The Processing and Packaging Machinery Association (PPMA) have announced that this year’s PPMA Show will go ahead at the National Exhibition Centre, Birmingham, UK, as a large, in-person event. The PPMA will welcome visitors and industry influencers within the UK manufacturing sector for the first time in almost two years after PPMA 2020 was cancelled and not reformatted to an online, digital or virtual format.
Since its inception in 1988, the PPMA Show has been an influential industry event in the calendar for decision-makers and purchasers from the FMCG (fast-moving consumer goods) sector. This has recently been extended to building materials and suppliers, pet care, micro-breweries and distilleries, contract packers, tobacco and vaping industries.
Speaking after the decision to stage the PPMA Show 2021, Richard Little, Show Director for the PPMA Group of Associations, said: “There were a lot of things to take into consideration when deciding to run this year’s event; not least of all the safety and well-being of all concerned. Based on the advice we’ve received; the likely scenario is that all UK adults will have had or be eligible to receive their second Covid-19 vaccination in September 2021. Therefore, restrictions that would materially impact our Show running will have been lifted”.
This year’s show is free to attend and will house over 350 exhibitors, comprising more than 1,700 brands, from the UK and parts of Europe. Big-name industry representatives are set to attend, with Iceland Foods and Scottish brewer and social enterprise Brewgooder already pledging their support and commitment to speak.
“We also had to gauge the appetite of exhibitors and prospective visitors to attend a live show, from which our surveys generated a very favourable response,” continued Little. “The overwhelming consensus among those within the industry is that they want to see the return of live events; particularly in the food, beverage and pharmaceutical sectors. These sectors generate over half our visitors, many of whom have been working flat out to support the critical supply chain during the Coronavirus pandemic, and subsequently have a keen interest in the latest machinery and equipment.
“As an event organiser, we will now be working closely with the NEC to ensure that the necessary Covid-19 controls are in place, without compromising the overall event experience. This could mean some alternations to the omnidirectional floorplan and onsite catering provisions, but it will remain a large-scale exhibition”.
The PPMA Show takes place from 28-30 September 2021. The registration portal for the PPMA Show 2021 is now open for new registrants to apply for their complimentary visitor pass.
You can find more information about the PPMA Show on its website.
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