I got the text from United Airlines on Sunday night at 8:23 pm.
“We’re sorry to let you know we’ve canceled flight UA1377 from Denver to Chicago because of forecasted severe winter weather conditions.” At the time, I was packing up my computer in preparation to leave early the next morning for PTXPO. I called the airline, and after enough holding to make me start to really dislike Rhapsody in Blue, I was eventually able to book a new flight.
I went to bed hoping that the weather would cooperate with both my travel plans and the fourth edition of the show organized by Plastics Technology’s parent company, Gardner Business Media, and presented along with its sister publications MoldMaking Technology and Additive Manufacturing Media.
Part of the team that made PTXPO 2026 possible. Source: Gardner Business Media
Despite the weather; it’s impact on travel; and everything else the world is serving up these days — which I lamented in this space last month — PTXPO 2026 was an unmitigated success. On-site attendance was up 25% over the 2025 event and the strongest registration of any edition of the show. In addition to the latest technologies and services, the plastics industry’s resilience and adaptability were on display at the Donald E. Stephens Convention Center in Rosemont, Illinois, March 17-19.
The uncertainty of the moment remains, but so do the opportunities.
Exhibiting suppliers talked about some customer reluctance to invest in the face of lingering economic and political uncertainty. As they try to navigate ever-changing tariff tides among other issues, plastics processors resolved to move forward with upgrades despite the tumult around them. The uncertainty of the moment remains, but so do the opportunities.
A living thing, the show continues to evolve and add new elements. For PTXPO 2026, the new included the Materials Symposium, Pellet-to-Part Series and the Women in Plastics Breakfast, giving attendees the chance to connect and learn. We also added student outreach, inviting younger people from area schools on formal tours to explore how plastic things are made. There was also one informal tour — shout out here to Ferris State University and its Plastics Engineering Technology program. Tom Van Pernis, program coordinator/associate professor and a group of his students road tripped it from Big Rapids, Michigan, to Chicago to walk the floor — what a fantastic field trip.
If you were able to make it to PTXPO, thank you! We appreciate you coming and would love your feedback. If you weren’t able to join us, we’ll see in 2028 (March 21-23), as the show takes a break in 2027 while the industry pivots to NPE. Watch PT’s channels for updates on the technologies and trends that were on display at the show.
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Be Our Guest
The Plastics Technology Expo (PTXPO) returns March 18-20 at the Donald E. Stephens Convention Center in Rosemont, Illinois, with elements old and new.
