Frequently Asked Questions | PACK EXPO East 2026

What is PACK EXPO East?
PACK EXPO East is a comprehensive packaging and processing industry trade show, held every two years in Philadelphia.
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Where will PACK EXPO East take place?
Pennsylvania Convention Center
Exhibit Halls C-E
1101 Arch Street
Philadelphia, PA USA 19107
www.paconvention.com
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What are the show dates and hours?
Tuesday, February 17, 2026: 9:00 am – 4:00 pm
Wednesday, February 18, 2026: 9:00 am – 4:00 pm
Thursday, February 19, 2026: 9:00 am – 3:00 pm
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What industries are represented at the show?
More than 40 vertical industries, including all types of consumer packaged goods, are represented at PACK EXPO East. Primarily: Food and Beverage, Life Sciences (Pharmaceuticals, Biologics, Nutraceuticals and Medical Devices), Cosmetics and Personal Care, Household and Industrial Chemicals.
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What types of equipment and technology will be on display?
All kinds of packaging and processing solutions are on display, including:
- Automation Technology, Controls and Related Components
- End-of-Arm Tooling and Robots
- Packaging Equipment/Machinery
  - Bagging, Pouching and Wrapping
  - Cartoning, Multipacking and Case Packing
  - Coding, Labeling and Printing
  - Converting and Packaging Forming
  - Conveying, Feeding and Handling
  - Filling and Capping
  - Inspection and Testing Equipment
  - Palletizing and Depalletizing
  - Tray, Clamshell and Blister Packaging
- Packaging Materials, Containers and Consumables
  - Bulk Packaging
  - Cartons and Boxes
  - Flexible Packaging
  - Labels
- Packaging Services and Supplies  
- Plant Facilities, Infrastructure and Operations Solutions
- Food and Beverage Processing Equipment/Machinery, including:
  - Liquid Processing and Handling Equipment
  - Dry Processing and Ingredient Handling
- Life Sciences Packaging Equipment
  - Capsules, Tablets and Soft Gelatin Equipment
  - Blister Packaging Equipment
  - Other Specialty Equipment
- Material Handling & Warehousing
Are there special hotel discounts for show participants?
Yes, we offer hotel discounts! If you book with the PACK EXPO East Hotel Reservation Office (Expovision) via the Travel & Hotel page, you will get the best available room rates for the dates of the show.

Please beware of third-party hotel broker scams that may demand pre-payment and then oversell rooms. Expovision will require a credit card or signed check to hold your booking but will NOT charge a deposit.
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Will there be shuttle bus service between hotels and the convention center?
No, all PACK EXPO East hotels in our room block are within walking distance of the convention center, so no shuttle services will be necessary.
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Where can I park near the convention center?
There are several garages in the vicinity, including the Convention Center Parking Facility^® at Broad and Arch Streets.
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Is Wi-Fi available at the convention center?
Yes, attendees will have access to free Wi-Fi via the PACK EXPO network.
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Are there coat check or bag storage services?
Yes, coat and luggage check will be available. Hours and details to come.
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Is there a nursing station/mother’s room?
There are 2 nursing stations located in the Pennsylvania Convention Center (PACC). One is near the Concierge Desk on the second level between Halls A and B and the second unit is located on the street level on the Broad and Arch Street entrance near meeting room 126.
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Are there accessible accommodations or services?
Yes, PACK EXPO East and the Pennsylvania Convention Center are committed to making the show accessible. The convention center has elevators and accessible restrooms as well as scooter rental, available on a first-come, first-served basis, through Scootaround, located at the UPS Store on the 200 level of the convention center.

There are several handicap-accessible parking facilities near the convention center, including at the Convention Center Parking Facility, across from the Center.
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What is the photography policy at PACK EXPO East?
Unauthorized photography and videotaping are prohibited. You must obtain permission from the exhibitor prior to videotaping or taking pictures. No cameras or recording devices are permitted in the educational sessions.
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Are there restrictions on who may attend?
No one under 16 years of age (including infants) will be permitted onto the exhibit floor at any time during move-in or move-out. No one under the age of 14 will be permitted onto the exhibit floor anytime during show days.

Who should attend PACK EXPO East?
Any professionals involved in packaging or processing operations should attend, including:
- Manufacturers
- Managers – corporate, general, plant and production
- Engineers
- Production supervisors
- Operations, quality, validation and compliance professionals
- Procurement professionals
- Brand managers
- Package designers
- Supply chain and logistics professionals
What is the cost of registration?
Early-bird registration, through January 23, 2026: $30. Regular rate: $130.
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Is onsite registration available?
Yes, attendees can register onsite at the Pennsylvania Convention Center for $130.
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Are there group registration options?
While there is no group rate for PACK EXPO East, the early-bird rate of $30 per person is very reasonable for groups wanting to attend.
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What does my registration include?
Registration includes show floor access, free educational sessions at stages on the show floor, networking receptions, a mobile app and My Show Planner agenda-building tool.
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Will my attendee badge be mailed to me?
No, attendee show badges will be available for onsite pick-up. Attendees will receive an email confirmation. Bring your printed or digital confirmation to the Pennsylvania Convention Center and follow signs to the badge pickup area.
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Are there promo codes or discounts available?
Yes, PACK EXPO East exhibitors may offer promo codes to their customers for complimentary registration. Simply enter the promo code during registration and the fee will be waived.

Our best discount is the early-bird rate of $30, which saves you $100 off the standard rate.
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Can I schedule appointments with suppliers in advance?
Yes, you will be able to contact exhibitors and schedule appointments via My Show Planner, which includes exhibitor and product search functions, and exhibitor listings with contact information.
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Are there networking events or receptions?
Yes, networking receptions are included with your registration! You can find the details at the Networking & Special Events dropdown under The Show.
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Can I solicit my companies’ products or services to other attendees or exhibitors at PACK EXPO East?
No. Solicitation or “suitcasing” of any kind by non-exhibitors is strictly prohibited. Attendees observed soliciting business in the aisles or other public spaces, or in another company’s booth, will be ejected from the show and may be banned from future events at PMMI’s sole discretion.

“Suitcasing” refers to the practice of attending a trade show and soliciting business from other attendees and exhibitors in the aisles or public space. For the good of the show and the exhibitors supporting the show, the only legitimate place to conduct business during Show hours is within a contracted exhibit space on the show floor. Exhibiting companies are encouraged to protect their investment and report any violations to Show Management.

If you sell a product or service and are interested in promotion, please contract for a booth space. For information on exhibiting please visit packexpoeast.com/exhibiting.

How can I become an exhibitor at PACK EXPO East 2026?
To become an exhibitor, you must submit an exhibit space application online and pay a non-refundable deposit. If we receive your application and deposit by February 3, 2025, your booth will be assigned as part of Priority Booth Selection. After February 3, 2025, booths will be sold on a first-come, first-served basis. To learn more and start the process, go to Reserve My Booth.
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What is the price of exhibit space?
PMMI member space rates vary, but the standard rate is $33.25 per square foot and includes drayage/material handling. If you are a PMMI Member and would like to know your discounted space rate, please call us at 571.612.3200 or email expo@pmmi.org.

Drayage/material handling is included in your space rate, provided your shipment/truck checks in at the Pennsylvania Convention Center by 12:00 pm on your assigned target move-in date. See the Rules & Regulations for additional information and special assessment pricing.
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What is drayage?
Drayage is the moving of the exhibitor’s machinery, etc., off the exhibitor’s truck at the dock, to the exhibitor’s booth and back to the dock to be loaded back onto the truck. Drayage is included in the price of your booth space—a benefit that other packaging and processing trade shows do not offer.
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What is the payment schedule for booth space?
A nonrefundable 25% deposit should accompany your Exhibit Space Application. An additional 50% payment is due by July 21, 2025. Final payment is due October 27, 2025.  If you have any questions about payment for your booth space, you can contact Gisella Zapata at gzapata@pmmi.org or 571.612.3200.
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What are the height regulations?
Booths that are 599 sq. ft. and under have a maximum 12’ height restriction (no hanging signs permitted), booths 600-1499 sq. ft. have a maximum 14’ height restriction and booths 1500 sq. ft. and over have a maximum 18’ height restriction. Setback and line-of-sight rules apply. For more information, please consult the complete Rules & Regulations.
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How many complimentary booth personnel badges do we receive?
Exhibitors can register as many booth personnel as they want, for free, up until the early bird registration deadline (about one month before the show). After that, you will be charged $15 per badge. All badges must be picked up on-site. Registration will open September 2025.
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How do I populate my company information for inclusion in the online directory?
Login to the Exhibitor Resource Center and complete all items in the “Complete Profile” section to populate your Online Listing. This includes a company description, product categories, vertical markets, any applicable upgrade items and more. The Show Contact for your company must create a new password the first time they log into the Exhibitor Resource Center for PACK EXPO East 2026. The Show Contact can then invite other company contacts to create logins if additional staff members need access.
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What is the cancellation policy?
Your 25% deposit on exhibit space is nonrefundable and nontransferable. For cancellations received after July 21, 2025, and by October 27, 2025, the exhibitor will forfeit any monies paid to date up to 75% of the total booth cost, with a maximum forfeiture of $10,000*. For cancellations received after October 27, 2025, the exhibitor is obligated to pay the total cost of space assigned. For details, see the Rules & Regulations.
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How can I improve my priority point standing?
Each exhibitor is assigned a priority point for space selection. PACK EXPO East, PACK EXPO International, PACK EXPO Southeast and PACK EXPO Las Vegas hold separate priority standings. By exhibiting continuously, and by those ahead of you in priority not exhibiting, an exhibitor begins to move up the priority point system. Choosing not to exhibit at other PACK EXPO shows does not affect your PACK EXPO East priority status. For more information, please review the Priority Point Process.
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What is included in the basic online exhibitor directory listing?
‍All exhibiting companies are provided a complimentary online directory listing that includes: 
- Company Description and Contact Information
- Link to Company Website
- Social Media Links
- Product Categories 
- Sustainability Description
- Vertical Markets Served
- Press Releases
How can I upgrade and improve my online directory listing?
Contact Patrick Bradley at sales@pmmi.org about upgrading your complimentary online directory listing. Package upgrades help you increase visibility and make a stronger impression on buyers. You’ll find package details on the Package Upgrades page.
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Who is the official service contractor for PACK EXPO East?
The official move-in/move-out and freight services contractor for PACK EXPO East is PACK EXPO Services. More information can be found in the Exhibitor Service Manual, which will be available in November 2025.
- Move In/Move out – Freight Services
  PACK EXPO Services
  Phone: 972.751.9400
  Email: PES.Service@packexposervices.com‍
- Booth Services
  PACK EXPO Services
  Phone: 972.751.9400
  Email: pack.expo@packexposervices.com
Whom can I contact with questions regarding the show?
For general questions, contact:
PMMI
12930 Worldgate Drive, Suite 200
Herndon, VA 20170
Email: expo@pmmi.org
Phone: 571.612.3200

For exhibit sales questions and sponsorship opportunities, contact:‍
Daniel Smith
Exhibit Sales Manager
Phone: 312.205.7935
Email: sales@pmmi.org
Patrick Bradley
National Accounts Manager
Phone: 571.266.4413
Email: sales@pmmi.org

For show-related advertising opportunities in Packaging World, Healthcare Packaging, Contract Packaging + Manufacturing, Mundo EXPO PACK, or OEM, visit pmmimediagroup.com or call 800.355.5595.

Whom should I contact regarding speaking opportunities?
If you are interested in speaking at PACK EXPO East, please contact Kendall Schulte, Trade Show Operations Specialist, at kschulte@pmmi.org.
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Can I rent or buy the PACK EXPO East 2026 attendee e-mail list? ‍
PMMI does not sell or rent attendee email lists due to our strict adherence to data protection and privacy laws. Any solicitation claiming to have the email list of PACK EXPO East attendees, or attendee lists from any PACK EXPO show, is fraudulent. If you are contacted by third-party companies via email, phone, or fax, offering email lists, please be aware that the information they offer should be considered entirely suspect as we do not allow access to the contact information of show attendees. We encourage you to block the sender, delete the email, and report scams to the U.S.FTC fraud division. When reporting, select “An Impersonator”, followed by “Well-Known or Trusted Business”. If you receive a solicitation and are unsure of the vendor’s affiliation with PMMI or PACK EXPO East, please contact the PMMI Show Department at 571.612.3200 or expo@pmmi.org. To learn more about reliable lead generation and show attendee targeting opportunities, including the option to purchase a one-time use of the Attendee Mailing List (through a third-party mail house) contact your PMMI Media Group sales consultant.

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