PRIORITY POINTS PROCESS

PRIORITY POINTS POLICIES & PROCEDURES

Priority points are an important factor in selecting your company’s ideal exhibit space. The below policies and procedures outline how priority ranking is determined, how they improve and what happens in instances of mergers, acquisitions and dissolving of partnerships, etc. between companies that historically have exhibited together.

ABOUT THE PRIORITY POINT PROCESS

PACK EXPO events utilize an online exhibit space application & contracting process. After submitting a contract and deposit by the deadline, the exhibiting company will be provided a date and time that PMMI will call you to select your company’s exhibit space based on the Priority Points Policy and Procedure below.

PRIORITY POINT ACCUMULATION

PMMI Members

Timing is everything when it comes to getting your preferred spot on the show floor. Members of PMMI will select space first, with non-members to follow utilizing a priority points system. Priority points are maintained by a company based on the number of shows your company has consecutively participated in. PMMI members who choose not to exhibit will be penalized 50 priority positions for the first show and 100 positions for the second consecutive show that your company does not exhibit in. The maximum penalty for members at any given time is to remain at the end of the member priority list. Members not exhibiting for three or more consecutive shows will receive the maximum penalty. Keep in mind that each PACK EXPO Show maintains a separate priority point ranking, so exhibiting or not exhibiting at PACK EXPO Las Vegas will have no impact on your company’s selection priority for PACK EXPO International, PACK EXPO East or PACK EXPO Southeast.

Non-PMMI Members (Past Exhibitors)

Non-PMMI Members are encouraged to participate in priority space selection and will select after PMMI Members. Non-members are assigned a priority number based on the number of shows your company has consecutively exhibited in. Non-members who choose not to exhibit will fall to the end of the priority list for future show selection. Keep in mind that each PACK EXPO Show maintains a separate priority point ranking, so exhibiting or not exhibiting at PACK EXPO Las Vegas will have no impact on your company’s selection priority for PACK EXPO International, PACK EXPO East or PACK EXPO Southeast.

Non-PMMI Members (New Exhibitors)

Non-PMMI Members that have never exhibited in the show are encouraged to participate in space selection, as this will still give you the chance to select the best booth available for your company. Companies that have not participated in a past PACK EXPO event may apply online by selecting “I am a New Exhibitor and Do Not Have a Password”. Non-PMMI Members that have never exhibited in a PACK EXPO event will select space after all past exhibitors.

PRIORITY POINT OWNERSHIP/MERGERS, ACQUISITIONS AND SEPARATIONS OF COMPANIES

MERGERS AND CREATION OF A BRAND-NEW COMPANY

If companies merge and are past exhibiting companies, the newly formed company in the merger has the opportunity to retain the best priority ranking.

Example:

Company A and Company B have both been exhibiting at PACK EXPO for several years and each has a PMMI Member priority ranking. Company A has a ranking of 27 and Company B has a ranking of 346. The newly formed company, Company AB, can retain the points of Company A, since it was the better of the two sets of points.

‍Company A = Priority Pick 27
Company B = Priority Pick 346
New Company AB = Retains Best Pick [27]

In this instance, Company B’s priority ranking is forfeited. Should Company AB split in the future, only one company can retain priority ranking (see Separations below). Should the second company plan to exhibit separately again, they would need to re-join PMMI and would start at the end of the priority selection list.

ACQUISITIONS

An existing PACK EXPO exhibiting company acquires another PACK EXPO exhibiting company(ies). The new owner of the acquired company now has the option to use the acquired company’s priority points, or can choose to maintain both records and keep them separate (this option is often selected if the newly acquired company may be sold again in the future and wishes to retain priority points, or if the newly acquired company will ever exhibit on its own, separate from the parent). If the parent company, new owner, does choose to use the acquired company’s priority points, then the acquired company will forfeit the priority and will start at the end of the priority list should they choose to exhibit separately.

OPTION 1: ACQUIRED COMPANY CONTINUES TO ACCRUE POINTS SEPARATELY

If an existing PACK EXPO exhibiting company acquires another PACK EXPO exhibiting company(ies) and decides to continue to exhibit at PACK EXPO and maintain points separately, this newly acquired company and its new owner would have the option to select contiguous exhibit space for both companies using the best priority of the two. If selecting non-contiguous exhibit space, the two companies would have to select at separate times using each company’s priority rankings.

Priority Points Example:

Company A acquired Company B, and while they are under the same umbrella of companies, they will continue to exhibit at PACK EXPO as separate companies with separate contracts(not additional listings) and maintain points separately.

‍Company A = maintaining points separately
Company B = maintaining points separately

SEE SELECTING SPACE FOR OTHERS BELOW.

OPTION 2: ACQUIRED COMPANY DOES NOT ACCRUEPOINTS SEPARATELY

An existing PACK EXPO exhibiting company acquires another PACK EXPO exhibiting company(ies). The new owner of the acquired company now has the option to assume the acquired company’s priority points.

Priority Point Example:

Company A has acquired Company B. Both have been exhibiting at PACK EXPO for several years and each accrued points for their participation in PACK EXPO. Company A has a priority point ranking of 600 and Company B has a priority ranking of 50. Company A, as the new owner of Company B, can now assume the 50 ranking instead of the 600 ranking. Going forward, Company A will maintain priority points while Company B will not.

‍Company A (new owner) = now assumes ranking 50
Company B = no priority moving forward

SEE SELECTING SPACE FOR OTHERS BELOW.

SEPARATIONS

If a company dissolves or splits into multiple companies, the companies in question would need to decide internally who receives the priority point ranking. Priority points may not be split or assigned to two companies in the instance of a separation.

Example:

Company A and its sub-brand, Company B, have been exhibiting at PACK EXPO for several years and have priority ranking 240. Company A and sub brand Company B have decided to split into two separate companies, and both intend on exhibiting at PACK EXPO in the future. At the time of the split, both companies must decide which company will retain the priority ranking.

Should the separating companies not have a decision by the posted space contract submission deadline, PMMI will automatically award the priority ranking to the company whose name is on the priority points historically.

SELECTING SPACE FOR OTHERS

OPTION 1: CONTIGUOUS BUT SEPARATE BOOTHS

You may use your priority status to select contiguous space for affiliated companies. (Contiguous space is defined as a booth that is adjoining or crosses a cross aisle but not a main aisle.) No exhibitor may choose more than one space using their own priority number if the booths are not contiguous. To choose additional, non-contiguous space, companies must wait until all companies on the priority list have chosen space. Affiliated companies are defined as two or more companies that are legally related entities, e.g., a parent and a subsidiary, subsidiaries of the same parent, a corporation and a division. Each division/subsidiary must complete their own Space Application and will be considered as a separate exhibit booth, maintaining priority points separately.

While PMMI members may select contiguous space during the same space selection time for their subsidiaries or divisions under the guidelines noted above, the member rate of exhibit space will only apply to the portion of the booth occupied by current member(s). The affiliated company, divisions, subsidiaries or companies that are wholly-owned parts of the same company or parent corporation must qualify for membership status on their own to obtain member discount on exhibit space. Each exhibiting company will indicate its PMMI Membership status on the separate contract required for participation under the subsidiary’s/division’s name. Any of the companies who drop their membership after space has been confirmed will be re-invoiced at the non-member rate.

PROCEDURES FOR OPTION 1

Complete a separate Application & Contract for each company, indicating square footage for each selection. Documentation must also be provided to PMMI at the time of exhibit contract submission, containing proof of wholly owned corporate status of affiliated companies in order to qualify for selecting space at the same selection time.
After contracts are signed, the affiliated companies, divisions, subsidiaries or companies that are part of the same company or parent corporation will be official exhibitors and can be listed in the Official Show Directory.

OPTION 2: CONTIGUOUS SPACE WITH AFFILIATEDLISTINGS

You may use your priority status to select contiguous space for affiliated companies. (Contiguous space is defined as a booth that is adjoining or crosses a cross aisle but not a main aisle.) No exhibitor may choose more than one space using their own priority number if the booths are not contiguous. To choose additional, non-contiguous space, companies must wait until all companies on the priority list have chosen space. Affiliated companies are defined as two or more companies that are legally related entities, e.g., a parent and a subsidiary, subsidiaries of the same parent, a corporation and a division. Only the primary exhibitor whose priority ranking is being used for selection will complete their own Space Application maintaining priority points only for the primary/contracted exhibitor.

Each additional company added will be considered an additional listing and will NOT earn/maintain priority points for their participation at the Show. Priority Points will only be earned and maintained by the exhibitor who submits the application/deposit and selects the initial contiguous booth space.

The space selected for the other wholly owned affiliated companies, divisions, subsidiaries or companies that are part of the same company or parent corporation must be in ONE CONTIGUOUS BOOTH.

PROCEDURES FOR OPTION 2

Complete ONE Application & Contract.
The name on the contract name must match the name of the company’s whose points were used to select space. All other company names would be submitted as additional listings.
Exhibitor to complete an “Affiliated Listing” application for each profit center, division, subsidiaries, or companies that are part of the same company or parent corporation. Additional Listings will incur a cost of $750 per application/listings and reminder will NOT earn any priority points.
After contract and additional listing is signed/submitted and paid, the affiliated companies, divisions, subsidiaries, or companies that are part of the same company or parent corporation will be official exhibitors and can be listed in the Official Show Directory.

CONTRACT RULES AND REGULATIONS

The name on the contract must match the name of the company’s whose points were used to select space if only one contract is required (aka option two above). All other company names would be submitted as affiliated listings.
Contracts can only have one company name in the company name field. No company names like “Machine Company / Machinery incorporated” will be accepted and PACK EXPO will default the company name to the first name listed. All other companies that meet the criteria in the rules and regulations document would be listed as affiliated listings.

ADDITIONAL PRIORITY POINT REMARKS

Show Management (PMMI) reserves the right to make changes without notice, and its decision is final.

PACK EXPO priority points are determined, assigned, and ranked according to the process above. For questions regarding Priority Points, please contact Merideth Newman at [email protected].