PACK EXPO International/Pharma EXPO 2014 is just 3 weeks away. By now your travel plans should be locked in. PMMI tells us this will be the second largest PACK EXPO show in the Windy City with 2,400 exhibitors showing the latest in packaging trends and technology.
So how do you survive being swept up in a crowd of 50,000 attendees and information overload from three halls of vendors beckoning you into their booths? As a seasoned participant of PACK EXPO shows, I offer these suggestions: 1) Plan Ahead - Have a game plan. To ensure a positive experience, the organizers of PACK EXPO have made it easy for attendees to organize their visit to McCormick Center with their My Show Planner. On this portal, you can find exhibitors by machine category, sort by hall location, schedule and track appointments and register for conference sessions. Any tool that can help to shorten your steps is a winner in my book! Planning to relax while taking advantage of some of the best cuisine in the US? Make your restaurant reservations NOW if you plan to get a table at any of the wonderful restaurants in downtown Chicago. 2) Pace Yourself - There are going to be lines, long lines. Lines for catching the bus to and from the McCormick Center, lines to buy coffee or lunch, and lines to speak with popular exhibitors. So be prepared to be patient and plan your time accordingly. Carry a backpack to stash all the marketing and product material you will be gathering, and carry a bottle of water to keep your energy up. Comfortable shoes and clothing will ease some of the pain your legs and feet will feel by the end of the day, but discomfort will be unavoidable. Lastly, throughout the day find a quiet corner and write down some of the knowledge you are gaining through your vendor networking. It will be easier to share solutions with your coworkers and supervisor when you get back to the office, and you'll be less likely to forget details that might help your company gain efficiency. Be sure to stop by our booth #N4721. We'll be showcasing case erectors, tray formers, case packers, case sealers, and robotic case packing. Our business associates, MCRI, will be offering education sessions on November 3rd about the design and selection of end of arm tooling (EOAT) for case packing and palletizing in their booth #N4940.