’s humidity level, including extended storage in dry conditions, can cause the signifier to revert to their original color. The Humitector™ Type 2’s indicator combines reversible indicators (5 percent and 10 percent) with a non-reversible (60 percent RH) indicator spot, providing a reliable, permanent indication of the prolonged high humidity conditions that affected packaging and its contents. 

Registration, which includes access to both PACK EXPO Las Vegas and Healthcare Packaging EXPO, is $30 through August 30 after which the price increases to $100. For more information and to register online, visit packexpolasvegas.com or hcpelasvegas.com.