More than 5,100 high-level attendees with buying power ensured a successful Philadelphia return for the sophomore edition of PACK EXPO East (Feb. 27-March 1, Pennsylvania Convention Center) produced by PMMI, The Association for Packaging and Processing Technologies.

The three-day event featured 375 exhibiting companies, spanned over 80,000 net square feet and provided the opportunity for Northeast attendees to exchange ideas with leading packaging and processing suppliers. Its prime Philadelphia location placed PACK EXPO East within 200 miles of one-third of U.S. consumer packaged goods companies (CPGs), including arguably the country’s largest concentration of life science and pharmaceutical businesses. Attendees and exhibitors alike touted the ease of driving or using public transportation as one of the many advantages of the Philadelphia location.

“We are very excited about the future of PACK EXPO East,” says Jim Pittas, senior vice president, PMMI. “We are gaining momentum on this new show with both attendees and exhibitors. Walking the show floor, it was obvious that attendees are talking about the challenges they are facing and exhibitors are providing them with the solutions they are looking for. Moving the show later in the calendar year was very well received by the industry.”

This regional event provided attendees with easy access to PACK EXPO, offering exhibitors and attendees quality time to gain an understanding of each other’s operations and the challenges facing both sides of the table. Attendees enjoyed seeing new technologies, innovations and working machinery on the show floor. Exhibitors were pleased with the quality of leads they brought in during the show.

“Right from the opening of the show we spoke with educated buyers who knew what they were looking for and were receptive to our recommendations on how we might target a solution,” says Ed Fox, sales manager for Fox IV Technologies. “While the traffic was steady, the intimacy of the regional event allowed for longer interactions and what we feel are solid, quality leads.”

The Innovation Stage brought free education to the show floor and offered attendees and exhibitors a look at breakthrough technologies, innovative applications and proven techniques from industry experts. The Healthcare Packaging and Processing Conference provided life science processing and packaging professionals an efficient way to find innovations that serve their industry.

PMMI also announced that PACK EXPO East will return to Philadelphia in April 2018 and then continue on its intended biennial schedule on even-numbered-years.