PACK EXPO International 2024 will provide various networking events during the expo scheduled for Nov. 3-6 at McCormick Place in Chicago, including an opportunity to mingle before a comedy show starring Nate Bargatze.
Nashville-based Bargatze, whose work includes a standup comedy special found on Amazon Prime, has appeared on the Tonight Show and has developed a wide national following. Tickets are $95 for the show that will be held on Nov. 4 at the Lakeside Center’s Arie Crown Theater, according to PMMI, The Association for Packaging and Processing Technologies.
PMMI is the producer of PACK EXPO, and the proceeds from Bargatze’s show—that is part of the PACK gives BACK™ initiative—will support the PMMI Foundation.
Other networking events during the expo include:
- Young Professionals Networking Reception: This will follow Bargatze’s show. Sponsored by PMMI’s Young Professionals Network, the networking reception will be held at Flight Club Chicago. The event is for emerging leaders in the industry to network and exchange ideas.
- Packaging & Processing Women’s Leadership Network Breakfast: Lisa Sun, founder and CEO of retail brand and lifestyle company GRAVITAS, will share her story and provide data-driven insights and tips to help motivate people who attend the breakfast. It will be held on Tuesday, Nov. 5.
- A Hub for Industry Connection: Networking events will be spread throughout the more than 1.3 million net square feet of exhibit space at the expo. “Exhibitor and member lounges, sponsored by Lenze Americas, industry-specific pavilions, and special association events such as the Cold Pressure Council Annual Conference and the F4SS Fall Connect will offer packaging and processing professionals valued meeting and collaboration venues,” PMMI says.
- Other opportunities: The Confectionery Industry Reception also will be held during the expo, as well as the First-Time Attendee Breakfast. Industry Meets at PACK EXPO, featuring numerous events and meetings held by PMMI partner associations, are planned, too.
To register for the events, go the PACK EXPO International website.
Crash Course
As previously reported by FlexPack VOICE®, the Flexible Packaging Association’s Emerging Leadership Council (ELC) will hold its FlexPack Crash Course on Nov. 6. The ELC encourages people new to the industry or who have been in it less than five years to attend the day-long event. Registration for the course is required.
Sustainability a Focus
The expo also will spotlight sustainability efforts to help companies “lessen energy consumption, minimize waste, and reduce overall carbon footprint,” PMMI says.
Sustainability Central will include speakers and a look at actionable, sustainable solutions in manufacturing, materials, recovery, logistics, analytics, and design. Over the course of the expo, more than 20 educational sessions will be held and include experts from Amazon, Conagra, Clorox, Dow, Nestle, the Consumer Brands Association, and Conagra.
Packaging schools and think tanks, such as Virginia Tech, the University of Florida, Clemson University, and PMMI Business Intelligence, will share the latest planet-friendly innovations, research, and best practices, PMMI also says.
“We’ve intentionally partnered with companies, exhibitors, and vendors to integrate sustainability into every component of PACK EXPO International, including educational programming, show features, and how we do business as the largest packaging and processing event this year,” says Laura Thompson, vice president of Trade Shows, PMMI.
Other highlights will include The Showcase of Packaging Innovations®, located within the Containers and Materials Pavilion, which will display award-winning packaging from around the world.
PMMI expects more than 2,500 exhibitors and 45,000 attendees representing over 40 vertical markets at the expo, Thompson says.
Registration for PACK EXPO International is required.
Editor’s note: The editorial credit for the featured image of McCormick Place in Chicago is Dorti/Shutterstock.com.
Thomas A. Barstow is senior editor of FlexPack VOICE®.