NPE Corner
Countdown to NPE beginsIf you don’t get out much but you like to see the latest and greatest in materials, equipment, and technology for the plastics industry, then you need to mark these dates on your calendar: June 19-23. The location is McCormick Place in Chicago, IL and the event is NPE 2006, this year’s biggest plastics industry show. More than 2000 of the biggest and best-known suppliers of machinery, auxiliaries, resin, mold components, software, and products of all types will be there covering more than 1 million sq ft (93,000 sq m) of space, representing all of the major plastics-producing countries throughout the world.
There will be lots to see and do at the show and in Chicago, and on this page in the coming months we’ll help you sort out what’s happening and when. Before that, however, you need to get a handle on your travel plans and accommodations. Chicago hotels fill up fast for NPE and the sooner you get your act together, the better.
Get registered, start planning
The first step is to get registered for NPE. The Society of the Plastics Industry (SPI; Washington, DC), the host of NPE, is offering free registrations to the first 5000 attendees who sign up via the NPE 2006 website (www.npe.org). Once these 5000 registrations are gone, it will cost you $30 until two weeks before the show. After that it will cost you $60, and if you procrastinate and decide to register onsite, you’ll have to bring $90 with you. There’s a big hint here: Register as soon as possible.
The next step is to make plans to get to Chicago. The city is served by two major airports, O’Hare and Midway, and either will do the trick. Again, a good starting point for your travel planning is the NPE website (www.npe.org, click on Registration and Hotels). SPI has negotiated a special deal for air travel to NPE with United Airlines if you’re coming from within the U.S. The NPE website has all the details.
Next, start thinking about where you’ll stay. McCormick Place is located south of downtown Chicago, but an easy cab ride from all of the major hotels. In addition, the SPI will be running shuttle buses throughout the week from several downtown hotels, making it easy for you to get to the show. Chicago also offers a well-developed rail system, which includes a line that drops you off at McCormick Place. You can register for your hotel via the NPE website (www.npe.org, click on Registration and Hotels). Expect to pay $137-$324 a night for a hotel in or near downtown Chicago. If you want to save a little money you can find less expensive hotels in Chicago’s suburbs, but your effort to get to the show each day will be greater, and Chicago is notorious for its traffic.
Finally, think about when you want to attend the show. The busiest days are usually Tuesday and Wednesday, which might make your time with exhibitors crowded and/or rushed. Monday, Thursday, and Friday are quieter and more conducive to doing business and evaluating products, but if you’re going to NPE to see or meet a particular person who works for an exhibitor, he or she either might not be at the show on Monday, or gone by the end of the week. Check with your contacts before you go and make sure you’re at the show while they are.
NPE 2006 Facts
Where: McCormick Place, Chicago, IL, USA
When: June 19-23, 2006
Exhibitors: 2000+
Space: 1 million ft sq (93,000 m sq)
Registration/information: www.npe.org
Chicago information: www.choosechicago.com
There will be lots to see and do at the show and in Chicago, and on this page in the coming months we’ll help you sort out what’s happening and when. Before that, however, you need to get a handle on your travel plans and accommodations. Chicago hotels fill up fast for NPE and the sooner you get your act together, the better.
Get registered, start planning
The first step is to get registered for NPE. The Society of the Plastics Industry (SPI; Washington, DC), the host of NPE, is offering free registrations to the first 5000 attendees who sign up via the NPE 2006 website (www.npe.org). Once these 5000 registrations are gone, it will cost you $30 until two weeks before the show. After that it will cost you $60, and if you procrastinate and decide to register onsite, you’ll have to bring $90 with you. There’s a big hint here: Register as soon as possible.
The next step is to make plans to get to Chicago. The city is served by two major airports, O’Hare and Midway, and either will do the trick. Again, a good starting point for your travel planning is the NPE website (www.npe.org, click on Registration and Hotels). SPI has negotiated a special deal for air travel to NPE with United Airlines if you’re coming from within the U.S. The NPE website has all the details.
Next, start thinking about where you’ll stay. McCormick Place is located south of downtown Chicago, but an easy cab ride from all of the major hotels. In addition, the SPI will be running shuttle buses throughout the week from several downtown hotels, making it easy for you to get to the show. Chicago also offers a well-developed rail system, which includes a line that drops you off at McCormick Place. You can register for your hotel via the NPE website (www.npe.org, click on Registration and Hotels). Expect to pay $137-$324 a night for a hotel in or near downtown Chicago. If you want to save a little money you can find less expensive hotels in Chicago’s suburbs, but your effort to get to the show each day will be greater, and Chicago is notorious for its traffic.
Finally, think about when you want to attend the show. The busiest days are usually Tuesday and Wednesday, which might make your time with exhibitors crowded and/or rushed. Monday, Thursday, and Friday are quieter and more conducive to doing business and evaluating products, but if you’re going to NPE to see or meet a particular person who works for an exhibitor, he or she either might not be at the show on Monday, or gone by the end of the week. Check with your contacts before you go and make sure you’re at the show while they are.
NPE 2006 Facts
Where: McCormick Place, Chicago, IL, USA
When: June 19-23, 2006
Exhibitors: 2000+
Space: 1 million ft sq (93,000 m sq)
Registration/information: www.npe.org
Chicago information: www.choosechicago.com