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PACK EXPO International 2026
The Largest Packaging and Processing Show in the Americas
Oct 18 – 21, 2026
Packaging and processing professionals from 40+ vertical industries
McCormick Place, Chicago, United States
2,700+ exhibitors
Who Should Attend
Food & Beverage Manufacturers
Food and beverage manufacturers should prioritise the Processing Zone for mixing, batching, forming, thermal processing, hygienic design and plant engineering, then follow the product downstream into filling, packaging, inspection and palletising.
Operations, Procurement & Plant Teams
Operations and plant teams should arrive with bottleneck data: OEE losses, labour-heavy steps, rejected packs, sanitation windows and SKU-change frequency. The show is most valuable when those metrics are used to challenge suppliers during live machine demonstrations.
Packaging & Processing Engineers
Packaging and processing engineers can use the show to compare line controls, robotics, machine vision, changeovers, guarding, CIP access, conveyance and integration between machines from different suppliers.
Brands, Co-Packers & Technology Buyers
Brands, co-packers and package-development teams should focus on the Containers & Materials Pavilion, coding/marking, flexible line formats and the Showcase of Packaging Innovations to connect consumer-facing pack decisions with what can actually be run at scale.
Top Reasons to Attend
1
Start in the Processing Zone
Food and beverage manufacturers should begin in the Lakeside Center Upper Level, where front-end processing, hygienic design, thermal processing, inspection and plant engineering are concentrated in one zone.
2
Use the Pavilion Map, Not the Alphabetical List
The show spans North, South, West and Lakeside Center. Organise the day by pavilion—processing, materials, healthcare, logistics, coding/marking, reusable transport packaging or confectionery—so the route matches the project.
3
Benchmark Materials in the West Building
If the project involves downgauging, recyclable formats, barrier performance or pack redesign, spend dedicated time in the Containers & Materials Pavilion and the Showcase of Packaging Innovations rather than only visiting machinery suppliers.
4
Bring the Actual Line Constraint
For a filler, cartoner, robot or inspection system, bring current speed, reject rate, labour count, SKU mix and changeover time. PACK EXPO is large enough to compare several engineering approaches to the same constraint in one day.
5
Use the On-Floor Education Selectively
The Food & Beverage Processing Innovation Stage and other on-floor education are most valuable when tied to an active project such as hygienic redesign, throughput improvement, waste reduction or new packaging materials.
What You'll See & Do
📦
Packaging Machinery
Packaging machinery is best evaluated by running product and changeover logic, not by brochure speed. PACK EXPO puts filling, cartoning, case packing, palletising, robotics, coding and end-of-line systems side by side, so buyers can compare line architecture and integration choices in motion.
⚙️
Food & Beverage Processing
Food and beverage processors should make the Lakeside Center Upper Level a priority. The Food & Beverage Processing Zone covers mixing, batching, forming, hygienic design, thermal processing, inspection, material handling and plant engineering, with an Innovation Stage inside the zone.
🤖
Automation & Robotics
Automation at PACK EXPO is not a separate abstract topic; it is embedded across packaging and processing lines. Look at robotics, machine vision, controls, data capture and material handling in the context of the exact line bottleneck you are trying to remove.
📦
Materials & Sustainable Packaging
The Containers & Materials Pavilion in the West Building is the place for paperboard, glass, metal, plastics, recyclable and biodegradable materials, functional consumables and package formats. It also houses the Showcase of Packaging Innovations for award-winning design examples.
🌱
Inspection, Safety & Quality
Inspection and quality teams should compare vision systems, contamination control, coding verification, seal inspection and food-safety approaches where they sit on real production lines. The Processing Zone is especially useful for hygienic design and contamination-control discussions.
📦
Contract Packaging & Manufacturing
Brands and co-packers should use the show to compare contract-packaging implications across line flexibility, package formats, coding, secondary packaging and automation. A co-packer discussion is most useful when tied to the SKUs, volumes and package changes the brand actually expects.
🏢 Are you Exhibiting at This Event?
Register your company on AgriLinkage to connect with qualified buyers before, during, and after the event. Over 50,000 buyers search AgriLinkage monthly to find suppliers.
✓ Pre-Event Visibility: Buyers can find your booth before they arrive
✓ Direct Inquiries: Receive qualified leads through our platform
✓ Post-Event Connections: Continue conversations after the show ends
✓ No Commission: We only charge exhibitors, buyers contact you for free
💼 Attending as a Business Professional?
Register as a business visitor to get exhibitor alerts, networking opportunities, and priority notifications when companies in your sector register. Free for all business attendees.
✓ Exhibitor Alerts: Get notified when suppliers you're interested in register
✓ Pre-Event Connections: Schedule meetings before you arrive at the show
✓ Booth Locations: We'll tell you exactly where your targets are located
✓ Networking Matches: Connect with other buyers in your industry
Getting to Chicago
For PACK EXPO International, plan arrival through Chicago O'Hare International Airport and onward travel to McCormick Place, Chicago, United States. Choose accommodation based on event-week availability and actual door-to-door travel time, not city-centre distance alone.
Where to Stay
Accommodation options for PACK EXPO International in Chicago. Compare event-week availability, cancellation terms and transport time to McCormick Place, Chicago, United States.
Tools & Services for Attendees
INTERNATIONAL TRAVEL ESSENTIALS
Post-Event CRM & Lead Management
🏗️ PACK EXPO International — Official Exhibitor Services
If you are exhibiting at PACK EXPO International, use the organiser's official site for stand rules, approved contractors, technical deadlines, freight access and exhibitor-service instructions. This avoids relying on an unrelated generic stand-builder recommendation.
📦 DHL Global Forwarding — Samples & Freight
For PACK EXPO International, DHL Global Forwarding can be relevant when samples, ingredients, packaged products or temperature-sensitive commercial materials need international freight handling. Check customs, food or plant-health requirements before shipping anything to the show.
POST-EVENT CRM & LEAD MANAGEMENT
🏭 Odoo Manufacturing — Production & MRP
Odoo Manufacturing is relevant to processors and manufacturers visiting PACK EXPO International for equipment, packaging or production projects. It can be used to model bills of materials, work orders, inventory and production planning when new machinery or product lines from the show are taken into implementation.
FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS
1. How should a food manufacturer navigate PACK EXPO?
Start with the Food & Beverage Processing Zone in Lakeside Center, then follow the production flow into filling, primary packaging, inspection, secondary packaging and palletising.
2. Where are new packaging materials concentrated?
The Containers & Materials Pavilion in the West Building focuses on substrates, containers, sustainable formats and package-design solutions.
3. Is PACK EXPO useful for healthcare products?
Yes. A dedicated healthcare-packaging area covers pharmaceutical, biologics, nutraceutical and medical-device packaging.
4. Can visitors see equipment running?
Yes. Machinery-in-motion demonstrations are a core part of the show and are one of the main reasons to compare systems on site.
5. What should engineering teams bring?
Bring actual line speeds, package dimensions, SKU mix, sanitation requirements, labour constraints and integration needs so supplier conversations stay technical.
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