WestPack, Anaheim, USA: Where the Future of Packaging on the West Coast Unfolds

In the bustling landscape of modern commerce, packaging is far more than just a container; it’s a critical component of product integrity, brand identity, consumer safety, and supply chain efficiency. From the food and beverage industry to pharmaceuticals, cosmetics, and electronics, every sector relies on innovative packaging and processing solutions to deliver products safely and appealingly to market. For professionals on the West Coast, the definitive event to discover these advancements is WestPack.

WestPack is the largest annual packaging event on the West Coast, serving as a vital nexus for the packaging and processing community. It’s not just a standalone show; WestPack is a key component of the broader Design & Manufacturing West event, co-located with several other industry-leading expos including MD&M West (medical design and manufacturing), ATX West (automation technology), D&M West (design and manufacturing), and Plastec West (plastics). This unique co-location creates an unparalleled, synergistic environment where the entire product lifecycle, from design and materials to automation and packaging, can be explored under one roof. If you’re involved in any stage of bringing a product to market, from concept to delivery, WestPack offers a concentrated and impactful opportunity to discover cutting-edge solutions, connect with industry leaders, and stay ahead of the curve in a rapidly evolving market.

The Sunny California Hub: The Venue and Its Time

Anaheim, California, globally recognized for its vibrant tourism industry and growing tech and manufacturing sectors, serves as the perfect host for WestPack. Its accessible location, warm climate, and proximity to major business hubs make it an attractive destination for industry professionals from across the Western United States and beyond. WestPack consistently takes place at the Anaheim Convention Center, located at 800 W Katella Ave, Anaheim, CA 92802, USA.

The Anaheim Convention Center is the largest exhibition facility on the West Coast, offering over 1.6 million square feet of space. Its modern, expansive halls are ideal for accommodating the extensive machinery, diverse exhibitors, and various co-located shows that comprise the Design & Manufacturing West event. The venue is renowned for its excellent facilities and accessibility, being just steps away from the Disneyland Resort, numerous hotels, diverse dining options, and easy freeway access. This central location within the Anaheim Resort area significantly enhances the overall experience for attendees.

WestPack is an annual event, making it a consistent fixture on the industry calendar. The next edition, WestPack 2025, is scheduled to take place from February 4-6, 2025. The show runs for three intensive days, with exhibit hall hours typically from 10:00 AM to 5:00 PM on Tuesday and Wednesday, and an earlier close at 4:00 PM on Thursday. (Note: Hall E often opens 30 minutes earlier on all three days for certain segments). This focused timeframe allows attendees to efficiently navigate the expansive show floor, engage with exhibitors, and participate in the robust educational programming. Its annual cadence ensures that the very latest innovations and market trends are consistently presented, keeping professionals at the forefront of the industry.

Unveiling Solutions: Product and Solution Categories

The exhibition floor at WestPack is a dynamic showcase of the entire packaging and processing ecosystem, strategically integrated within the broader manufacturing event. This allows for cross-pollination of ideas and technologies, benefiting attendees who are seeking holistic solutions. Key product and solution categories you can expect to find include:

• Packaging Machinery & Automation:
  • Form-fill-seal machines, cappers, fillers, labelers, coders
  • Case packers, palletizers, shrink wrappers, baggers
  • Robotics for packaging, pick-and-place, and end-of-line automation
  • Automated inspection and quality control systems
  • Conveying and material handling systems
  • Sensors, vision systems, and machine controls
• Packaging Materials & Components:
  • Flexible packaging (films, pouches, laminates)
  • Rigid containers (bottles, jars, tubs, cans)
  • Corrugated, folding cartons, and specialty paperboard
  • Labels, tags, and printing technologies
  • Closures, dispensing systems, and protective packaging
  • Adhesives, sealants, and inks
  • Sustainable packaging materials (recycled, recyclable, compostable, biodegradable)
• Packaging Design & Engineering:
  • CAD/CAM software for package design and prototyping
  • Contract packaging and manufacturing services
  • Testing and validation services
  • Design agencies and consultants
  • Supply chain optimization and logistics solutions
• Medical Device Packaging:
  • Sterile barrier packaging solutions
  • Cleanroom packaging equipment and materials
  • Serialization and track & trace for medical devices
  • Regulatory compliance and validation services
  • Specialized materials for medical applications
• Food & Beverage Packaging:
  • Hygiene and sanitation solutions for packaging lines
  • Temperature-controlled packaging
  • Modified atmosphere packaging (MAP) technologies
  • Food-grade materials and compliance
• Digital Packaging & Smart Packaging:
  • IoT-enabled packaging for tracking and consumer engagement
  • Anti-counterfeiting and brand protection technologies
  • Digital printing for mass customization
  • Data analytics and smart factory solutions for packaging lines
• Processing Equipment: (Leveraging co-located shows like MD&M West for medical processing, and others for design/manufacturing)
  • Mixing, blending, forming, and filling equipment
  • Sterilization equipment
  • Quality assurance and testing instruments

This comprehensive array, enhanced by the co-located events, ensures that attendees can find solutions that span from the initial product concept and material selection through design, manufacturing, and the final packaged product.

The West Coast Gathering: Visitor Count and Demographics

WestPack, as part of the larger Design & Manufacturing West event, draws a substantial and highly influential audience each year. The combined event typically attracts over 14,000 verified attendees and features more than 1,600 exhibitors across 300,000+ square feet of show floor space. This makes it the largest annual advanced manufacturing event on the West Coast, with WestPack being the core packaging component.

The attendee profile at WestPack is incredibly diverse and highly targeted, comprising key decision-makers and technical experts from a wide array of industries, including:

• Packaging Engineers & Designers: Focused on new designs, materials, and process improvements.
• Manufacturing & Production Managers: Responsible for line efficiency, output, and operational excellence.
• R&D Professionals: Exploring cutting-edge materials and innovative packaging functionalities.
• Quality Control & Compliance Specialists: Ensuring product integrity and regulatory adherence, especially critical in medical and food industries.
• Purchasing & Procurement Professionals: Sourcing equipment, materials, and contract services.
• Supply Chain & Logistics Managers: Optimizing packaging for transport, storage, and distribution.
• Company Owners & Executives: Seeking strategic insights, market trends, and investment opportunities.
• Automation Specialists: Interested in integrating robotics and advanced automation into packaging lines.

A significant percentage of attendees (often over 80%) possess purchasing power or influence buying decisions, and many arrive with active projects, making WestPack an extremely high-value environment for networking, lead generation, and direct business engagement. The strong presence of the medical device, food & beverage, and consumer goods industries on the West Coast ensures a relevant and targeted audience for packaging innovations.

Unlocking Potential: Benefits and Perks of Attending

Attending WestPack in Anaheim offers a wealth of strategic benefits and invaluable perks for any professional involved in the packaging industry:

• Experience Live Demos: Witness hundreds of state-of-the-art packaging machines and systems running live on the show floor. This hands-on experience is crucial for evaluating capabilities, understanding integration, and making informed investment decisions.
• Comprehensive Sourcing: Explore solutions from hundreds of specialized packaging exhibitors, efficiently comparing technologies, materials, and services to find the perfect fit for your specific needs. The co-located shows further expand sourcing options for related manufacturing processes.
• Cross-Industry Insights: The co-location with MD&M West, ATX West, Plastec West, and D&M West means you gain access to insights and technologies from related fields like medical device manufacturing, automation, plastics, and general design & manufacturing. This synergy can spark innovative ideas for your packaging challenges.
• Cutting-Edge Education: Participate in free educational sessions at various show floor theaters, such as the “Pack Place Theater.” Experts cover vital topics like sustainable packaging trends, medical device packaging, automation in packaging, digital printing, regulatory updates, and more.
• Networking Hub: Connect with thousands of packaging professionals, engineers, designers, suppliers, and executives. WestPack fosters a vibrant community atmosphere, providing ample opportunities for meaningful conversations, sharing best practices, and building strategic partnerships. Dedicated networking events are often part of the larger show.
• Sustainability Focus: With California at the forefront of environmental legislation (e.g., SB 54), WestPack places a significant emphasis on sustainable packaging solutions. Discover eco-friendly materials, circular economy strategies, and waste reduction techniques to meet evolving consumer demands and regulatory requirements.
• Problem-Solving Power: Bring your specific packaging challenges to the show. Exhibitors and industry experts are on hand to provide tailored advice, demonstrating how their solutions can help you improve efficiency, reduce costs, enhance product quality, or address compliance issues.
• Market Intelligence: Get a direct pulse on the latest market trends, emerging technologies, and future directions of the packaging industry. This intelligence is crucial for strategic planning and staying competitive.
• Workforce Development: Learn about new tools and strategies to address workforce challenges, optimize labor, and implement automation to boost productivity.
• Innovation Showcase: Beyond the booths, WestPack and its co-located events often feature innovation showcases, startup competitions, and specialized pavilions highlighting groundbreaking advancements.

Your Anaheim Base Camp: Nearby Hotels and Convenient Stay

Anaheim offers a vast array of hotel options to accommodate attendees of WestPack, with many conveniently located within walking distance or a short shuttle ride from the Anaheim Convention Center. Given the show’s annual popularity, booking well in advance is highly recommended.

Some popular and highly convenient hotel options near the Anaheim Convention Center include:

• Hilton Anaheim: One of the largest hotels directly adjacent to the Convention Center, offering extensive amenities.
• Marriott Anaheim Hotel: Also located directly across from the Convention Center, a popular choice for attendees.
• Hyatt Place at Anaheim Resort/Convention Center: A modern option within easy walking distance, often offering complimentary breakfast.
• DoubleTree Suites by Hilton Hotel Anaheim Resort – Convention Center: Located just a block from the Convention Center, featuring suite-style accommodations.
• JW Marriott, Anaheim Resort: A newer, upscale option a short walk from the Convention Center, known for its amenities.
• Sheraton Park Hotel at the Anaheim Resort: A large hotel with resort-style amenities, a short distance from the Convention Center.
• SpringHill Suites by Marriott Anaheim Maingate: Offers spacious suites and complimentary breakfast, a bit further but still convenient.
• Courtyard by Marriott Anaheim Theme Park Entrance: A popular choice for families that combines proximity to the convention center with easy access to Disneyland.

Many hotels in the Anaheim Resort area participate in official show housing blocks, which often include negotiated rates and sometimes complimentary shuttle services, further enhancing convenience for attendees.

The Investment in Progress: Understanding the Cost to Attend

The cost to attend WestPack is structured to provide flexible access, with various pass options available to suit different professional needs. While specific pricing for WestPack 2025 will be officially released closer to the event (registration generally opens several months prior), based on previous editions and the structure of the co-located Design & Manufacturing West event, you can anticipate the following general framework:

• Exhibit Hall Pass: This pass grants access to the entire exhibition floor across all three days, including all co-located shows (WestPack, MD&M West, ATX West, D&M West, Plastec West) and the free educational sessions offered on the show floor at various theaters. This pass is typically FREE if you register online by a certain early-bird deadline. If you register after the deadline or on-site, there is usually a nominal fee, which could be around $99 – $129 USD.
• Paid Conference Passes: For deeper dives into specific topics, Design & Manufacturing West offers various paid conference tracks and workshops. These typically include access to more in-depth, expert-led sessions beyond the free show floor theaters. Pricing for these can vary significantly based on the duration (e.g., one-day pass vs. full-conference pass) and specific content, ranging from approximately $400 to over $1,000 USD. These passes typically include exhibit hall access.
• Group Discounts: Discounts on conference passes may be available for groups from the same company.
• Special Events: There might be separate fees for certain networking receptions or exclusive industry awards dinners.

The investment in attending WestPack is widely considered an excellent value, especially given the extensive content, the sheer number of exhibitors, and the unique opportunity to explore five related industry shows under one roof.

Pack Your Future: Don’t Miss WestPack!

WestPack in Anaheim is the essential annual gathering for the packaging industry on the West Coast. It’s where innovative ideas transform into tangible solutions, and where the brightest minds in packaging and manufacturing converge to shape the future. If you’re ready to embrace the latest technologies, optimize your processes, and connect with the visionaries driving progress, securing your place at WestPack is an indispensable step. Don’t just keep pace with the industry’s evolution – lead the way!

To learn more and secure your attendance at the next West Pack event, visit: www.imengineeringwest.com/en/show/show-brands/westpack.html