PACK EXPO Las Vegas, produced by PMMI, welcomed more than 30,000 attendees and 20,000 exhibitor personnel for a total of 50,000 packaging and processing professionals in attendance. With more than 2,300 exhibitors displaying the latest innovations across a record-breaking 1,000,000 net square feet of space, it was the biggest show floor since its debut 30 years ago, the association said.

“The scale and energy of PACK EXPO Las Vegas this year reflect how fast our industry is advancing,” said Jim Pittas, president and CEO at PMMI, in a statement. “From AI and robotics to next-generation sustainability, the technologies on display aren’t just meeting today’s needs, they’re driving the growth, efficiency, and innovation that will define packaging and processing for the next 30 years.”

Packaging and processing professionals from 40-plus vertical markets came together to find solutions to the industry’s biggest challenges. The show appealed to both first-time attendees and seasoned veterans.

The 100-plus free educational sessions also were a source of inspiration for attendees looking for the latest expert advice on hot industry topics such as tariffs, AI, automation, robotics, sustainability and workforce.

“The power of PACK EXPO isn’t just on the show floor — it’s in the conversations and insights shared through our education and networking events,” said Laura Thompson, vice president of trade shows at PMMI. “Expert-led sessions and initiatives like the Packaging & Processing Women’s Leadership Network Breakfast and the Young Professionals Networking Reception give professionals the knowledge, connections, and inspiration to take back to their companies and drive real impact.”

Exhibitors also debuted new solutions as well as highlighting existing materials and equipment to support the beverage market:

JBT Marel A&B Process Systems released its newest clean-in-place (CIP) innovation designed to automate every stage of the cleaning cycle for food, beverage, dairy and pharmaceutical facilities: the CIPure Cleaning System. This CIP system is controlled and monitored digitally to ensure it’s running as efficiently as possible, and effectively preventing growth from common bacteria and microorganisms like Salmonella, Listeria and E. coli. This technology was designed with environmental impact in mind, created with sustainably sourced materials and resource-saving capabilities.

Image courtesy of JBT Marel A&B Process Systems

Mespack, a part of the Duravant group, presented a fully operational end-to-end turnkey solution at the show. Mespack showcased an integrated project that features the ultra-high speed UHS ServOriginal pouch former and filler, a servo driven cartoner (up to 400 cartons a minute), and the MCP Series American box system with robotic picking, case erector, and sealer. Among the featured innovations, the company showcased the HMR Series, an horizontal pre-made advanced carrousel system for pre-made pouches, which boosts production speed by up to 30% and allows for changeovers in just five minutes.

ProMach’s portfolio of companies highlighted a host of solutions and innovations. Roberts PolyPro announced the expansion of its sustainable packaging portfolio with the addition of post-consumer recycled (PCR) materials. Additionally, Roberts PolyPro recently introduced two solutions for can multi-packing. Craft-Pak Versa carriers are compatible with most applicators on the market, eliminating the need for capital investment. With the company’s West Coast expansion, these handles are now available with faster turnaround. For customers moving from manual to automated application, the VPA-80 applicator is priced around $11,500. Paired with Craft-Pak Versa carriers, the system can deliver ROI in as little as one year. P.E. Labellers introduced XPERIENCE, a breakthrough digital intelligence platform. XPERIENCE connects real-time diagnostics, AI-guided support, and centralized documentation into one cohesive ecosystem. This results in reduced downtime, faster issue resolution, and improved alignment across production, service and engineering teams, the company says. Axon showcased its new shrink sleeve applicator, ZPT. Engineered with a new cutting system to replace traditional blade systems, ZPT brings a safer, more reliable, and cost-effective approach to shrink sleeve application in food, beverage, pharmaceutical, and personal care packaging, the company says. At the core of ZPT is a rolling perforation wheel that replaces traditional knife systems to improve safety, lower costs, and reduce maintenance. The wheel blade is easier to replace than traditional blades, simplifying changeovers and minimizing setup time. Its design perforates film in a single cut, reducing the risk of rough cuts or “hairs” due to misaligned blades. With fewer wear parts, it lowers total cost of ownership while delivering precise, uniform cuts that enhance package presentation, ensure tamper protection, and build customer confidence in product integrity. Zalkin presented a range of precision equipment engineered to optimize efficiency, accuracy and throughput. Featured solutions included the 16-Head Screw-On Capping Turret for PET bottle applications, the interactive 12-Head LCM Display, the WSI-300 Waterfall Cap Sorter, and the newly introduced H56 head. These systems are designed to address the increasingly complex demands of modern packaging lines, the company says.

Regal Rexnord highlighted its customized, end-to-end powertrain solutions such as ModSort Divert and Transfer Modules for factory automation; Perceptiv Intelligent Reliability Solutions to help reduce downtime and increase productivity with our new IIoT connected conveyors; the PriorityPal High Level Case Palletizer with modular layout runs up to 10 layers a minute and easily switches patterns using our interactive HMI system, allowing the user to choose from 50 patterns; the Kollmorgen AKMH and AKMA servo motors featuring IP69K-rated washdown-ready construction, built specifically for durability, cleanability and versatility; and the Movotrak Cobot Transfer Unit (CTU), which is the first-ever collaborative 7th axis that features collision detection settings for groundbreaking programming and control benefits. The Movotrak CTU adds a horizontal operating range of up to 10 meters and offers flexible mounting options.

Ryson International showcased its range of spiral conveyors. Ryson spiral conveyors feature durable components designed for extended operational life, reducing replacement frequency and manufacturing waste, it says. The company’s modular design enables field modifications and repurposing of existing equipment, extending product lifecycles while minimizing unnecessary manufacturing, it adds. Ryson’s American-made manufacturing approach supports sustainability through locally sourced materials and reduced transportation impacts. The company’s Yorktown, Va.-based facility maintains a complete inventory of spare parts, enabling rapid service response and extending equipment operational life through comprehensive maintenance support.

SOMIC Packaging Inc. introduced its next generation case packing platform: 434 SuperFlex. The 434 Superflex is designed to tackle the challenges associated with end-of-line automation today, tomorrow and in the future, the company says. In addition to offering unparalleled precision and flexibility within a compact amount of space, attendees will discover how it is adaptable to answer the everchanging nature of retail business packaging, it notes. SOMIC has standardized the majority of the SuperFlex platform’s architecture. Using a modular, configurable design and a library of pre-engineered assemblies, 80% of the machine is already designed and engineered based on the SOMIC 434 platform. The remaining 20%, which is the portion that requires customization, is configured to match a customer’s specific packaging application. This configured-to-order approach drastically cuts engineering time and accelerates delivery to the customer, it says.

Tetra Pak U.S. and Canada highlighted new packaging size innovations such as the Tetra Brik Aseptic 1420 Edge (48 ounce) and the Tetra Prisma Aseptic 400 (14 ounce), along with the new Tetra Pak A3/Speed filling lines. Attendees also could explore offerings such as Tetra Pak Custom Printing for enhanced shelf impact and 3D equipment models.  

Vacuum Barrier Corp. showcased its newest high-speed liquid nitrogen dosing system. The company featured its NITRODOSE G3 SERVODOSER, a solution that combines advanced servo control with innovative heater block designs to deliver dosing precision, flexibility and reliability, it says. The NITRODOSE G3 SERVODOSER is engineered for fast, precise delivery of low-pressure liquid nitrogen in beverage applications. It can handle up to 2,000 containers per minute (CPM), and allows manufacturers to adjust the flow rate during both discrete and continuous dispensing without mechanical nozzle changes, significantly reducing downtime during production changeovers.

Videojet featured live demonstrations of real-world coding and marking applications. For its Continuous Inkjet Printers (CIJ), Videojet showcased Videojet 1880 +, featuring intelligent diagnostics, smart alerts, and remote service capabilities, the 1880 + is designed to help reduce downtime and optimize performance, it says. Also from the portfolio on site were Videojet 1580 C, Videojet 1880 UHS and Videojet 1880 HR. Within the laser marking systems was Videojet 7920 UV laser, an integrated with a VDL UVA Dynamic Hydro VFFS machine which can mark high-contrast codes on curved metal and heat-sensitive plastic without compromising the integrity of the product, it says. Also on site were the Videojet 3350 CO2 laser and Videojet 7440 fiber laser. The company also promoted its thermal transfer overprinters, case coding solution and vision inspection.

Next will be PACK EXPO East 2026, which takes place Feb. 17-19 at the Pennsylvania Convention Center in Philadelphia.