PMMI Debuts Contracting Service

By taking over services, PACK EXPO Intl. shows industry that less is more

By Rachelle Crum -- Tradeshow Week, 11/22/2004

Chicago—Streamlining a near-1.2 million net square foot show in a new way is no cakewalk — especially with the entire industry watching. The Packaging Machinery Manufacturers Institute proved this to be true during its Nov. 7–11 PACK EX-PO Intl., where show managers professed they hit some logistics goals on the nose but will have to go back to the drawing board to improve others.

Of course, the most talked-about challenge for PMMI at the 27th show, which occupied nearly every inch of Chicago's McCormick Place, was the introduction of PACK EXPO Services. The association's novel general service contracting arm got rave reviews from many exhibitors who felt more at ease with one customer account manager for all exhibiting services.

The biennial show, which attracted more than 46,000 visitors and 1,600 exhibitors, was down slightly from the 2002 show, which drew 46,740 visitors and 2,001 exhibitors and spanned 1.3 million net sq. ft.

PES was formed to free up exhibitors' to-do lists with one deadline date, one invoice for all services and one rate for booth space and drayage together, which ranged from $13.50 to $21 per square foot. Exhibitors were assigned one specific move-in date in an effort to provide a stable or reduced exhibitor cost.

"Most exhibitors are paying less than what they paid in 2002," Jim Pittas, PMMI director of expositions, said. "We haven't heard one complaint about drayage. Exhibitors haven't seen a raise in drayage from 2002 to 2005," Pittas added.

Some exhibitors were suspicious of the new model, said Matt Croson, PMMI director of member services. "The exhibitors thought they'd be tagged somewhere, that we were putting up a sort of smokescreen," Croson said.

Exhibitor Rebecca L. Moore of First Choice Packaging said her company "received adequate literature and had enough readily available contact with PES." The new system gave FCP confidence in its show participation and left it with "little to no doubts" about PES' abilities.

Fellow exhibitor Cathy Johnson of OPTIMA Machinery said it appeared as if PMMI pulled off the new concept without a hitch but "they have a way to go in regards to quality," she said. "The logistics need to be worked out better," Johnston added. "They need to work on the quality issues."

Croson said the association is learning from any missteps and is working toward bettering PES for use at future PMMI shows, including next year's EXPO PACK Mexico, June 21–24 at Centro Banamex in Mexico City, and PACK EXPO Las Vegas, Sept. 26–28 at the Las Vegas Convention Center.

"We learned a lot," Croson said. "Clearly there were some problems, but nothing we can't fix."

PES also tried to improve fragmented communication between show management, contractors and exhibitors. Along with distributing Nextel cellular phones to 250 workers, including PMMI staff and contractors, the association shocked local contractors with an invitation to a cocktail party several months before the show to address their concerns.

"If they don't get what they need from us, they're gonna fall and we're gonna fall," said Pittas.

PES still involved service contractors. It retained The Expo Group's Single Source Solution ordering system and TEG provided customer service and custom booths. GES Exposition Services provided rental equipment and standard furniture; and Freeman's AVW-TELAV Audio Visual Solutions offered its assistance.

The PES formula isn't for everyone, Croson said. But Ray Pekowski, president and CEO of The Expo Group, believes "a lot of companies will at least apply a hybrid of this."

Pekowski said PES achieved its goal of helping show organizers reach their exhibitors on a higher level. "Most show managers really aren't in touch with what's going on on the showfloor," Pekowski said, adding that PES was "seamless to the end-user."

PES also helped increase the presence of live machinery on the showfloor versus video demonstrations. Although some exhibitors increased their booth size to accommodate additional machinery, other exhibitors rented smaller booths. "If our machinery doesn't show up, we will die a slow death," Pittas said.

The collocated Food Processing Machinery Expo spanned 100,000 net sq. ft. with over 320 exhibitors.

PMMI also recently acquired the remaining shares of Expopak de las Americas, a joint partnership between the association and Oprex, a Mexico-based show management firm that produces EXPO PACK Mexico.