Pack Expo Exhibitors and Attendees bet on Economic Recovery

Consumer goods companies expressed confidence in the future of the economy last week by turning out for PACK EXPO Las Vegas in near-record levels, reports leading packaging and processing trade association PMMI, which produces and sponsors the PACK EXPO trade shows. The attendees were in search of packaging and processing innovations, and were not disappointed.

"We've attended PACK EXPO for several years and this is one of the best shows we have been to. Our goal every show is to find innovative packaging machinery to help us improve our operations - and that is definitely what we are finding,"says Tom Bert, Plant Manager, Seneca Foods. "We are also very interested in the expansion of the show next year when it will include processing equipment. For attendees like myself, it's invaluable to see packaging and processing solutions in the same place."

PACK EXPO Las Vegas, at the Las Vegas Convention Center October 5-7, 2009, attracted 22,721 packaging and processing professionals, making it the second-largest PACK EXPO Las Vegas since PMMI launched the show in 1995.

"Given the economy this year, we are extremely pleased with the turnout,"says Charles D. Yuska, president and CEO of PMMI. "Trade shows mirror the industries they serve, and the strong attendance may indicate an economic recovery as consumer goods companies leverage the show for their capital equipment investments and packaging innovation efforts."

Final attendance figures are as follows:
 

PACK EXPO Las Vegas	2009	2007	2005
Visitor Attendance*	22,721	23,864	21,785
Exhibitor Personnel*	11,246	13,492	11,247
Total Attendance*	33,967	37,452	33,032
International Attendance	3,580	3,718	2,773
Number of Exhibiting Companies	1,140	1,281	1,149
Net Square Footage	521,147	560,379	483,608

*Includes Process Expo and CPP Expo Attendance Data

“This PACK EXPO was great. We had traffic in and out of our booth all day – much more than expected. So much so that we were able to close the deal on two pieces of machinery,"notes Wesley Carpenter, marketing manager, Loveshaw. "What really pleased us was the quality of the leads. We saw qualified buyers ready to do business."