Thirty years ago, PMMI was a respected packaging trade group with around 400 member companies, and PACK EXPO Las Vegas was a brand new regional show called PACK EXPO West. Fast forward to 2025, and PMMI and PACK EXPO Las Vegas have become cornerstones of the expanded packaging and processing industry, shaping how packaging and processing connect, innovate, and grow.
As PMMI celebrates 92 years of industry leadership, the past three decades have been transformational, but few would have predicted the scales we would reach. PACK EXPO Las Vegas has surpassed its regional status, expanding beyond 1,000,000 net square feet for the first time. Its size as a North American packaging and processing trade show is now only exceeded by our flagship PACK EXPO International.
In addition to size, our trade show portfolio has also expanded in number, growing from two and a half in 1995 to six with this year’s launch of PACK EXPO Southeast. (30 years ago, PMMI owned half of EXPO PACK Mexico, and today we own 100% and run the entire operation.)
Beyond the show floor, PMMI itself has grown exponentially. From 400 members in 1995, the association now boasts over 1,100 member companies, reflecting a broader North American footprint that now includes Canada and Mexico. The association’s staff has grown from 18 to nearly 150 full-time employees, ensuring expanded services and support for our diverse membership. These expanded services include larger and additional member meetings, with both the Fall Meeting, now known as the Annual Meeting, and the Spring Meeting, now referred to as the Executive Leadership Conference, experiencing more than double the annual attendance. We didn’t have Joint Committee Meetings, our Vision series, which is now at Vision 2030, nor the Top-to-Top Summit.
