Packaging Summit is in sight

The Packaging Summit Expo and Conference will run May 15 to 17 at the Donald E. Stephens Convention Center, Rosemont, IL. Included will be two awards ceremonies and special appearances from Wal-Mart, including a demonstation on how its Sustainability Scor

www.pkgsummit.com -- Packaging Digest, 4/1/2007

Designed for packaging professionals, the Packaging Summit Expo and Conference will encompass sustainability and contract packaging and services, as well as innovations in packaging materials. Included during the show will be awards receptions for the AmeriStar Awards on Tuesday, May 15, and the WorldStar Awards on Wednesday, May 16. An innovations hub that showcases winning designs from both competitions, the Hall of Packaging Excellence, will be located near the entrance to the show floor.

The three-day conference program is divided into four focus areas. Innovate! will be the topic du jour for Tuesday morning, followed by Be Sustainable! in the afternoon. A special lunch presentation will be made by Wal-Mart's Matt Kistler, vp—packaging and product development. Later in the afternoon, Wal-Mart will offer a hands-on demonstration of its Sustainability Scorecard on the show floor. Wednesday morning is Think Globally! and Thursday is Outsource! In addition to Wal-Mart's Kistler, presentations will be made by Estée Lauder's John Delfausse, vp of packaging development on how to move sustainable packaging from idea to implementation; The International Trade Center's Pierre Picot, senior consultant, International Packaging, on the European Union regulations; and U.S. Foodservice's Jane Chase, vp packaging development, on six steps to managing packaging innovation.

The conference program includes roundtables addressing innovation with contract-packaging resources, including panelists from Miller Brewing and Packaging Unlimited. Topics include: Growing Partnerships through Software; Sourcing in the Far East; Sustainability and Global Outsourcing; and Avoiding Pitfalls in Outsourcing Packaging Functions. Also showcased are the key players in packaging services, including package designers, packaging consultants, package testing labs and staffing agencies.

The following exhibitor has a marketing message in this issue: Gilbreth