PACK EXPO Las Vegas 2013, Sept. 23-25 in Las Vegas Convention Center, will be this year’s most comprehensive processing and packaging event in North America, with more than 1,600 exhibitors and over 26,000 attendees, making it the largest PACK EXPO show since the event first opened in 1995. The show, which is produced by PMMI, the Reston, Va.-based association for packaging and processing technologies, will feature 700,000 net square feet of solutions—equipment, materials, components and services—to advance your business and innovate across the line.

To help brand owners easily locate the solutions and suppliers they need, PACK EXPO Las Vegas includes industry-specific pavilions such as:

• The Food Safety Summit Resource Center, sponsored by BNP Media, the parent company of Refrigerated & Frozen Foods, brings together Subject Matter Experts (SMEs) who can speak to the regulations and implementation of the Food Safety Modernization Act (FSMA) as well as other important food safety issues, including food packaging, HACCP, economic fraud, safety and regulations for allergens, labeling, pest control, sanitation and traceability.

 • The Brand Zone will help brands break out of the packaging box, with innovative containers and materials to build consumer loyalty and create a competitive edge at the point-of-sale.

• The Processing Zone will spotlight the latest processing technologies for manufacturers in the baking, snack, beverage, dairy and confectionery industries as well as other vertical sectors. Attendees will find additional processing-oriented technologies across the show floor.

• There will be an abundance of free education opportunities at PACK EXPO Las Vegas. Stop by the Innovation Stage and choose from one of the 40, 30-minute seminars by the Alliance for Innovation and Operational Excellence. Or, attend a series of presentations from Mintel, a Chicago-based global market research and analysis firm. Meanwhile, the Association Pavilion provides educational guidance for trends, technologies, regulatory changes, sustainability measures and ways to streamline efficiency. 

• The new SMB FastTrack program provides small- and medium-sized businesses with special services, easy access to innovative packaging and processing solutions, networking opportunities and other vital resources to advance their businesses. 

Sneak peek of innovations

Packaging line automation solutions. AutoCoding Systems’ Shoplogix solution (Booth #7876) reduces downtime across packaging lines by reducing the risk of human error. The technology controls packaging line devices such as coding and labeling equipment, barcode scanners and metal detection equipment. Benefits include increased speed and reliability of line set-up, reduced job changeover time and the ability to streamline the management of complex packaging formats. 

Laser solution to maximize peel-and-reclose process. The PrimePeel peel-and-reclose process from LaserSharp FlexPak (Booth #4440) enables packages to be easily opened and reclosed, while maintaining the integrity and sustainability of its contents. This easy-open feature, available for a variety of packaging types, is created by a laser-scored pattern of adhesive labels applied to a flexible film.

Sanitary and hygienic case sealers. Keeping in mind the steps food manufacturers take to ensure their products meet the highest standards for hygiene and safety, Combi Packaging Systems (Booth #3345) designed a line of stainless-steel case sealing equipment that reduces potential lodgment areas where contaminants might gather. Combi’s sealers feature an easy-clean construct and water shedding surfaces, which prevent the accumulation of water, thus greatly reducing the threat of product recall due to contamination.

 To register for PACK EXPO Las Vegas 2013, visit www.packexpo.com. And, please stop by Refrigerated & Frozen Foods’ booth, #4941, and pick up extra copies of this issue, renew your free subscription and learn more about upcoming advertising and interview opportunities.