The debut of EXPO PACK Guadalajara (www.expopack.com.mx) set the bar high for future editions of the trade show. The newest event in the PACK EXPO family of trade shows attracted more than 10,000 visitors — a level of success that spurred exhibitors to reserve 68 percent of the available space for the 2015 edition.

“We had more than three times as many buyers in attendance than what we projected when we announced the show last June,” says Charles D. Yuska, PMMI president & CEO. “EXPO PACK Guadalajara clearly met market demand.”

PMMI (www.pmmi.org) owns and produces EXPO PACK Guadalajara and the other PACK EXPO events (PACK EXPO International, PACK EXPO Las Vegas, EXPO PACK México).

Exhibitors came from all over the world: Primarily Mexico (67 percent), but 17 other countries as well, including Argentina, Australia, Belgium, Brazil, Canada, China, Korea, Spain, France, Holland, Italy, Japan, Switzerland, Taiwan, the United States and the United Kingdom. The 300-plus exhibitors accounted for more than 3,200 net square meters (34,519 net square feet) of exhibit space.

“PMMI connects buyers and sellers along the processing and packaging supply chain — that’s our strategic vision,” says Yuska. “And it’s exactly what happened at EXPO PACK Guadalajara.”

“Industry support was a critical part of our success,” adds Enrique Guzman, director, EXPO PACK Guadalajara and PMMI Latin America office . “The support of packaging and processing industry groups in the region enhanced the credibility of our brand.”

In all, nine groups endorsed EXPO PACK Guadalajara, including the Mexican Packaging Association (AMEE), which provided a conference program for attendees; and the Chamber of the Food Industry of Jalisco (CIAJ) and the Chamber of the Footwear Industry of the State of Jalisco (CICEJ), which also held on-site conference events:

• ABRE (Innovation Center for Packaging Design)
• AMEE (the Mexican Packaging Association)
• CANAGRAF (National Chamber of the Graphic Arts Industry)
• CANAINCA (the Mexican Chamber of Processed Foods)
• CANIPEC (the Mexican Chamber for the Cosmetics Industry)
• CIAJ (Food Industry Chamber of Jalisco)
• CANACO Guadalajara (Guadalajara Chamber of Commerce)
• CAREINTRA (Manufacturing Industry Chamber of Jalisco)
• CICEJ (Footwear Industry Chamber of the State of Jalisco).

“The decision to launch EXPO PACK Guadalajara was data driven: Market research confirmed that Guadalajara would be a perfect location. Requests from EXPO PACK México exhibitors illustrated the demand,” Yuska says. “The successful launch of EXPO PACK Guadalajara and the continued success of EXPO PACK México are ongoing reminders of how important the packaging and processing industry is in Mexico.”