Exhibition hours:
Sunday, Nov. 7 9:00 a.m. - 5:00 p.m.
Monday, Nov. 8 9:00 a.m. - 5:00 p.m.
Tuesday, Nov. 9 9:00 a.m. - 5:00 p.m.
Wednesday, Nov. 10 9:00 a.m. - 5:00 p.m.
Thursday, Nov. 11 9:00 a.m. - 2:00 p.m.

Once again, Pack Expo International heads to Chicago. From Nov. 7 to 11, more than 50,000 visitors are expected to attend the biennial packaging show at McCormick Place. Visitors will hear about the latest developments in packaging technology and see the more than 1,600 exhibitors’ state-of-the-art advances in packaging machinery, converting machinery, materials, packages and containers and components. In addition, innovative packaging designs from around the world will be featured at the Showcase of Packaging Innovations.

New at the show are the:
Radio Frequency Identification Pavilion (RFID Pavilion)
The Packaging Security Resource Center
The Confectionery Pavilion
The Food Safety & Sanitation Pavilion

New Product Spotlight
This year, Pack Expo International is co-locating with the Food Processing Machinery Expo. The focus of the FPM Expo is on processing technology developments that meet the challenges faced by today’s food and beverage manufacturers. Exhibitors at the FPM Expo will demonstrate the newest equipment for the beverage, fruit and vegetable, canning/freezing, environmental, instrumentation, prepared foods, can-making, meat, dairy and snack food industries. Along with the expo, a Food Safety and Sanitation Seminar will run Monday, Nov. 8 to Wednesday, Nov. 10, from 8:30 to 10 a.m. For registration details and seminar topics and fees, visit foodprocessingmachinery.com. The FPM Expo is sponsored and produced by the Food Processing Machinery Association (FPMA).

The concurrent conference at Pack Expo International features a series of educational and informational programs that are organized into several themes including, RFID, Security, Operations, Plastics, Materials/Containers, Robotics, Closures and Flexible Packaging. Pack Expo International is sponsored and produced by the Packaging Manufacturers Institute (PMMI), the leading non-profit packaging association in the United States. For more Pack Expo information and registration details, go to packexpo.com.

Conference schedule at Pack Expo International

Eye Opener Session
8:00 - 8:45 am
9:00 – 9:45am

Concurrent Sessions
Session: M1 RFID
Title: RFID Package Tagging Basics
Session: M2 Operations
Title: Organizing Your Packaging Engineering Efforts
Session: M3 Security
Title: Anti-Counterfeiting Packaging Options
Session: M4 Plastics
Title: Adding Meaningful UV Barrier to PET Containers
9:55 – 10:40am

Concurrent Sessions
Session: M5 RFID
Title: RFID ROI and the FDA “Itemization” Directive
Session: M6 Operations
Title: Faster, Cheaper, Better Changeover
Session: M7 Security
Title: Where is Your Product? The Post 9/11 World of Packaging
Session: M8 Plastics
Title: Laser Coding of PET Bottles within the Blow Molding Machine
10:50 – 11:35am

Concurrent Sessions
Session: M9 RFID
Title: Progress Report from MIT’s RFID and Packaging Special Interest Group (SIG)
Session: M10 Operations
Title: Leveraging the Benefits of Metered Flow Liquid Filling
Session: M11 Security
Title: Justifying the Investment in Anti-Counterfeiting Packaging
Session: M12 Plastics
Title: PET Oxygen Barrier Effectiveness: A Comparison of Alternatives
11:45am – 12:30pm

Concurrent Sessions
Session: M13 RFID
Title: RFID and Practical Applications of the “Smart Label”
Session: M14 Operations
Title: 10 Ways to Increase Packaging Productivity and Reduce Bottlenecks
Session: M15 Security
Title: New FDA 79 Rules and the Integration of Safety on Packaging Machines
Session: M16 Plastics
Title: Continuing Advances in Shelf-Stable Plastic Containers for Foods and Beverages
12:40 – 1:25pm

Concurrent Sessions
Session: M17 RFID
Title: Key Considerations When Planning an RFID/EPC Program
Session: M18 Operations
Title: How to Produce Low-Cost Stand-Up Pouches on Vertical Form-Fill Seal Machines

Eye Opener Session
8:00 - 8:45 am
Title: RFID Packaging Implementation Facts, Fantasies, Challenges and Opportunities
9:00 – 9:45am
Concurrent Sessions
Session: T1 RFID
Title: RFID: Finding the Needle (Your Product) in the Haystack (the Distribution Pipeline)
Session: T2 Materials/Containers
Title: Packaging Mockups Made Easy
Session: T3 Robotics
Title: 3D Off-Line Simulations and Palletizing Robot Programming
Session: T4 Operations
Title: Gaining an Edge with the Packaging Technology Harvesting Process
9:55 – 10:40am

Concurrent Sessions
Session: T5 RFID
Title: Driving Process Improvement Through RFID Process Enablement
Session: T6 Materials/Containers
Title: Maximizing Response Time/Lowering Costs with In-Plant Digital Color Label Printing
Session: T7 Robotics
Title: How to Justify the Cost of Robotic Packaging Systems
Session: T8 Operations
Title: The Pepsi Approach to Implementing Successful Turnkey Packaging Projects
10:50 – 11:35am 

Concurrent Sessions
Session: T9 RFID
Title: How to Meet the EPC Mandates for Case and Pallet Tagging
Session: T10 Materials/Containers
Title: The Resurgence of Microwave Packaging
Session: T11 Robotics
Title: Leveraging Robotics to Improve Packaging Line Performance, Flexibility and Cost
Session: T12 Operations
Title: Applying Weibull Decision Techniques to Enhance Packaging Productivity
11:45am – 12:30pm

Concurrent Sessions
Session: T13 RFID
Title: In-the-Works: Low-Cost Print and Apply RFID Package Tagging
Session: T14 Materials/Containers
Title: Metal Food Can Innovations and Trends
Session: T15 Robotics
Title: Improving Flexibility and Efficiency with Robotic End Effectors
Session: T16 Operations
Title: Microperforations Enhance Controlled Atmosphere Packaging of Fresh-Cut Produce
12:40 – 1:25pm 

Concurrent Sessions
Session: T17 Materials/Containers
Title: Sustainable Packaging Market Opportunities: A Supply Chain Discussion
Moderator: Annie White, Coordinator, Sustainable Packaging Coalition (SPC), Project Manager, GreenBlue
Panelists: John Delfausse, Vice President, Package Development, Aveda Corp.; Graham Houlder, Global Packaging Coordinator, Unilever; Dennis R. McGrew, Chief Marketing Officer, Cargill Dow LLC; and Margaret Papadakis, Senior Buyer, Packaging, Starbucks Coffee Co.
Session: T18 Robotics
Title: Thinking about Robotic Palletizing? Consider This
Session: T19 Operations
Title: Six Metal Detection Myths that Could Affect your Operations

Eye Opener Session
8:00 - 8:45 am
Title: The Department of Defense Adds RFID to its Warfighter Support Arsenal
9:00 – 9:45am 

Concurrent Sessions
Session: W1 RFID
Title: Lab Findings Warn of In-Plant RFID Limitations
Session: W2 Flexible Packaging
Title: Advanced Heat-Seal Temperature Measurement
Session: W3 Closures
Title: Anti-Counterfeiting and Anti-Diversion - a Road Map to the Future
Session: W4 Operations
Title: Detecting Packaging Defects with Advanced Generation Vision Sensors
9:55 – 10:40am

Concurrent Sessions
Session: W5 RFID
Title: Offshoring RFID Research & Development
Session: W6 Flexible Packaging
Title: On-Line Seal Inspection of Retort Pouches
Session: W7 Closures
Title: How and Why Transparent Caps Boost Beverage Bottle Impact
Session: W8 Operations
Title: Shrink Sleeve and Label Technology Advances
10:50 – 11:35am

Concurrent Sessions
Session: W9 RFID
Title: Treating the Start-Up Cost and Throughput Reduction Headaches of RFID
Session: W10 Flexible Packaging
Title: Acoustic or Optical Tomographic On-Line Inspection of Retort Pouches
Session: W11 Closures
Title: Permeation Protocols for Synthetic Wine Closures
Session: W12 Operations
Title: Improving Efficiency with Robots on the Packaging Line
11:45am – 12:30pm

Concurrent Sessions
Session: W13 RFID
Title: Ensuring Intelligent RFID/EPC Tagging at Any Point in the Supply Chain
Session: W14 Flexible Packaging
Title: Effective Web Cleaning to Improve Productivity, Lower Operating Costs
Session: W15 Closures
Title: Answering Consumers’ Call for Convenience with Dispensing Closures
Session: W16 Operations
Title: How FDA’s CFR Part 11 Guidelines will Affect Next Generation Rx Packaging
12:40 – 1:25pm
Session: W17 Flexible Packaging
Title: The Future of Stand-Up Pouches