Year Finishes Upbeat

Published: December 01, 2010, By Yolanda Simonsis Associate Publisher/Editor

From the looks of things from my small window to the converting world, 2010 is finishing upbeat. If the co-located Pack Expo and CPP (Converting & Package Printing) Expo were any indication of present and future business activity, things appear to be moving in the right direction. Statistics collected by Pack Expo sponsor Packaging Machinery Mfrs. Inst. (PMMI) were encouraging for the event held October 31-November 3 at McCormick Place in Chicago, IL:

Attendees (including CPP Expo attendance) numbered 44,294 in 2010 — an additional 491 people over the event held in 2008.
Exhibitor personnel (including CPP Expo) numbered 20,351 in 2010 — a decline of 3,498 people from 2008.
Total attendance numbered 64,645 in 2010 — a decline of 3,007 from 2008.
International attendance numbered 4,453 in 2010 — an increase of 855 people (or 23.9%) over 2008.
Number of exhibiting companies was 1,835 in 2010 — an increase of 132 companies over 2008.
Net square footage of the show measured at 1,054,505 in 2010 — a decline of 29,796 sq from 2008.

CPP Expo set a new record with 7,239 attendees, according to owner H.A. Bruno. Pre-registration was strong going into the show, said CPP president Leo Nadolske, so management knew “we were on to something big,” with numbers up for every sector, including tag and label, flexible packaging, folding carton, and corrugated products. “From all accounts, everyone had a great show, exhibitors and attendees alike,” said Nadolske.

What did I think? As I said in my blog, Yo's Yarns, this event ultimately proved to reflect what truly good shows are made of. The first day of the show on Halloween (a Sunday) portended to be anything but great. It was downright lonesome back where PFFC's booth was located on the lower level of Lakeside. One exhibitor confessed to me that despite the lack of warm bodies (c'mon, it was Halloween), he still wasn't disappointed in the quality of the few leads that materialized that day. But on Monday it was as if the “off” switch had been flipped to “on.” My blog shows pictures of a jammed Grand Concourse, including the bridge to Lakeside. Next year, CPP will again co-locate with Pack Expo on September 26-28 at the Las Vegas Convention Center.

Finally, because 'tis the season associated with giving, PFFC has a gift for you. Starting in January, you will find Mark Miller's new monthly column, “Coating Matters.” Mark is a consultant in the roll-to-roll coating industry and owner of Coating Tech Service. He holds a Master's degree in Polymer Science and Engineering and a Bachelor's in Chemical Engineering. He's eager to hear from you about your coating matters at This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.. Happy Holidays!

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