PLASTICS: It’s time to make plans for NPE2024

The Plastics Industry Association (PLASTICS) is thrilled to share the latest trade show news: Registration for NPE2024 is open as of September 12!

The NPE2024 team at PLASTICS headquarters, and a large crew of member volunteers, are working hard in preparation for what promises to be an NPE like no other. The sold-out exhibit space at Orange County Convention Center in Orlando, Fla., will play host to more than 2,000 exhibitors (including 350 first-time exhibitors) and an estimated 55,000 attendees from 110 countries.

“This is going to be a very different NPE,” said Glenn Anderson, COO of PLASTICS who also served as chair for NPE2018, the last NPE to be staged prior to the COVID-19 pandemic. “We are transforming from an equipment-based show to a ‘Can’t Miss Experience’ that offers all the latest and greatest technology, plus plenty of opportunities for learning through interaction with exhibitors, fellow attendees and speakers sharing their expertise.”

Moving with the industry

NPE has always been wildly popular, so why change things up? According to Anderson, it has a lot to do with a changing audience. “A significant number of those who attended NPE2018 are no longer in the workforce, which means we must appeal to a newer and younger attendee base,” he said. “By 2025, it is estimated that 70 to 75 percent of the workforce will be millennials, age 27 to 42.”

“Given that demographic shift, PLASTICS is estimating that some 50 percent of NPE2024 registrants will be first-time attendees, and they’re planning accordingly,” Anderson said. “The NPE2024 team is developing engaging content aimed at getting people to stick around for a longer duration, and leave feeling they’ll miss out if they don’t make it to the next NPE in 2027.”

Non-stop action

NPE2024 attendees will arrive to find a vibrant, continually compelling array of opportunities, beginning with the premier opening party — an incredible networking opportunity for attendees and exhibitors alike. Then, it’s “on with the show,” which, in addition to keynote speakers, will include:

• 100+ educational sessions
• Industry Zones dedicated to Bottles, Recycling & Sustainability, Materials Science, Advanced Manufacturing, Moldmaking and Packaging
• Specific industry briefings: Automotive, Packaging, Medical, Consumer, Building/Construction
• Opportunities to focus on DEI and workforce development
• A newly developed NPE Student Program
• Women in Plastics Breakfast
• 10,500-square-foot Recycling Center focused on diverting 100 percent of show-generated plastic from landfill

Visit the npe.org website for registration information and sign up today!