The Cross Pollination of Ideas Becomes Reality at Pharma EXPO 2015

From small batches to regulatory compliance to sustainability, pharmaceutical manufacturers have plenty to consider. Pharma EXPO 2015 (Las Vegas Convention Center, Sept. 28-30), co-owned by PMMI, The Association for Packaging and Processing Technologies and the International Society for Pharmaceutical Engineering (ISPE), will present solutions for these and other challenges throughout the pharmaceutical lifecycle.

The show and its co-located partner, PMMI’s PACK EXPO Las Vegas, will host 30,000 attendees and over 2,000 exhibitors in more than 800,000 net square feet of exhibit space.

“Pharma EXPO’s co-location alongside the largest processing and packaging show of the year delivers unmatched access to suppliers and solutions with crossover technologies from industries such as food, beverage and personal care,” says Jim Pittas, senior vice president, PMMI.

Start at the Beginning
Pharma EXPO — which occupies the North Hall at the Las Vegas Convention Center — will bring everything from its successful inaugural debut in Chicago to Las Vegas, and the partnership between ISPE and PMMI means excellence will be at the forefront.

Attendees can start at Pharma EXPO Live (Booth N-405), where videos, live interviews, live-demo alerts, social media and more will keep you on top of everything that’s happening at the show, including the Innovation Stage (Booth N-559) and the Pharma EXPO Conference Program, organized by ISPE.

On Tuesday, Sept. 29, Pharma EXPO Live will host a reception for attendees from 3:30–5 p.m.

Cross the Line
Attendees should make time to explore PACK EXPO, too, and take advantage of the way ideas from one industry can apply to another.

The Center for Trends and Technology (CTT) (Booth C-4829) investigates smart manufacturing and its role in processing and packaging. With displays and seminars, sponsor Rockwell Automation and its PartnerNetwork™ program present a glimpse of the future of industry. Seminars will cover topics such as compliance, serialization and line optimization. Cisco Systems, Grantek Systems Integration, Interstates Controls, Microsoft and Stone Technologies are Rockwell Automation’s partners in the PACK EXPO Las Vegas 2015 edition of CTT.

Food safety is another crossover area. Pharmaceutical professionals and food manufacturers have a lot to learn from each other, and at the Food Safety Summit Resource Center (Booth S-7632) common issues such as sanitary equipment design will be topics of conversation. Organized and brought to PACK EXPO Las Vegas by the Food Safety Summit and co-sponsor GE, the Food Safety Summit Resource Center will be a central location where subject matter experts will present educational seminars and be available for one-on-one consultations.

Down in the Lower South Hall, the Brand Zone is your path to market, with materials and containers that shape winning brands. It’s a central point for attendees looking to improve shelf appeal and explore packaging challenges. Within The Brand Zone, the Showcase of Packaging Innovations®, sponsored by The Dow Chemical Company, will display award-winning packages from competitions around the world.

Feed the Mind with Educational Opportunities 
In addition to the Pharma EXPO Conference, The Pharma EXPO and PACK EXPO Innovation Stages (Booths N-559, C-1041, C-1045, C-1049) showcase more than 40 free educational sessions, including these:

• Serialization Impacts in the Pharmaceutical Industry Presented by Benoit Maheux-L, Optel Vision (Monday, Sept. 28, 11–11:30 a.m.; Pharma EXPO Innovation Stage, Booth N-559)
• Innovative Oxygen Absorption Packaging Solutions Presented by Atsushi Inoue, Mitsubishi Gas Chemical Company (Monday, Sept. 28, 1–1:30 p.m.; Pharma EXPO Innovation Stage, Booth N-559)
• Total Cost of Ownership: One Voice Guidelines for CPGs and OEMs Presented by Madinah Allen, Snyder’s-Lance, Inc.; and Mark Ruberg, Pro Mach (Tuesday, Sept. 29, 10–10:30 a.m.; PACK EXPO Innovation Stage, Booth C-1041)
• Creating Tomorrow’s Packaging Today: Technology and Collaboration-Based Approaches to Optimize Pharmaceutical Package Design Presented by Daniel Stagnaro, Klöckner Pentaplast (Monday, Sept. 28, 2–2:30 p.m.; Pharma EXPO Innovation Stage, Booth N-559)

Entertaining Success at PACK EXPO Las Vegas 
“PACK EXPO and Pharma EXPO are all about learning, doing business better and connecting with your industry” Pittas says. “For connections and networking, you’ve got to go to PACK gives BACK. It will be a great time for a great cause.”

PACK gives BACK™ is an annual fundraiser and signature PACK EXPO event, and will feature a performance from legendary rock band Chicago. PMMI will donate ticket sale proceeds to the Fisher House Foundation, an organization that provides comfort to the families of wounded military and veterans during their stays in medical facilities, and the Nevada Military Service Alliance, which is building the state’s first Fisher House in North Las Vegas.

“With more than 40 vertical markets represented, PACK EXPO Las Vegas is the most comprehensive event of its kind this year. The industry comes here for solutions to their operational challenges, and because there’s so much breadth to the show, they have the benefit of coming to truly innovative solutions inspired by other industries,” says Pittas.

To learn more and register for Pharma EXPO, produced in partnership by PMMI and the Institute for Pharmaceutical Engineering, and the co-located PACK EXPO Las Vegas visit packexpolasvegas.com. Tickets for PACK gives BACK ($100/person or $90 for groups of 10 or more) can be purchased during the registration process. PACK gives BACK is only open to registered attendees and exhibitors of PACK EXPO Las Vegas and Pharma EXPO 2015.

About PMMI
PMMI, The Association for Packaging and Processing Technologies, represents the voice of more than 700 North American manufacturers of equipment, components and materials for processing and packaging. We work to advance a variety of industries by connecting consumer goods companies with manufacturing solutions through the world class PACK EXPO portfolio of trade shows, leading trade media and a wide range of resources to empower our members. The PACK EXPO trade shows unite the world of processing and packaging to advance the industries they serve: PACK EXPO International, PACK EXPO Las Vegas, Pharma EXPO, PACK EXPO East, EXPO PACK México, EXPO PACK Guadalajara and ProFood Tech, launching in April 2017. PMMI Media Group connects manufacturers to the latest solutions, trends and innovations in processing and packaging year-round through brands including Packaging World, Automation World, Healthcare Packaging, Contract Packaging and Packaging + Processing OEM. PMMI Business Drivers assist members in pursuing operational excellence through workforce development initiatives, deliver actionable business intelligence on economic, market and industry trends to support members’ growth strategies, and actively connect the supply chain throughout the year. Learn more at PACKEXPO.com, PMMIMediaGroup.com and PMMI.org.