PACK EXPO International (VP Tom Egan)

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45,000 packaging and processing pros 
1.3 Million Square Feet of displays and more
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This podcast is an independent production and the podcast production is an original work of the author. All rights of ownership and reproduction are retained—copyright 2022.

Transcript

Cory Connors: 0:31

Welcome to Sustainable Packaging with Cory Connors. Today's guest is my friend Mr. Tom Egan, the VP of Industry Services at PMMI. How are you, Tom?

Tom Egan: 0:41

I'm well. Thank you for the opportunity to chat with you this time, Corey.

Cory Connors: 0:45

I'm excited to talk to you. You recently came to Portland. We got to meet in person. That was really fun to, to have a glass of lemonade with you and on a brief layover there. that was cool to meet you in person. Let's talk a little bit about your role. What do you do there at PMMI?

Tom Egan: 1:01

So, as many hopefully know, PMMI is a great association with more than 1, 000 member companies that provide all types of packaging and processing solutions, many of them equipment providers, some of them also materials and design areas, integration areas, so really throughout the whole solution set, if you will. the way that we look at PMMI is three. Areas of expertise. If you will, we talk about the trade shows Pack Expo International coming up, and I'm sure we're going to chat about that. Then we also have a media arm called the P. M. M. I. Media Group. And the 3rd 1. we've grouped in a big piece, which is called business drivers. And that's where I reside. So business drivers includes all the work that we do on behalf of our members. Including everything from meetings and membership, some business intelligence reports that we provide for the industry. work that we do to facilitate interactions between our members and their customers. So not just at the trade show, but in between trade shows where we facilitate various groups. That's an area that I'm most involved with.

Cory Connors: 2:17

And you actually tour the country and the world and you visit these facilities. I was really impressed by that.

Tom Egan: 2:25

I do. I enjoy it. An opportunity to get to see members or to participate in other trade exhibitions where we're promoting the members and the solutions they offer. It's interesting. It's very interesting to see how presentations are done. in other areas and with other conferences and also just the learning that you're able to get, Corey, the opportunity to say, Hey, I picked up something I didn't know about there, or that's a different way of looking at something.

Cory Connors: 2:57

It's amazing what you'll find when you tour a facility. And I think that's 1 of the reasons why the pack Expo international is such a valuable show. because you get to see the equipment in person. And you get to meet with the engineers in person and, you get to develop those relationships. But I wanted to get your opinion. How has Pack Expo International become one of the premier shows of the world for packaging?

Tom Egan: 3:24

It's a great piece that you're starting with. It does bring together packaging professionals, both on the supplier side and the purchasing side, or the end user side, as we talked about. And that networking is one of the prime elements that you have for any trade exhibition. PacExpo does a fantastic job, our trade show team, in really fostering that networking. The second part is education, and the education that we do, both on floor education, is a very big element of what we have. And the third part is to actually touch and see machinery. Up close. So you're alluding to the opportunity to go and visit an individual plant and that's a great benefit really get into the details. At PACK EXPO International, you're able to see thousands of machines by a couple thousand exhibitors showing their solution sets and that chance for any packaging professional to get up close to the machine. Is a big element

Cory Connors: 4:27

and, my favorite niche in packaging is sustainable packaging. What can we expect to see a pack expo international this year in regards to sustainable packaging?

Tom Egan: 4:37

So, the whole of the sustainability is an integral part of what all of us in packaging and processing are doing. I mentioned a minute ago about the on floor education, PMMI has very, strong work in the approach that we have on the on floor education. And this year, we're very proud to have what we call the sustainability central stage. And kiosk, so the stage is going to have an opportunity for a 20 some odd different groups to give a presentation. I call it a bit of the, what is happening now their perspective on sustainability. So we'll have some consumer package goods companies. We'll have some NGOs, we have a couple of schools giving their ideas and perspectives on the work that they're doing in sustainability. And then we have an interesting area to the side, some kiosks, and the kiosks are designed to be a more interactive element. Where an attendee, as they're looking at the sustainability area, can examine a concept or an approach that's more in depth. Of course, this is just 1 thing. Cory, the other work that you're going to see holistically is not just the equipment and the approach that company can utilize with the equipment solution to offer it. A help with the utility usage reduction, for example, another sustainability element and we have an area in the containers and materials pavilion that has a presentation of numerous award winning packages. That anyone attending the show can go and take a look at learn a little bit more about the package from a different area, or perhaps from a different market segment. Hey, what could we do there to utilize that?

Cory Connors: 6:32

Right, I think what you and your team have done at the sustainability central is incredible and I'm honored to be a 1 of your speakers on 1 of the days. I believe it's Tuesday. 1 o'clock. If I recall, but can't wait for that experience. the speeches I've attended there have been standing room only. So my advice is get there early. and the coolest part about the way you laid out the stages, there is lots of room to stand on the sides and on the back. so if you don't want to sit, or can't find a seat, that's okay. and I think that's a real opportunity for people. listening to attend the show and think about different, not only booths that they want to see, but which speeches are important to you? Which stage is your niche? I'd love to hear your advice. what's the, if somebody came to you and said, what should I do at Pack Expo International or what's some advice you could give me?

Tom Egan: 7:36

Corey, I think you hit 1 of the biggest points, which is to plan what you're going to do. And as part of that planning, the pack expo team has offered a whole range of resources at the show site. So that you can go to pack expert international dot Com, and go and start to make your plan. And I think it's important to do that planning. You want to be able to visit with a number of the exhibitors that are there. We've been talking back and forth on some of the on floor education. All of the on floor education is available at no charge to all of the attendees at the show. So, as you're looking down and you mentioned that you're presenting at the sustainability central stage, actually, you have an interesting piece, a little bit of a discussion with a company that has been tracking some of their waste and giving some learnings from that. So they, we have presentations on all four days of the show from Sunday, November 3rd through November 6th. It's we're up to the attendee, it's for them to take a look and say, how do we fit this into the schedule? Take 30 minutes out, go take a look at 1 of those presentations and then get back because we know that you have to see a number of exhibitors to find the solutions you have. It's a great element. The presentations are all 30 minutes. So, it's not going to take a long period of time. It will provide some elements. And the last thing as you're planning, we always talk about those aha moments, even as busy as you are, as you're going from 1 location, or 1 stop 1 appointment to another, take a look at what some of the other exhibitors have that you're walking by or stop for 10 or 15 minutes at 1 of the on floor education elements. for your time. The big part that we have there is that aha moment. I, what are you doing? I didn't realize right? And you get to stop and say, you're doing that for this particular material, but could that be applied for another type of packaging material? Could it be applied in a different market segment? I see it in beverages. I do some work in over the counter pharma. What is it that I might be able to do there? And so that a ha piece is also a great capture point for everyone attending PacExpo International.

Cory Connors: 10:01

and I would only add a, number one tip in my opinion for PAC Expo International is wear comfortable shoes.

Tom Egan: 10:09

We have had that as a recommendation.

Cory Connors: 10:12

Yeah, that's so critical. there's so much to see. There's so many buildings. I, if I recall, it's a nearly a million square feet or slightly over. Yeah,

Tom Egan: 10:21

we're over now package with national 2024 will be a record setter. We've been fortunate. The response from both the exhibitor community and attendee community is very strong. It's more than 1. 3Million square feet of exhibit space. So that doesn't include the aisles you're walking. And then, of course, the opportunity for, I think it's 2600 exhibitors that were. At right now, it's less about the overwhelming number and somebody says, that's too big. It's more about with 2600 exhibitors and 1. 3Million square feet. The opportunity for you to find the solution that you're seeking among the 40 or 50 or 20 or 70 different companies that each individual will consider is really the. strength of what it is that we bring when we bring the whole community together.

Cory Connors: 11:15

Yeah, exactly. and it's easy to think, Oh, that's, it's overwhelming. it's all encompassing. So you can choose what's valuable to you. And you don't need to spend time in the South building. if that's not your, if the things that are there aren't important in your scope of what you do for work. So I think that's what's so great about it is, you can book meetings with. manufacturers of different kinds of equipment or different kinds of packaging or, maybe customers, from all across the world. I, I posted, recently on LinkedIn about, can't wait for Pack Expo and got people from India and, all over the world saying, Oh, I can't wait to meet you there. That would be great. So it's a true international event. And I was impressed with last year or last two years ago, because this is every two years, how you had a large area for international commerce. can you tell us a little bit about that? I think that's a really valuable section.

Tom Egan: 12:18

Yeah, thank you for that. Yeah, and great to hear that. You've got the kind of response from the posting that you had PMMI brings and invites delegations from around the world. And we were actually with the US government in order to bring some delegations from multiple countries. The delegations then have an opportunity to not only see what the solution sets that are available, but also, as you mentioned to network to learn and to meet individuals from other countries. As well, as the opportunity to get out and network, hopefully, with some people that they've met before that piece of even as we know that you need to go and attend and visit with the exhibitors and check out that on floor education. That chance to meet with individuals that may not be working directly with you, but you've worked with or known in the community in the past couple of years and meet up with again is really a nice aspect.

Cory Connors: 13:20

I couldn't agree with you more. It's, it's so valuable and such a time saver, to essentially get everybody together. This industry is, it's. It's very large, but it's also very, niche and very unique and, to develop these relationships with people over the many years that, we're in the industry is so valuable and to get to see them at these, great shows is, it's worth it and worth the trip for sure. thank you so much, Tom. I really appreciate your wisdom and insights here. Anything else that you wanted to tell us before we call this good?

Tom Egan: 13:59

Hey, stop by the PMMI booth. You'll see the kind of a starting point. We have some other resources there if you're unsure about where to look, or we could help you get started on that. I'll be around, but anyone from the PMMI team be happy to say hello. It's a good starting point and then get on and get started with everything that PAC EXPO offers in terms of solutions for you to find. We appreciate the opportunity and we look forward to seeing you there at PAC EXPO International.

Cory Connors: 14:31

Well said. A couple final questions. where do people sign up for this event? How do they, is it on the website?

Tom Egan: 14:38

It's on the website. Easy to go to. The website not only has the registration information. It also has information about all the exhibitors. I mentioned about the planner that you can begin to assemble and then it has information on the hotels that are available. Find out about some of the other activities, find out what it is and places to go to enjoy Chicago. after the show, in the evening, so there, there is great information right on the website.

Cory Connors: 15:08

I felt that, I felt like that feature was really valuable. The hotel finder and, the travel planner, if you will, it's a big city, with lots of available hotels. but this will tell you exactly where it is, how far it is from the show. I just like, wow, this is so great. was it a convenient thing to have? so thank you for putting that together.

Tom Egan: 15:28

Yeah, the team has done a good job. It is a convenience piece, right? You can absolutely search that information out another way. It's that it's right there as you're registering for the show and then working forward to making your plan. So I'm glad that you found it to be worthwhile.

Cory Connors: 15:44

For sure. thank you again, Tom. Appreciate it. And we'll see you November 3rd through 6th in Chicago for Peck Expo International.

Tom Egan: 15:54

Very fantastic stuff. Great to connect with you again. I'll see you there in person. Take care.