NPE Corner
At the show, time is precious: Get organizedIn the interest of efficiency and sanity, this means you have to hit the show with an organized sense of the exhibitors you want to see, and where they’re located. There’s much territory to cover, and getting your act together ahead of time is critical.
Fortunately, there’s a handy tool available that can help you sort everything out. Called MyNPE, it’s available free to anyone who registers for NPE 2006. Developed by show sponsor the Society of the Plastics Industry (SPI), MyNPE draws on the wealth of demographic information input by thousands of show participants at the time of registration and matches people with common or complementary interests in specific markets, technologies, products, or business functions.
Every registered NPE 2006 participant receives a secure personal Web portal that enables you to discover and communicate with others in the MyNPE community who have relevant interests; you can exchange information with other participants, set up appointments, perform initial product research, and even start business negotiations. As more folks register for the show, MyNPE will update the information in your private portal.
So, if you’re in the market for new automation or material handling equipment, extrusion machinery, CAD/CAM software, moldmaking services, or anything else available at NPE 2006, you can look for and communicate with relevant exhibitors and set up appointments to meet at the show. You can also look for like-minded attendees you might also meet at the show—folks in the same boat as you. You can build your schedule in the run-up to the show and take your finalized show plan with you to Chicago.
In addition, SPI will make available at NPE 2006 several on-floor kiosks that will provide access to your MyNPE data and information while you’re at the show. Finally, when you’re back in the shop and that question hits you that you forgot to ask at the show, MyNPE allows you to continue to communicate with the new network of colleagues you’ve established.
For more information on MyNPE, visit www.npe.org/mynpe. To register for NPE 2006, visit registration.expoexchange.com/shownpe061.
Developing export options
There’s a lot of talk in the plastics industry about how developing countries are taking manufacturing work, but that doesn’t mean there isn’t opportunity for North American plastics processors to develop export markets. At least that’s the view of the U.S. Commercial Service, part of the U.S. Dept. of Commerce.
The Commercial Service (CS) will be at NPE 2006 with numerous international buyer delegations as part of its International Buyer Program. International Commercial Specialists recruit these delegations through U.S. embassies abroad and bring them to the show to meet American manufacturers. Through the CS Marketplace program, exhibitors will have several opportunities to talk with International Commercial Specialists from a network of embassies. Together, they will explore export opportunities and receive the latest market information on their respective countries. At past NPE shows, these partnering efforts have led to numerous export successes and tens of thousands of dollars in U.S. export sales. NPE will also include a U.S. Export Pavilion where attendees can get firsthand information on programs and services of the U.S. Commercial Service, Ex-Im Bank, Small Business Administration, Census Bureau, and the National Customs Brokers & Forwarders Assn. of America.
The Commerce Dept. also recruits plastics companies for participation in trade missions, including the Secretary of Commerce’s CAFTA trade mission to Central America last fall.
NPE 2006 Facts
Where: McCormick Place, Chicago, IL, USA
When: June 19-23, 2006
Exhibitors: 2000+
Space: 1 million ft2 (93,000 m sq)
Registration/information: www.npe.org
Chicago information: www.choosechicago.com
Fortunately, there’s a handy tool available that can help you sort everything out. Called MyNPE, it’s available free to anyone who registers for NPE 2006. Developed by show sponsor the Society of the Plastics Industry (SPI), MyNPE draws on the wealth of demographic information input by thousands of show participants at the time of registration and matches people with common or complementary interests in specific markets, technologies, products, or business functions.
Every registered NPE 2006 participant receives a secure personal Web portal that enables you to discover and communicate with others in the MyNPE community who have relevant interests; you can exchange information with other participants, set up appointments, perform initial product research, and even start business negotiations. As more folks register for the show, MyNPE will update the information in your private portal.
So, if you’re in the market for new automation or material handling equipment, extrusion machinery, CAD/CAM software, moldmaking services, or anything else available at NPE 2006, you can look for and communicate with relevant exhibitors and set up appointments to meet at the show. You can also look for like-minded attendees you might also meet at the show—folks in the same boat as you. You can build your schedule in the run-up to the show and take your finalized show plan with you to Chicago.
In addition, SPI will make available at NPE 2006 several on-floor kiosks that will provide access to your MyNPE data and information while you’re at the show. Finally, when you’re back in the shop and that question hits you that you forgot to ask at the show, MyNPE allows you to continue to communicate with the new network of colleagues you’ve established.
For more information on MyNPE, visit www.npe.org/mynpe. To register for NPE 2006, visit registration.expoexchange.com/shownpe061.
Developing export options
There’s a lot of talk in the plastics industry about how developing countries are taking manufacturing work, but that doesn’t mean there isn’t opportunity for North American plastics processors to develop export markets. At least that’s the view of the U.S. Commercial Service, part of the U.S. Dept. of Commerce.
The Commercial Service (CS) will be at NPE 2006 with numerous international buyer delegations as part of its International Buyer Program. International Commercial Specialists recruit these delegations through U.S. embassies abroad and bring them to the show to meet American manufacturers. Through the CS Marketplace program, exhibitors will have several opportunities to talk with International Commercial Specialists from a network of embassies. Together, they will explore export opportunities and receive the latest market information on their respective countries. At past NPE shows, these partnering efforts have led to numerous export successes and tens of thousands of dollars in U.S. export sales. NPE will also include a U.S. Export Pavilion where attendees can get firsthand information on programs and services of the U.S. Commercial Service, Ex-Im Bank, Small Business Administration, Census Bureau, and the National Customs Brokers & Forwarders Assn. of America.
The Commerce Dept. also recruits plastics companies for participation in trade missions, including the Secretary of Commerce’s CAFTA trade mission to Central America last fall.
NPE 2006 Facts
Where: McCormick Place, Chicago, IL, USA
When: June 19-23, 2006
Exhibitors: 2000+
Space: 1 million ft2 (93,000 m sq)
Registration/information: www.npe.org
Chicago information: www.choosechicago.com