May 14 2009
With the NPE2009 international plastics exposition just five weeks away, there is mounting evidence that, amidst worldwide economic trouble, this event will nevertheless surpass NPE2006 in size and scope, it was announced today by SPI: The Plastics Industry Trade Association, which produces the triennial NPE. NPE2009 will take place June 22-26 at Chicago's McCormick Place.
"In defiance of the economic crisis and all the gloomy speculation that it has generated, NPE2009 will be an exciting, dynamic, successful event," said Gene Sanders, SPI's senior vice president of trade shows. "SPI has made NPE2009 far broader in scope than any previous NPE by developing innovative programs and co-locating with a range of conferences and expositions. Amidst this expansion, the trade show that has always been the core event at NPE has also grown, with a greater number of industry suppliers on the exhibit floor than in 2006, representing a broader range of technologies."
As of May 8, exhibiting companies had contracted for 16% more booths than by the same date in 2006, though these took up slightly less space than the total three years ago (see accompanying table). Sales of exhibit space in the five weeks preceding May 8 were greater than in the same period in 2006, and the rapid pace of sales shows signs of continuing, according to Sanders.
Following a standard pattern, nearly 80% of all visitors register beginning May 1, and SPI reports that registrations have begun to spike right on schedule.