NPE2024 debuts never-before-seen show features

Photo Credit: Plastics Industry Association/NPE

The organizers of the upcoming NPE2024 trade show are touting brand-new features for the 70-year-old triennial event, including new educational offerings such as keynote speakers and industry briefings, the Open Platform Communications Unified Architecture (OPC UA) feature, and various spaces designed for innovation and connection through Podcast Point and the Sustainability Hub.

“The addition of these new elements addresses the changing industry landscape and will empower plastics businesses to innovate, compete and succeed in today’s dynamic market,” said Matt Seaholm, president and CEO of the Plastics Industry Association, which sponsors the show. “They will also provide every player in the industry with the knowledge and resources to thrive.”

Some of the new features debuting at NPE2024 are:

• Keynote Speakers: Open to all attendees, NPE will have keynote speakers whose expertise will shape the future landscape of the plastics industry. Micheal Cicco, president and CEO at FANUC America Corp., and Michael Heinz, chair and CEO at BASF Corp., have been confirmed as the two keynote speakers. On Monday, May 6, Cicco’s session, titled “Unlocking the Potential: Robotics, AI and Automation in the New Tech Era”, will address how robotics and automation advancements are revolutionizing the industry and explore the exciting future of human-machine collaboration. On Wednesday, May 8, Heinz’s session, titled, “Our Plastics Journey: The Road to Shaping a Sustainable Future”, will highlight industry challenges, the importance of collaboration with legislators and NGOs and provide inspiration for the future.
• Focused Industry Briefings: The reimagined education experience at NPE features the first-ever industry briefings, in which plastics thought leaders from the top attendee fields – automotive, building and construction, consumer goods, medical and packaging – will speak to emerging trends and technologies in their areas. Plastics industry briefings will also include market trends, future recycling forecasts and a review of the Global Plastics Treaty.
• OPC UA: The machine-to-machine data exchange will be demonstrated live for all NPE attendees to experience in several exhibitor booths – including Arburg, Plasmatreat, Sumitomo Demag, and more. Participants can dive into Industry 4.0 and witness how OPC UA can reduce costs, increase data security, and streamline manufacturing operations.
• Podcast Point: Designed to elevate media resources, this space gives podcasters a chance to share the excitement, learnings and solutions of NPE live from the event. Podcasts like PMM Insight, Sustainable Packaging, MMT Chats and PlastChicks will be streaming before, during and after the show, keeping the public up to date with everything happening at NPE.
• 3 Spark Stages: NPE’s Spark Stages – Bottling, Sustainability and Innovation – are open to all attendees and offer 30-minute educational sessions on the show floor. These sessions cover critical topics in the plastics industry, from advancements in bottling to the latest innovations in sustainability. With sessions on everything from Industry 4.0 to thermoplastic processing, there are insights for everyone in the plastics industry.
• Sustainability Hub: This interactive showcase tangibly illustrates the plastics circular economy and allows attendees to follow the environmental journey of plastics and the steps the industry is taking to reduce plastic waste and improve its sustainable footprint. The space will feature recycled materials, sustainable and advanced manufacturing, circularity processes, prevention, and recovery efforts, and more.

For more information on NPE’s new and exclusive offerings, visit npe.org/new-at-npe2024.

NPE2024 takes place from May 6-10, 2024, at the Orange County Convention Center in Orlando, Fla.