REPORT FROM CHICAGO: NPE2009 has arrived

In the midst of a worldwide economic crisis, NPE2009 has begun in Chicago.

The core event at NPE2009 is the traditional NPE trade show, this year with 1,600 exhibitors on 900,000 square feet of exhibit space. According to the Society of the Plastics Industry (SPI), which produces the show, one-fourth of exhibiting companies are participating at NPE for the first time.

NPE2009 also features a wide variety of co-located events, including Antec 2009, Moldmaking Expo 09, the International Plastics Design Competition, and numerous other special programs and seminars.

“NPE2009 is the product of a comprehensive plan by SPI to provide a new kind of NPE experience by creating a multifaceted event, broader in scope and richer in content than ever before,” said Bill Carteaux, president and CEO of SPI. “While we could not have anticipated that this dramatically expanded NPE would take place amidst this deep economic downturn, it now seems clear that the timing is right for NPE2009 to serve as a catalyst for industry resurgence.”