PMMI, The Association for Packaging and Processing Technologies, will bring Pack Expo East (March 18–20, Pennsylvania Convention Center, Philadelphia) back to the city of brotherly love for its sixth iteration — and largest show to date. The event represents the most comprehensive showcase of packaging and processing technologies on the East Coast.  

"Philadelphia is a critical innovation hub at the crossroads of some of the world’s biggest brands and many emerging companies,” says Jim Pittas, president and CEO, PMMI. “Pack Expo East brings cutting-edge technologies to the backyards of those engineers, plant managers, package designers, and other busy brand professionals so they can see up close and in person the solutions that stand to transform their operations.”

More than 7,000 professionals are expected to attend, representing a wide range of manufacturing sectors, including food and beverage, pharmaceuticals, household, industrial and agricultural chemicals, and personal care, toiletries, and cosmetics.

Mirroring a series of PMMI Business Intelligence industry-focused reports, PMMI projects the top trends to see are sustainability, automation, and remote services.  

Sustainability remains central in packaging and processing, driven by increasing government regulations on environmental impact. Companies are not only complying with these laws but also implementing internal strategies to enhance sustainability in their operations and packaging, according to Sustainability and Technology – the Future of Packaging and Processing.

Labor shortages are prompting consumer packaged goods companies to invest in warehouse automation, as the report, Packaging and Automation in the Warehouses of the Future, highlights. In addition, e-commerce growth and direct-to-consumer demands are making warehousing more complex, increasing the need for diverse pallet solutions.

Use of remote services by end-users has risen sharply in recent years, driven in part by the effects of the COVID-19 pandemic and skills shortages within the industry, according to Trends in Remote Services & Monitoring. Many end users saw the benefits remote services can provide to their operations during the pandemic and have continued to request remote assistance from their suppliers.

“Key trends such as sustainability, automation, and remote services are the tip of the iceberg when it comes to the solutions found at Pack Expo East,” says Laura Thompson, vice president, trade shows, PMMI. “We’re the only show in the region offering the depth and breadth of solutions for more than 40 vertical markets, allowing attendees access to crossover innovations from other industries that can address any packaging and processing challenges.”

packexpoeast.com