Unleashing Packaging Excellence: Your Essential Guide to EastPack in New York, USA

In the bustling world of consumer products, pharmaceuticals, food and beverage, and countless other sectors, packaging is the silent hero – the critical link between creation and consumption. It’s the protective barrier, the brand’s first impression, and a fundamental component of logistics and sustainability. As markets evolve, so too must packaging. From innovative materials and smart labeling to advanced automation and eco-conscious solutions, the demands on packaging professionals are higher than ever. For businesses and innovators across the Northeast, staying ahead in this dynamic field isn’t just about market share; it’s about pioneering the future of product delivery. This is precisely why EastPack in New York, USA, stands as the East Coast’s premier annual event, showcasing the cutting-edge of packaging design, technology, and materials.

EastPack is more than just a trade show; it’s a pivotal component of IME East (Imagineworks East), a powerful co-located event that brings together six specialized expos under one roof. These include MD&M East (Medical Design & Manufacturing East), Atlantic Design & Manufacturing, ATX East (Automation Technology East), PLASTEC East (plastics), Quality Expo, and EastPack. This strategic synergy creates an unparalleled cross-industry platform. It allows attendees to explore solutions that span the entire product development and manufacturing lifecycle, from initial concept and design to advanced production processes, quality control, and final packaging. Organized by Informa Markets, a global leader in B2B events, EastPack consistently delivers a high-value experience, connecting buyers with a vast array of suppliers and groundbreaking technologies. Whether you’re a packaging engineer seeking efficiency, a product developer exploring new materials, or an executive looking for integrated solutions, EastPack offers direct access to the insights and innovations that drive success in the dynamic Eastern industrial landscape.

The Epicenter of Innovation: The Venue and Its Time

New York City, New York, provides an electric and strategically vital backdrop for EastPack. As a global financial, cultural, and business hub, NYC boasts unparalleled accessibility for attendees from across the Northeast corridor and beyond. The metropolitan area is home to a significant concentration of consumer packaged goods (CPG) companies, pharmaceutical giants, cosmetics brands, and a burgeoning food and beverage industry, all of whom rely heavily on innovative packaging and processing solutions.

The expo is consistently held at the Jacob K. Javits Convention Center, located at 429 11th Ave, New York, NY 10001, USA. The Javits Center is an iconic, state-of-the-art facility known for its distinctive glass architecture, vast exhibition halls, and comprehensive amenities. Its prime location on the Hudson River in Midtown Manhattan offers superb convenience. It’s easily accessible from all major New York City airports (JFK, LGA, EWR) via public transportation or taxi/rideshare. The Javits Center is also well-connected by subway and is surrounded by a diverse array of hotels, world-class dining options, and iconic attractions, from Times Square and Broadway theaters to museums and high-end shopping, ensuring a stimulating experience that blends business with the unique energy of New York City.

EastPack is held annually as part of the IME East event. For 2025, EastPack is scheduled for May 20–22, 2025.

The event spans three intensive days for both the expansive exhibition and the extensive co-located educational offerings. A typical daily schedule is designed for maximum efficiency and engagement:

• Tuesday, May 20, 2025: The exhibition hall typically opens in the morning (e.g., 10:00 AM) and runs through the late afternoon (e.g., 4:00 PM). The co-located nature means attendees can access all six show floors with one pass. Free-to-attend educational sessions often begin concurrently on various show floor stages, such as the Packaging Education Hub, Smart Manufacturing Education Hub, and Medtech Education Hub.
• Wednesday, May 21, 2025: A full day of exhibition access, also from 10:00 AM to 4:00 PM. Attendees continue to explore booths and participate in valuable educational sessions. This day often includes various industry receptions or networking events, providing excellent informal connection opportunities.
• Thursday, May 22, 2025: The final day of the exhibition, usually running from 10:00 AM to 3:00 PM. This focused window allows attendees to finalize crucial booth visits, catch last-minute sessions, and consolidate their learnings before departure.

This efficient three-day format, combined with the comprehensive co-location strategy, ensures that attendees can maximize their time, explore a vast range of integrated solutions, and engage with a broad spectrum of industry experts from across the advanced manufacturing landscape.

Packaging Tomorrow’s Products: Key Product and Solution Categories

The exhibition floor at EastPack is a dynamic, interactive showcase of the entire packaging ecosystem, providing solutions from concept and design to automated production and sustainable end-of-life considerations. Attendees can expect to explore an unparalleled array of products and services from hundreds of top suppliers, addressing the diverse needs of various industries. Key product and solution categories include:

• Packaging Machinery & Equipment:
  • Filling & Sealing: Liquid fillers, powder fillers, form-fill-seal machines for flexible packaging, capping machines, induction sealing equipment, and heat sealers.
  • Case Packing & Palletizing: Automated case erectors, case packers, tray packers, robotic palletizers and depalletizers, stretch wrappers, and shrink wrappers.
  • Labeling & Coding: High-speed label applicators, inkjet and laser coding systems, thermal transfer printers, vision inspection systems for labels and codes, and serialization solutions for track and trace.
  • Material Handling: Advanced conveyor systems, feeders, vibratory systems, robotic pick-and-place solutions, automated guided vehicles (AGVs), and automated storage and retrieval systems (AS/RS).
  • Inspection & Quality Control: Checkweighers, metal detectors, X-ray inspection systems, vision inspection for defect detection, leak testing equipment, and package integrity testers.
  • Ancillary Equipment: Accumulation tables, unscramblers, collators, and other machines that optimize line flow and efficiency.
• Packaging Materials & Containers:
  • Flexible Packaging: Films, pouches, bags, stand-up pouches, laminates, and high-barrier flexible materials that extend shelf life.
  • Rigid Containers: Bottles, jars, tubs, closures (caps, pumps, dispensers), cans, and drums, encompassing glass, plastic, and metal options.
  • Cartons & Boxes: Folding cartons, corrugated boxes, custom packaging solutions, and protective packaging materials (e.g., foam, airbags).
  • Labels & Tags: Pressure-sensitive labels, shrink sleeves, in-mold labels, and smart labels with RFID or NFC technology for enhanced consumer engagement or supply chain tracking.
  • Sustainable Packaging: Biodegradable, compostable, recycled content, recyclable, and reusable packaging solutions, as well as lightweighting materials to reduce environmental footprint.
  • Specialty Materials: Barrier materials for product protection, anti-counterfeiting features, temperature-controlled packaging for sensitive goods, and child-resistant packaging.
• Packaging Services & Supplies:
  • Contract packaging (co-packing), contract manufacturing, and private labeling services for scalable production.
  • Packaging design and engineering services, prototyping, and rigorous testing for performance and compliance.
  • Supply chain solutions, logistics, warehousing, and fulfillment services to optimize distribution.
  • Consumables like adhesives, inks, coatings, tapes, and strapping.
• Automation Technology & Robotics:
  • Industrial robots, collaborative robots (cobots), and specialized robots for complex assembly, palletizing, and machine tending within packaging lines.
  • Machine vision systems (2D and 3D) for quality inspection, guidance, and identification.
  • Industrial Internet of Things (IIoT) solutions for connecting machines, collecting data, predictive maintenance, and optimizing Overall Equipment Effectiveness (OEE).
  • Control systems, PLCs, HMIs, sensors, actuators, and motion control components that drive automated packaging lines.
• Digital Transformation & Smart Packaging:
  • Software for line management, production scheduling, inventory control, and enterprise resource planning (ERP) integration.
  • Digital twin technology and augmented reality (AR) applications for remote diagnostics, training, and operational support.
  • Data analytics and artificial intelligence (AI) tools for process optimization and quality prediction.

This incredibly diverse and comprehensive range ensures that attendees, whether seeking a specific component, a complete integrated system, or strategic consulting, can find tailored solutions to enhance their production efficiency, product quality, and market competitiveness. The co-location with other advanced manufacturing shows further broadens the scope of available technologies and expertise, making EastPack a truly one-stop-shop for modern industrial solutions.

The Pulse of Progress: Visitor Count and Demographics

EastPack, as an integral part of the larger IME East event, consistently draws a significant and highly influential audience from across the Eastern Seaboard and beyond. It benefits immensely from the collective draw of all six co-located shows, making it the most comprehensive annual advanced manufacturing event in the region. Recent editions of IME East have consistently attracted over 8,000 verified attendees and featured over 300 exhibitors spread across substantial exhibit space. These impressive figures underscore its status as a critical annual gathering for packaging professionals and the broader advanced manufacturing community.

The attendee profile at EastPack (and IME East overall) is exceptionally high-level, technical, and diverse, encompassing key decision-makers and influencers from a vast array of roles and industries:

• Manufacturing & Production Professionals: Plant managers, operations managers, production supervisors, and continuous improvement specialists looking to optimize existing lines or implement new ones.
• Engineers: Packaging engineers, process engineers, manufacturing engineers, electrical engineers, mechanical engineers, quality engineers, and R&D engineers focused on efficiency, design, and new product development.
• Purchasing & Sourcing Managers: Buyers and procurement professionals responsible for acquiring new machinery, materials, and services.
• Quality Control & Assurance: Specialists ensuring product integrity, safety, and compliance with industry standards and regulations.
• Company Leadership: CEOs, VPs of Operations, VPs of Manufacturing, and other executives making strategic investment decisions for their companies.
• Product Development & Brand Management: Professionals involved in bringing new products to market, enhancing consumer appeal, and developing innovative packaging solutions.
• System Integrators & Consultants: Experts who design, implement, and optimize complete packaging and processing lines.
• Top Industries Represented:
  • Pharmaceuticals & Medical Devices: A particularly strong focus, driven by the co-location with MD&M East.
  • Food & Beverage / Health & Beauty / Consumer Goods: Significant segments seeking efficiency, sustainability, and market differentiation.
  • Electronics & Technology: For protective and specialized packaging.
  • Chemicals & Industrial Products: For safe and compliant packaging.
  • Cannabis & CBD: An emerging but rapidly growing market with unique packaging needs.

A substantial percentage of attendees (often over 85%) are reported to have purchasing power, recommending, specifying, or making final buying decisions. A high proportion also indicate having an active project or one planned within the next 12 months, making EastPack an ideal environment for serious buyers and sellers to connect and advance their business objectives.

Packaging Your Potential: Benefits and Perks of Attending

Attending EastPack in New York offers an unparalleled array of strategic advantages and exclusive perks for any professional looking to drive innovation and efficiency in their packaging operations:

• Experience Live, Working Technologies: There’s no substitute for seeing packaging machinery in full operation, touching and feeling new materials, and assessing solutions firsthand. Witness live demonstrations of robots, vision systems, and automated packaging lines, gaining invaluable insights into their capabilities and potential for your own operations.
• Comprehensive Solutions with Co-located Expos: Your single badge grants you access to six powerful co-located events (MD&M East, ATX East, Design & Manufacturing East, Plastec East, Quality Expo, and EastPack). This provides a holistic view of the entire product lifecycle, allowing you to find integrated solutions that connect packaging with design, automation, materials, and quality control.
• Direct Access to Leading Suppliers: Engage in meaningful, face-to-face conversations with hundreds of exhibitors, from global industry leaders to niche specialists. Discuss your specific project challenges, get immediate answers from technical experts, and build relationships with potential partners who can provide tailored solutions.
• Free, Expert-Led Education on the Show Floor: Benefit from numerous complimentary educational sessions held on various stages within the exhibition hall, including the dedicated Packaging Education Hub. These sessions cover critical topics such as smart packaging, sustainability, e-commerce, packaging automation, testing, and regulatory compliance, providing actionable insights without extra cost.
• Unrivaled Networking Opportunities: Connect with thousands of highly influential peers, potential clients, suppliers, and industry leaders from diverse sectors. From formal networking receptions to casual interactions on the show floor, EastPack fosters invaluable connections that can lead to future collaborations and business growth.
• Targeted Insights for East Coast Industries: EastPack specifically addresses the unique needs of the Northeast’s prominent industries, offering tailored content and exhibitors focused on medical device packaging, pharmaceutical packaging, food & beverage, and cosmetics.
• Efficient Sourcing and Problem-Solving: Streamline your research and evaluation process. By comparing a vast array of solutions in one place, you can accelerate your purchasing decisions and find innovative approaches to improve efficiency, reduce costs, and enhance product quality.
• Professional Development & Trend Spotting: Deepen your technical knowledge, gain foresight into future industry trends, and discover emerging technologies that can give your business a competitive edge. This show is a powerful tool for professional growth and staying ahead of the curve.

Your New York Oasis: Nearby Hotels and Convenient Stay

New York City offers an unparalleled selection of comfortable and convenient hotel options, particularly in Midtown Manhattan, within close proximity to the Jacob K. Javits Convention Center. Many hotels are within easy walking distance or provide excellent access via public transportation (subway, bus), ensuring a seamless experience for attendees. Given NYC’s status as a major travel destination and the popularity of IME East, booking your accommodations well in advance is highly recommended to secure the best rates and your preferred location.

The official IME East website often partners with a housing bureau to offer discounted rates at a range of vetted hotels. Utilizing these official channels is usually the best approach to find convenient and value-driven lodging and to avoid potential third-party hotel scams.

Some highly convenient and popular hotel options near the Jacob K. Javits Convention Center in New York include:

• Courtyard New York Manhattan/Midtown West: Located very close to the Javits Center, offering modern amenities.
• Hyatt Place New York City/Times Square: A popular choice offering comfortable rooms and a short walk or ride to the Javits Center.
• Hudson River Hotel: A more budget-friendly option located just blocks from the Javits Center.
• Holiday Inn Express Manhattan Midtown West: Offers modern accommodations and is within easy reach of the convention center.
• Fairfield by Marriott New York Manhattan Times Square: Provides comfortable stays with good access to the Javits Center and Times Square.
• Crowne Plaza HY36 Midtown Manhattan: A newer option in the Hudson Yards area, offering good amenities and proximity.
• Kimpton Hotel Eventi: A stylish and luxurious option in Chelsea, a short distance from the Javits Center.
• The Moxy NYC Times Square: A trendy and vibrant hotel, a slightly longer walk or short ride to the Javits Center.

These hotels generally provide a range of amenities, from on-site dining and fitness centers to business services, ensuring a comfortable and productive stay. Beyond the expo, attendees can immerse themselves in New York City’s unparalleled cultural scene, enjoy world-class dining, and explore iconic landmarks, making for a truly memorable visit.

The Investment in Progress: Understanding the Cost to Attend

EastPack, as part of the larger IME East event, offers a highly accessible pricing structure, particularly for those who register early. This approach is designed to encourage broad industry participation and knowledge exchange.

• Expo Only Pass: This pass provides free access to the expansive exhibition floor for all six co-located shows (EastPack, MD&M East, ATX East, Design & Manufacturing East, Plastec East, Quality Expo). This includes access to hundreds of exhibitors, live demonstrations, and all free-to-attend educational sessions held on various show floor stages. This pass is typically free if registered well in advance (e.g., until early January). The price will increase closer to the show dates (e.g., $50 USD for registrations from early January to early May, and $199 USD for onsite registration).
• Conference Pass: For more in-depth technical education, IME East offers specialized conference tracks that may require a separate pass. While the free show floor education is extensive, deeper dive workshops or certification programs might have an associated cost. Specific pricing for these specialized conference tracks is usually available on the official website.
• Keynotes and Show Floor Education: Crucially, your Expo Pass generally includes all keynotes and show floor education at no extra charge, providing significant value without the need for an additional conference fee.

The strategy of offering a largely free “Expo Only” pass, especially with early registration, makes EastPack an incredibly high-value proposition. It removes a significant financial barrier, allowing professionals from companies of all sizes to attend, explore the latest technologies, and make vital connections.

Chart Your Course to Excellence: Secure Your Place at EastPack!

EastPack in New York is more than just a regional packaging trade show; it’s the dynamic nexus where the entire advanced manufacturing ecosystem converges. It’s where innovative packaging solutions meet cutting-edge medical device design, advanced automation, plastics technology, and stringent quality control. It’s where critical discussions around sustainability, supply chain resilience, and the future of manufacturing take place, and where the invaluable connections that fuel business growth are forged. If you’re a packaging engineer striving for efficiency, a product developer aiming to enhance market appeal, a quality control specialist ensuring product integrity, or a professional looking to stay ahead in the dynamic world of manufacturing on the East Coast, then securing your place at EastPack is not just an option—it’s an essential strategic move for your knowledge, your network, and your business’s future. Don’t miss this unparalleled opportunity to connect with the pioneers, learn from the experts, and contribute to shaping the future of product delivery!

To learn more and register for the upcoming EastPack 2025, visit: www.imengineeringeast.com