NPE 2015 is the largest edition ever

This year's edition of NPE has exceeded the record-holder 2012 edition with the surge in exhibit space sales and visitor registrations. As announced by SPI: The Plastics Industry Trade Association, the show's organizer, NPE 2015 will be the largest show in NPE history, adding to a long list of reasons why this will be a “must-attend” event for any business professional whose product includes plastics.  

 

NPE: The International Plastics Showcase is a triennial event founded in 1946 by SPI. NPE 2015 is scheduled to take place four weeks from now on March 23-27 in Orlando, Florida, SPI projects the number of exhibitors to match and possibly exceed the record of 2,009 and attendance to reach 60,000, well above the total for the successful 2012 show. The amount of exhibit space taken thus far already exceeds the previous record set at NPE2000 and is expected to total 1,060,000 net sq.ft. (98,480 sq.m).

 

The show will also witness substantial growth in international participation. A record 43% of all exhibitors will come to NPE 2015 directly from outside the US—a figure that does not include many companies based in other countries but exhibiting through their US subsidiaries. International exhibitors at NPE 2015 will come from 37 countries, including the largest contingent ever from China and substantial participation from Canada, Italy, Taiwan, Germany, India, Turkey, Switzerland, France, and South Korea.

 

As for attendance, SPI projects that international visitors will account for 28% of the total attendance, including a record number from Latin America—approximately 6,500 attendees.  

 

“The great size and international makeup of NPE2015 reflects the importance and value of plastics and plastics manufacturing in our world,” according to Gene Sanders, SPI senior vice president of trade shows and conferences. “There will be more equipment on the show floor than at any previous NPE, more machinery in actual production, more opportunities to connect with designers and material suppliers, a more extensive conference program, and timely new exhibit features such as NPE3D, the Zero Waste Zone, IDSA’s Design Center, and the Startup Garage. In plain words, this will be a show that is not to be missed.”

 

More than 600 exhibiting companies say they will have machinery at their booths and over 400 will be operating equipment. Among the many material suppliers taking part in NPE 2015, 13 will maintain large “customer service centers” occupying a total of 56,000 sq.ft. (5,200 sq.m) of space just off the exhibit floor. These centers will provide comfortable settings conducive to discussion, information exchange, and relationship building with customers and prospects.