EXPO PACK Guadalajara Rewrites Record Books

The largest show in EXPO PACK Guadalajara history welcomed a record-breaking 17,000 attendees to a sold-out Expo Guadalajara, where more than 700 exhibitors filled every last inch of the 15,000 net square meter show floor. Already the largest packaging and processing event in Latin America, EXPO PACK Guadalajara 2019 exceeded even the loftiest of projections for show producer, PMMI, The Association for Packaging and Processing Technologies.

“EXPO PACK Guadalajara showed this year that it has cemented its place as the premier packaging show in the region,” said Anthony Colquitt, director of business development – LATAM for BW Packaging Systems. “Not only the number [of attendees], but the quality of the companies and customers who attended was beyond belief – we were able to have productive meetings and move projects forward because the right people were at the show.”

The most international EXPO PACK Guadalajara to date, exhibitors and attendees traveled from over 40 countries with international pavilions hosting companies from Argentina, Canada, China, France, Italy, Spain and the U.S. The diverse global representation brought six percent more international visitors than EXPO PACK Guadalajara 2017 with the largest attendee participation from Guatemala, Colombia, Costa Rica, Peru and El Salvador.

Nearly 110 exhibitors displayed for the first time on a show floor 15 percent larger than EXPO PACK Guadalajara 2017, while the EXPO PACK Verde program, in its 10th year, exceeded 150 exhibitors committed to sustainable packaging and processing solutions.

A multiple time exhibitor at EXPO PACK Guadalajara, David O’Keefe, director of sales for LANGGUTH America has had a front row seat for the steady expansion of the event.

“EXPO PACK Guadalajara is always well marketed to ensure positive results for exhibitors, but the high attendance throughout the show is a sure sign that it continues to grow,” O’Keefe said. “The show was noticeably bigger this year and we received [nearly 100] leads, many with active projects in hand.”

A new addition to EXPO PACK Guadalajara that was particularly well received was the Daily Keynote Series, with attendees kicking off their day at world-class presentations from industry thought leaders. Day one featured a comprehensive look at successful packaging developments for e-commerce from Mintel’s Global Packaging Director, David Luttenberger. Day two welcomed panelists from BonIce, Navarro Cheese, San Matías Tequila and Groupo Herdez discussing opportunities for innovation in packaging and processing. International packaging science expert Alejandro Salgado closed the series on day three with real-world solutions to the challenges of the circular economy.

“Education offerings at EXPO PACK are really hitting their stride, giving attendees opportunity before and during the show to hear about issues affecting their everyday business,” said Laura Thompson, vice president, trade shows, PMMI.

In addition to the keynotes, over a dozen Innovation Stage sessions on the show floor featured interactive discussions on practical solutions to industry challenges. A3 Robotics training also returned, with the Association for Advancing Automation Mexico providing two days of intense training on vision systems and industrial robotics safety.

EXPO PACK Guadalajara 2019 once again received the support of most of Mexico’s leading professional industry associations. These important endorsements included Cámara de Comercio de Guadalajara, Cámara de la Industria Alimenticia de Jalisco (CIAJ), Cámara Nacional de Fabricantes de Envases Metálicos (CANAFEM), Cámara Nacional de la Industria de Artes Gráficas de Jalisco (CANAGRAF Jalisco), Cámara Nacional de la Industria de Conservas Alimenticias (CANAINCA), Cámara Nacional de la Industria de Productos Cosméticos y Asociación Nacional de la Industria de Productos del Cuidado Personal y del Hogar A.C. (CANIPEC), Cámara Nacional de la Industria Farmacéutica (CANIFARMA) and Cámara Regional de la Industria de la Transformación del Estado de Jalisco (CAREINTRA).

The PACK EXPO portfolio of trade shows returns to Mexico City in 2020 with EXPO PACK México (June 2-5, 2020, Expo Santa Fe).