InterBev, the biennial trade show dedicated to the entire beverage industry, is being held Oct. 23-25 at the Sands Expo Center in Las Vegas. The American Beverage Association, which reacquired the trade show late last year, lined up former Secretary of Homeland Security Tom Ridge to address “America in the 21st Century — Prosperity and Security” at the show. In addition, the Coca-Cola Bottlers Association and the Coca-Cola Mainstream Bottlers will both hold their association meetings in conjunction with the InterBev show. The CCBA, the Pepsi-Cola Bottlers Association, Coca-Cola Bottlers Sales & Services and PepsiCo Global Procurement have reserved space on the exhibit floor. The ABA also will hold its annual board and state association meetings.

The ABA has developed numerous partnerships to promote the show, including a tie-in with Worldwide Food Expo planner, the International Dairy Foods Association, to promote each other’s trade shows. The groups will host pavilions at one another’s show, offer exclusive programming and promote the events to their membership.

Show planners, under the theme “Let the Sales Pour In,” have planned an event targeted toward manufacturers, packagers and distributors of soft drinks, bottled water, juice and any other type of non-alcohol or alcohol beverage. Conference programming is designed to appeal to owners and operators of bottling facilities, plant managers, engineers, quality assurance managers and production supervisors. Exhibits feature machinery, equipment and supplies that represent supplier innovations and new technologies. In addition, the show planners say there will be opportunities for beverage processors seeking distribution.

The ABA developed the program with the help of an advisory committee comprising producers and suppliers to ensure the show’s content is “highly relevant and reflective of the marketplace it serves.” Programming features five educational tracks — General Management, Trends, Logistics, Plant Design and Formulation — and has allowed for conflict-free hours for attending both conference programs and exhibitions. The show floor at the Sands Expo Center covers 40,000 to 50,000 square feet and features an American Beverage Association Networking Center.

There are multiple networking opportunities including the ABA/InterBev Reception on Monday and the Beverage Industry 2006 New Product Awards Reception on Tuesday.

Sands Expo Center, Las Vegas
MONDAY, OCTOBER 23
7:00 a.m. – 5:00 p.m. Registration Open
1:30 p.m. – 2:45 p.m. Concurrent Conference Sessions
Session 1: Regulatory Hot Spots
Session 2: What America Drinks — Trends in Beverage Consumption
Session 3: Water Resources: Drought Preparedness, Bottled Water in the News and the Latest Quality Concerns

3:00 p.m. – 5:30 p.m. Exhibit Floor Sneak Preview and ABA/InterBev Reception

TUESDAY, OCTOBER 24
7:00 a.m. – 5:00 p.m. Registration Open
8:00 a.m. – 9:15 a.m. Concurrent Conference Sessions
Session 4: The Buzz on Benzene: Where We've Been and Where We're Going
Session 5: What America Thinks About Our Drinks
Session 6: RFID: “Track and Trace” Technology

9:30 a.m. – 10:45 a.m. Concurrent Conference Sessions
Session 7: Business Valuations
Session 8: The Right Way to Wellness: Substance Over Soundbites
Session 9: Improving Warehouse Efficiency Through Automation

10:45 a.m. – 12:15 p.m. General Session and Annual ABA Membership Meeting Featuring Tom Ridge "America in the 21st Century-Prosperity and Security"

12:30 a.m. – 5:00 p.m. Exhibit Hall Open
5:00 p.m. – 7:00 p.m. Beverage Industry 2006 New Product Awards Reception

WEDNESDAY, OCTOBER 25
7:00 a.m. – 3:00 p.m. Registration Open
8:00 a.m. – 9:15 a.m. Concurrent Conference Sessions
Session 10: FDA Guidelines and Homeland Security Update
Session 11: Global Beverage Trends and Emerging Growth Sectors
Session 12: Beverage Container Recycling-The Latest Research and New Techniques for Increasing Capture

9:30 a.m. – 10:45 a.m. Concurrent Conference Sessions
Session 13: Fuel Costs: Where the Rubber Meets the Road
Session 14: Sweeteners: Benefits and Challenges
Session 15: Dairy and Juice HACCP

11:00 a.m. – 2:00 p.m. Exhibit Hall Open