PACK Solutions Challenge Set to Return to PACK EXPO

What is the PACK Solutions EXPO?

The Pack Solutions EXPO is one of the premier packaging trade shows in the world. At the event members of Pack Solutions and other packaging, professionals can meet to learn about all the latest packaging innovations, and packaging solutions and to network. The Expo is held annually.

The PACK Solutions Challenge
PACK solutions is an initiative that aims to solve some of the biggest challenges that face the packaging industry. The PACK solutions challenge is a call for ideas that improve the sustainability and efficiency of the packaging industry. The Expo will provide a platform for PACK solutions participants to showcase and present their ideas to a global audience of packaging experts. The winners will be those that show that their idea has a positive impact on the environment and/or society. There are three main categories for the submissions: Packaging sustainability, packaging social impact, and packaging waste reduction.

The challenge will encourage students to focus on an innovation that offers a solution to a business that they could incorporate into their normal design or shipping process to encourage a positive impact on society. The students will look at all elements of the industry for ideas including packaging materials (including corrugated boxes, cardboard boxes, bubble wrap, heat sealer machinery, plastic, and other packing materials), systems, recycled packaging solutions, cost reduction in how companies manufacture products, and a range of other things.

The challenge will be returning to the PACK EXPO, which is scheduled to be held at the Las Vegas Convention Centre from the 28th till the 30th of September 2015, and the co-located Pharma EXPO. According to PMMI, the PACK solutions challenge this time will focus on issues facing the pharmaceutical industry. This year’s challenge will be sponsored by B&R Industrial Automation.

According to Maria Ferrante, PMMI’s Vice President of Education and Workforce Development, each year, the PACK solutions challenge tasks students from PMMI partner schools across the country, to find solutions to packaging issues that are affecting the real world.

For the 2015 edition of the competition, students will be tasked to develop a packaging solution for Innovative Pharmaceuticals Inc. – an imaginary company. This company will have an OTC product that dissolves fast. Packaging advisers from production houses will be available at the show to assist the students. The candidates will use packexpolasvegas.com as one of their main research tools and the mentors will be visiting the booths and conducting interviews as well.

The students will need to submit and present their plans to a group of judges on Tuesday, 29th September. The winners of the contest will be announced on the same day afternoon at the EXPO booth of B&R Industrial Automation. The attendees will be able to submit votes for the “People’s Choice Award” after judging the poster presentations of the students on Monday, 28th September. All attendees who submit completed documents will be eligible to enter a competition to win a Play Station 4.

The winning team will be provided with scholarships from the PMMI Foundation. The first-place team will also receive $4,000, while the second and third places teams will be awarded $2,000 and $1,000 respectively.

PACK Solutions Challenge Encourages and Nurtures Future Talents
According to Marc Ostertag, B&R Industrial Automation’s President, PACK Solutions Challenge gives the industry’s future leaders a real experience of creating solutions that can meet the needs of customers.

PACK EXPO 2015 will be located alongside the Pharm EXPO 2015 as a joint venture between PMMI and the Society for Pharmaceutical Engineering (ISPE). The two shows have over 800,000 net square feet of joint displaying space, with over 2,000 exhibiting companies including HAWO GMBH. The expectation is that this year’s event will attract over 30,000 packaging and processing professionals.

The registration fee to attend PACK EXPO is $30 until the 14th of September. After this date, the price to attend will increase to $100.