This year's plastics exposition is expecting more than 2000 exhibitors and 90,000 visitors at Chicago's McCormick Place. A very international show, one-forth of NPE's exhibitors come from outside the U.S., or are U.S. subsidiaries of foreign-based companies. Visitors hail from more than 100 countries.

The triennial show is sponsored by the Society of the Plastics Industry. In 2000, the exhibition set three NPE records: number of exhibiting companies (2,014), net exhibit space (1.14 million sq ft), and number of registered participants (90,142).

Since plastics is a large contributor to packaging, it is not surprising that many exhibitors identify packaging as a part of their intended markets. Of those who cite packaging, 34 percent specifically name bottles, 27 percent flexible packaging, 34 percent pharmaceutical packaging, 36 percent cosmetics, and 34 percent other forms of packaging.

Exhibits include primary process equipment, tooling, machine components and supplies, auxiliary equipment, post-extrusion & web converting equipment, instruments and systems, and raw materials.

The largest number of educational programs ever offered at an NPE show are on the agenda. The conference program opens with a plenary session on Tuesday, June 24, and then proceeds with 68 presentations by industry experts. All sessions are free of charge to registered NPE visitors. A day-and-a-half SPI symposium on Global Packaging Regulation features speakers from around the world. Registration for the event is required at www.plasticsindustry.org.

Following is a preview of packaging-related exhibits at the show.

3M/Dyneon-1270: Dynamar™ polymer processing additives improve the processing of blown and cast film, blow-molded shapes, fibers and filament sheets by reducing die buildup, gel formation and melt fracture. Also, ScotchPac™ carry handles that bond to the sides of a package and Scotch® tearstrip tapes.

Accrapak Systems-5729

ALL-CON World Systems-10643: Conveying and vacuum receiving equipment.

Ampacet Corp.-2903: Masterbatch solutions and dynamic color enhancements for both rigid and flexible packaging and the Total Bottle Cost Reduction blow-molding business platform.

Aoki Laboratory America-9933: SBIII-250LL-50S injection/stretch blow-molding machine combines advanced high-cycle technology with practical specifications in a continuous molding demonstration of 8-cavity lactic acid beverage bottles at speeds of 4,800 bph. Circle No. 201.

Apex Machine-2645: New Model C-500RS 2-color rotary hot-stamping system is capable of pretreating, stamping coating an UV drying plastic closures at speeds of 80 to 100 cpm. New Model C-4004 prints synthetic corks 360 deg in up to 4 colors with logos, codes and brand information. Also, C-400 rigid plastic tube printer for decorating tubes in up to 6 colors at speeds exceeding 400 ppm.

Automoa S.p.A.-677: Extrusion blow-molding machines create plastic containers sized 20 mL to 200 L.

B.A.G. Corp.-13022: Tubular Super Sack® container is a linerless option for fine and hygroscopic materials. The tubular construction eliminates side seams, resulting in improved sift and moisture-resistance.

Baldor Electric-7235

BASF Corp.-155: Helping Make Products Better in plastics is emphasized. Commercial applications for resins are highlighted by the Performance Polymers and Styrenics businesses as well as the launch of their upgraded Plastics Portal, shared Internet site.

Battenfeld Gloucester Eng.-1602/1802: Blown film, sheet and foam-extrusion systems for producing high-clarity blown film, thermoformable sheet and foam sheet, a 3-layer blown film line producing converter grade film rolls without edge trim and latest innovations in the Extrol Control system. Circle No. 202.

Bayer Polymers-5149

Bell-Mark Sales-12419: A 2-color flexo-printing system for inline printing with various converting operations including bagmaking and blown film extrusion incorporates a totally enclosed doctor blade assembly, ceramic laser-engraved anilox rolls and peristaltic ink pump.

Belvac Production Machinery-13531: Multi Module MT Series rotary moil trimming 7 finishing machine for extrusion-blown polyolefin bottles finalizes two-up plastic container "logs" at up to 200 "logs" or 400 cpm.

Black Clawson-4539: Newly packaged BC Encompass™ service program for converting and pelletizing industries includes replacement parts, field service, equipment upgrades, engineering and BC's Research and Technical Center.

Bosch Rexroth-4744: Industrial drives and controls, linear motion and assembly technologies, electric drives and controls, pneumatics, flexible assembly conveyors, the VarioFlo conveyor , linear bushings, precision ball screws and more.

Boy Machines-1470

Branson Ultrasonics-2442: Plastics assembly systems include ultrasonic, vibration, hot plate, spin, thermal and laser IRAM that operate in simultaneous and scanning modes. New 2000 IW/IW+ integrated ultrasonic welders, high-power 6000 Watts ultrasonic assembly system.

BRECOflex-10627: Precision PU timing belts with steel or Kevlar® tension members come in English and metric pitches. A variety of configurations are available, including ARC-Power®, distinctive profiled belts and belts with special back covers.

Brown Machine-1409: Titan thermoformer, Model LR-2000-S lip roller, servo pick head, adjustable clamp frames and Look Out Control packages in continuous and cut sheet versions.

Bunting Magnetics Co.-4737: New PowerTrac™ modular, aluminum-frame conveyors feature V-guide belt tracks that eliminate belt drift and keep belts centered when side-loaded or unevenly stretched.

Cabot Corp.-4371: New carbon blacks for plastic masterbatches and compounds for film and ESD applications, three new Black Pearls® black pigments for film masterbatches include 3030, 4040 and 4060, each providing a particular performance balance regarding opacity, weatherability, film smoothness and dispersability.

Carlo Gavazzi-10309

Chevron Phillips Chemical-10355: Producer of olefins and polyolifins and supplier of aromatics, specialty chemicals, and proprietary plastics.

CMD Converting Solutions-9913: Converting and bagmaking equipment includes vf/f/s packaging systems and machines that produce premade standup pouches.

CMD Packaging Systems-9913

Cognex Corp.-13423: Featuring a variety of In-Sight® machine vision sensors in a number o f automatic inspection and code reading applications. Circle No. 203.

Com-Ten Industries-7210: Tensile, compression, hardness and torque testers that test for peel strength, bottle top load, seal integrity, cap torque.

Container Printing Supply-3018

Corotec-10721: Featuring surface treatment products, along with the blown film corona treating system.

Crizaf Automation Systems-1276: Bag filling systems function by cycle count and part weight.

Croda Universal-12925: Slip additives for flexible packaging, torque-release additives for plastic closures.

Custom Resins-9352: Nylon homopolymers and copolymers for film extrusion and nylon polymers for multilayer and monolayer films.

D.R. Joseph-6022: IS-IBC-1 internal bubble cooling control for blown film features options such as color touchscreen controls, automatic blower balance, layflat control, automatic cage and remote diagnostics.

DAK Americas-3212: A supplier of resins and compounds, including terephthalic acid (TPA), polyester resins and polyester staple fibers and PET for packaging and containers such as carbonated soft drink bottles, water bottles and thermoformed containers, cups and trays. Circle No. 204.

Day-Glo Color Corp.-4521

Dependable Machine Co.-1323: Co. designs and manufactures screen and pad printing equipment, flame treatment, and UV curing system for plastic, metal or glass containers.

Direct-Line Products-1240: Offering belt conveyors, drawer magnets, quick connects, ball valves and a new line of ring valves. Circle No. 205.

Dow Corning-13113

DT Converting Technologies-5549: Offering Sencorp and Armac brand inline thermoformers, heavy gauge, deep draw thermoformers and HP automated visual packaging systems, among others.

DuPont Dow Elastomers-2249

DuPont-2655: High-performance and engineering resins, flexible packaging sealant layers, tie layers, lidding films and adhesion promoters. Circle No. 206.

DVT Corp.-11114: Featuring SmartImage Sensors that use Ethernet architecture to offer real-time inspections and remote diagnostics.

Eastman Chemical Co.-7907: Offering acrylic, cellulose acetate, coatings, colorants and plastic compounds, among others.

Enercon Industries-818: 3D and 2D surface treating systems, cap sealing equipment, induction sealing equipment. Circle No. 207.

Engel Canada-1685: Featuring X-Melt expansion molding technology and Watermelt water injection process for containers.

Engelhard-5680

Eriez Magnetics-8318: Manufacturer of a full line of permanent and electromagnetic separators and metal detectors for removing unwanted tramp metal from the product stream.

EVAL Co. of America-12821: The co.'s EVOH resins offer outstanding barrier properties, resistance to solvents, chemical and hydrocarbons and odor and flavor permeation.

FANUC Robotics America-9540

Fast Heat-2832: Hot runner systems, controllers, elements, sensors and custom and standard cartridge heaters.

Ferro-2232

Flexicon-9720

Foboha GmbH Formenbau-10352: Injection molds and molding equipment for toothpaste tube shoulders, closures, bottles, flip-top packages.

Fostag Formenbau-9448: Injection molds for round and angled IML containers with tamper-evident features.

GE Plastics-2015/2215.

GN Plastics-9533: GN1914DM high-output, dual-mould thermoforming system; GN1406TM tilt-mounted thermoformer, and GN3625D thermoformer with robotic stacking unit.

Graham Machinery Group-9901: Extrusion/blow-molding equipment, shuttle, wheel, rotary shuttle, accumulator-head and reciprocating-screw systems.

Granutec-Saturn Systems–4303: Single rotor "Rotogrind" shredders for recycling packaging film.

Graphics Intl. Group-5171: OMSO Hergo offset printer prints in up to nine colors on tapered cups. OMSO Novax M screen printer for printing one to 8 colors on cylindrical, elliptical and flat containers.

Honeywell-2532: A selection of products from the co.'s Continuous Web Solutions (CWS), Specialty Films and Specialty Chemicals divs. includes the MXProLine Quality Control System, fully integrated with the Experion PKS Process Knowledge System.

Hosokawa Alpine American-5166: Exhibiting a 1600 mm wide 3-layer coex line.

Huntsman Polyurethanes-12847

Husky Injection Molding Systems-1870: Hylectric machine line, as well as new line of hot runner products.

Instron-4352: Manufacturer of testing equipment that evaluates mechanical properties of materials and components; features 5500 Series systems to provide plastic and elastomer testing solutions for chemical and medical industries, among others.

Italian Trade Commission-923: Will feature "PUNTO ITALIA" product brochures and trade information of leading Italian manufacturers of plastic machinery, molds, dies and related accessories.

ITW Foils-1006: Global manufacturer of hot stamp foils. Product line includes range of pigment and metallic foils.

ITW ProMark-1006/1209.

Jomar-5566: Model M-85 injection blowmolding machine with reciprocating extruder, Model M-40 injection blowmolding machine and Model EBM 6.0-D extrusion blowmolding machine.

Kammann Machines-9920: K14.U container decorating machine for round, oval and square containers. Also displaying latest efforts in digital, offset and screen printing.

Kiefel Inc.-1649

Kiefel Technologies-1850

Krones-9525: Contiform H heat-set PET bottle blowmolding machine, which produces heat-resistant bottles for hot fills. Features touchscreen control.

Lectro Engineering-870: Provides cold plasma plastic surface treating equipment on 3D treat containers, including HDPE, PP and LDPE, among others. MTM Systems, a provider of spin trimming equipment, and Automation Technology, builder of custom automated machines, are co-located here.

Leistritz-5544: Range of twin screw extrusion equipment, including ZSE-50HP direct extrusion foam profile system and the ZSE-18 twin screw extruder.

Maine Plastics-8431: Post-industrial plastic recycler specializes in secure destruction of packaging and medical materials.

Markem-13534: Economy 3010 CR CO2 laser marker offers versatility for industrial marking; Model 4000 drop-on-demand ink-jet marker provides high contrasting white print images.

Matthews Intl.-4153: Coditherm direct thermal-transfer marker prints 300 dpi text, bar codes and other information. Includes EasyCode™ software. R44 configurable rack-system controller runs up to 16 drop-on-demand ink-jet printheads.

MeechStatic Eliminators-4130: AC shockless ionizing bars, ionizing air blowers and air curtains, guns and nozzles.

Mid-South Extrusion-13514: blown film extrusion for mattress films, furniture bags and Gaylord liners.

Milacron-1640, 3006

Milliken Chemical-3214: Latest additives, including hyper-nucleating agent, a family of transparent colorants for polypropylene, an antimicrobial agent, and ultraviolet light absorber.

Minnesota Automation-7314: Feeding equipment for packaging machines.

Moog-2676

Motoman-4375: Four-axis HM-10-700 SCARA robot features 10 kg payload and 700 mm reach.

Nanosystems-10403: On-line gel counting and trending for extruded film.

Nicos Polymers and Grinding-4594: Grinding, pulverizing and other solutions for reclaiming scrap and waste from production.

Omega Heater-3129: Heaters for decorating and hot-stamping machines.

Omron Electronics-840: S8VS switch mode power supply provides predictive maintenance, displays a lifetime monitor and a run-time monitor.

Pad Print Machinery-5949: New X Series pad printing machines use state-of-the-art controller plus larger LCD display.

Palace Packaging Machines-4407: New component counting and feeding system, model OT, registers each component and accumulates them for insertion into bags, boxes, bottles and cartons.

Pantone-7110

Patlite-10612

Pillar Technologies-1327: Blown film corona treaters, flame treatment systems, corona power supplies and generators, and induction sealing equipment.

PolyOne-1832

Polytype America-5555: Dry offset printing equipment for decorating plastic cups, lids, pails, etc., including model BDM-611/920 that runs up to 600 ppm.

Pressco Technology-4387: On-line machine vision inspection and process analysis products are individually configured for customers' applications; new Intellitrainer desktop unit.

PTI/Packaging Technologies & Inspection-3056

R.J. Abramo Associates-6153: New tooling for injection blow molding; tool design and mold fabrication; dual injection manifold system for large cavitation.

RAO Design Intl.-4526: Blow molding machines, injection molds, PET stretch molds; custom designed machinery; total turnkey operations.

Reifenhauser-2270: VFA tandem surface blown film winder for jumbo rolls has upgraded Rockwell controls, control Logix PLC and Device Net communication.

Rennco-6311: New high-speed Voyager system counts, wraps, and case packs stacks of cups; also a Hugo Beck system shrink wraps stacks of HIPS plates at 50-60 per min.

Sencorp Systems-5549: Thermoformers for blister packs.

Serigraph-4589

Sew-Eurodrive-8504

Sidel-5139: Engineering and packaging machinery for PET bottle packaging lines in liquid foods; next-generation blow-molding; also "Shaping Your World" business strategy. Circle No. 209.

Siemens Energy & Automation-5787

SIG Corpoplast-1615: PET bottles of size and shape for any application.

SIG-1615: Stretch blow molding machines, injection blow molding machines for PET bottles; extrusion blow molding, labeling equipment and molds.

Simco Industrial Static Control-1232

SIPA S.P.A.-9946

Solvay Engineered Polymers-12706

Sprinter Marking-7120: Ink code-marking machines print codes, marks or symbols on a wide variety of flat and slightly curved surfaces.

Stress Engineering Services-4365: Turnkey development of closure systems and bottles.

Tampoprint Intl.-4132: Automation pad printing system utilizing multiple colors, printing on a metal container.

Tantec-6110: Mini charging head for in-mold decorating mounts close to the label providing the most accurate/positive placement. Small profile integrates into new and existing machines. Circle No. 210.

Tec Engineering-291: Systems for PET bottles.

Teca-Print USA-9320:

Teknor Color-9755

Terwin Instruments-12912: Pressure/temperature instrumentation for the production of food packaging.

Thermo Ramsey-9342

Thwing-Albert-7239: Newly developed EJA Vantage™ material tester provides maximum flexibility for testing various parameters.

Top Grade Molds-5589: Single- and multi-cavity plastic injection molds including stack technology.

Trade Commission of Spain-9925:

Turck-10531: Inductive and capacitive proximity sensors, connectors, encoders, RFID systems and automation controls.

Underwriters Laboratory-13610: Packaging testing services.

Uniloy Milacron Container Group-1640.3006: New Tracker machines bring productivity and precision to large-part blow molding.

Unimark Plastics-4485: Product specific custom injection molded services, including thin-wall molding, multi-material molding, assembly, decorating, insert molding and design and engineering services. Circle No. 211.

V. Himark (USA)-12310: Inductive adhesive tape manufacturer and marketer.

Vac-U-Max-8330: Load/refill packaging equipment using vacuum loaders.

Van Dam Machine-651:

Van Dorn Demag-2202: Fast cycling machines for high-volume packaging applications.

Ventax Robot-9240: Robotics and automation for palletizing and automated packaging requirements.

VX-5393: Bottle and mold design; CNC machining.

W. Muller U.S.A.-10505: Blowmolding extrusion heads for all types of hollow containers.

Watlow-144: New SERIES SD controller with Palm™ PDA interface capability provides a totally new and unique control option for extruders. WATVIEW Windows®-based HMI interface software can be used to set up, monitor and edit controller parameters. Circle No. 212.

Wayne Machine & Die-4439: New Yellow Jacket counter-rotating conical twin-screw extruder for laboratory, research and small production applications.

Webtech-4003: Hot stamp foils include rotogravure, flexographic and silkscreen printed heat transfers.

Welex-4501: Sheet extrusion and coextrusion systems, including in-line systems for use with thermoformers.

Windmoeller & Hoelscher-1885:

Wintriss Engineering-12934: Optical inspection of packaging materials.

Yorker Closures-4485: Standard closures including twist-open/close and twist caps, ribbon applicators, and much more.

Zed Industries-4726: High speed pharmaceutical multi-layer wallet sealing equipment.

Zenith Cutter-13008: Bag knifes.

Zenith Pumps Div/Parker Hannifin-5739: Adhesive dispensing systems.