Justify my trip

Demonstrate How Attending PACK EXPO International 2026 Benefits Your Company

Attending PACK EXPO International this October 18 – 21 in Chicago is a strategic investment in your company’s future. After all, this is the most comprehensive packaging and processing event in the Americas—an opportunity to bring back the best possible solutions, valuable new business contacts and ideas that will futureproof your business.

Use the information below to explain why your trip will deliver a strong return on investment, saving your company time, money and resources by allowing you to identify the right packaging and processing solutions faster.

Writing Your Justification Letter
Need help drafting your trip approval request? Download and customize the provided Justification Letter template to easily outline how attending will directly benefit your company.
Download Sample Letter

reasons to attend

Solutions sourcing, meeting with vendors, networking and professional development are all great reasons to attend the show. Choose the most compelling reason to attend for your business goals and expand on that. Highlights of the experience include:  

Exploring 2,600 suppliers in one place—for extraordinary perspective on the industry
Evaluating equipment in action and seeing materials in person
Discovering innovative crossover solutions from 40+ vertical industries
Gaining expert insight and actionable takeaways from 150+ education sessions

Planning Your Experience

Use the Online Directory and Product Locator to find exhibitors/products relevant to your needs and educational sessions that support your business goals. Specifically name what you would like to see and do in your letter to help justify your trip. Once you have registered for the show, you can log in to My Show Planner and to save your choices to a personalized itinerary—which will sync with mobile app (available in September).

Calculating Your trip Costs

When calculating costs, take note of savings opportunities such as the early-bird registration discount, exclusive hotel rates, negotiated airline discounts, and free shuttle buses and Metra passes to and from McCormick Place. Create a comprehensive breakdown of anticipated costs and compare these to the exhorbitant expense of otherwise making individual visits to suppliers.

Costs to consider:

  • Early-Bird Registration Fee: $30 (After September 25: $130)
  • Roundtrip Airfare/Train Fare/Mileage  
  • Hotel (Check discount rates from our official vendor)
  • Transportation in Chicago (Shuttles and Metra to/from McCormick Place are free)
  • Estimated Per Diem for Meals
Crowded industrial trade show with people walking among booths and machinery displays.

You might need something in the future that you didn’t think you needed, but because you met them at PACK EXPO … you have that relationship to start figuring out what solution you’re going to work towards.”

- Cameron Cumming, Procter & Gamble

“Anybody in the packaging field or manufacturing should come yearly just to see what’s out there. You just don’t know. It’s a good way to see so much at one time.”

- Angela Whitehead, Snackcraft LLC

“I was amazed at how beneficial it was to attend PACK EXPO. It brought a lot of ideas on how improvements can be made for day-to-day operations in our manufacturing process. It exceeded my expectations.”

- Tara Donaho, Mr. Bird

“We’re always looking for the latest and greatest technology to improve efficiencies on the line—quality, cost reduction. So each time PACK EXPO is up here, we always try to make our way to find those latest technologies.”

- Justin Dabbelt, Red Gold Inc.

See More From Past Attendees