Event Staff and Trade Show Models for PACK EXPO International 2026 in Chicago, IL
PACK EXPO International is the world’s largest packaging and processing show, drawing 45,000+ packaging professionals, brand owners, and manufacturing engineers to all of McCormick Place’s main buildings for four days. TSM Agency staffs PACK EXPO exhibitor booths with product demonstrators and brand ambassadors who can engage CPG brand managers, manufacturing engineers, and sustainability directors at the technical level the packaging industry demands.
PACK EXPO International 2026 Event Staffing Services in Chicago, IL
TSM Agency provides brand ambassadors, product demonstrators, and lead retrieval specialists for PACK EXPO International exhibitors at McCormick Place. Our staff manage booth traffic, support packaging machinery, materials, and automation demonstrations, and capture qualified leads from the show’s concentrated audience of CPG brand packaging managers, manufacturing engineers, contract packagers, and supply chain buyers. Every team member is briefed on your equipment or materials before the show floor opens.
TSM staffs McCormick Place’s most demanding industrial and manufacturing trade events year-round and maintains a Chicago roster large enough to support PACK EXPO’s multi-building footprint across all four show days. For a show where live machinery demonstrations are the primary conversion tool, TSM’s local depth ensures consistent staffing and same-day replacement capability throughout.
Trade Show Models
Promotional Models
Spokesmodels
Brand Ambassadors
Product Demonstrators
Convention Models
PACK EXPO International 2026: What to Know
PACK EXPO International
- Dates: March 28, 2026
- City:
Chicago, IL
- Organizer: https://www.packexpointernational.com
- Category: Packaging & Processing
- Website: https://www.packexpointernational.com
PACK EXPO International is the world’s largest packaging and processing trade show, produced biennially by PMMI and held at McCormick Place in Chicago. The four-day event draws 45,000+ packaging professionals and 2,500+ exhibitors across McCormick Place’s main buildings. Exhibitors include packaging machinery manufacturers, materials and substrate suppliers, contract packaging companies, automation and robotics integrators, labeling systems, sustainability solution providers, and software and controls vendors. Attendees include CPG brand packaging managers, manufacturing and process engineers, supply chain directors, contract packagers, and sustainability leads from across the food, beverage, pharmaceutical, personal care, and industrial goods sectors.
Quick Facts
Attendees include CPG brand packaging managers, manufacturing and process engineers, supply chain and procurement directors, contract packagers, sustainability leads, and packaging R&D professionals from food, beverage, pharma, personal care, and industrial sectors.
PACK EXPO International occupies McCormick Place’s North, South, and Lakeside Center buildings, with 1.3+ million net square feet of exhibit space and pavilions organized by product category.
PACK EXPO International 2026 expands its Sustainability Central, Healthcare Packaging Pavilion, and Processing Zone sections alongside traditional packaging machinery, materials, and automation categories.
Where PACK EXPO International Takes Place
PACK EXPO International is held at McCormick Place in Chicago, occupying the North, South, and Lakeside Center buildings across the convention campus. The North and South buildings form the main campus along Martin Luther King Jr. Drive, with the Lakeside Center accessible via an enclosed bridge over the Metra rail line. Each building hosts specific packaging categories, and exhibitors are assigned to the building aligned with their product segment. McCormick Place is accessible via the CTA #3 bus to Museum Campus and the Museum Campus/11th St Metra station from downtown Chicago.
Navigation Tips
PACK EXPO uses three McCormick Place buildings — confirm your building, hall, and aisle before move-in, as the North, South, and Lakeside Center have separate loading docks and staff entrances. The enclosed bridge connecting the Lakeside Center to the main campus is the fastest cross-building route but can bottleneck at peak floor traffic; build extra time into shift transitions that cross this connection. Rideshare drop-off on Martin Luther King Jr. Drive at the North and South entrances is the primary vehicle approach. Chicago’s early November weather can be cold — brief staff on outdoor transit between buildings during their shift.
Why Chicago-Based Booth Staff Matter for PACK EXPO International
PACK EXPO’s packaging engineers and CPG brand managers evaluate booth staff on their ability to engage meaningfully about machinery specs, material performance, and sustainability claims — they’re comparing vendors on technical merit and move on quickly from booths that can’t hold a substantive conversation. Chicago-based TSM staff experienced at McCormick Place’s major industrial and manufacturing shows understand the pace and professional expectations that PACK EXPO demands. Local staff eliminate four days of travel overhead across a biennial show that justifies premium preparation, and TSM’s Chicago roster depth handles the show’s multi-building scale without the staffing fragility that out-of-market vendors risk.
Exhibiting Tips for PACK EXPO International 2026
PACK EXPO buyers come with specific packaging line problems and supplier shortlists — your booth needs to answer the question ‘what does this solve for my line?’ within the first 30 seconds of engagement. If your machinery runs, run it continuously; idle demo equipment at PACK EXPO is the single fastest way to lose foot traffic to a competitor. Lead capture should record the buyer’s industry segment (food, beverage, pharma, personal care), packaging format (flexible, rigid, pouches), and line speed or capacity — this data segments your post-show follow-up from a list of 2,500 scans into a qualified pipeline. PACK EXPO’s sustainability buyers are concentrated in the Sustainability Central pavilion but appear across the whole show — brief your TSM staff on your sustainable materials, recyclability claims, or circular packaging credentials. The biennial nature of this show means your 2026 investment needs to generate two years’ worth of qualified pipeline; capturing lead quality data, not just volume, is the primary objective.
Trade Show Staffing in Chicago, IL for PACK EXPO International 2026
TSM Agency’s Chicago roster covers all three PACK EXPO buildings at McCormick Place and has extensive experience at the show’s previous iterations. We handle multi-station and multi-building booth configurations, support live machinery demonstration environments, and can sustain consistent staffing across all four show days with same-day replacement capability. Chicago is one of TSM’s highest-volume markets, with deep roster availability for November.
To book TSM for PACK EXPO International 2026, contact us at (888) 702-7986 or support@tsmagency.com at least 8–12 weeks before the show — PACK EXPO’s scale and biennial importance make early booking essential. TSM returns a staffing proposal within 24 hours and assigns a dedicated account coordinator.
Why Brands Trust TSM Agency
TSM Agency is a woman-owned national trade show staffing firm founded in 2005 with a 5.0-star Google rating, MPI membership, and 2,000+ events staffed across 25+ U.S. markets. Every booking includes a dedicated account coordinator, a custom booth brief developed before your event, and an on-site check-in process that confirms staff readiness before the floor opens. Exhibitors at IMTS also rely on TSM’s Chicago booth staff for McCormick Place’s most demanding multi-building manufacturing and industrial trade shows. TSM carries $1M/$2M general liability insurance and COIs are available on request.
Woman-Owned
TSM Agency is a woman-owned talent agency co-founded by Caryn Hanna, a former professional model.
Founded 2005
More than 20 years of trade show and event staffing experience.
2,000+ Events Staffed
TSM Agency has staffed more than 2,000 trade shows, conventions, and promotional events across North America.
2,000+ Talent Network
Over 2,000 experienced trade show models, brand ambassadors, and promotional staff across 30 U.S. cities.
Rated 5.0 Stars on Google
TSM Agency is rated 5.0 stars on Google Reviews based on verified client feedback.
MPI Member
TSM Agency is a member of Meeting Professionals International (MPI), the largest global community of meeting and event professionals.
$1 Million Insurance Coverage
Fully insured with $1M per occurrence and $2M aggregate general liability. Certificates of insurance available on request.
25+ City Markets
Local talent in every major U.S. convention city, eliminating travel expenses while guaranteeing staff who know the venue.
Role options within CES staffing
TSM builds PACK EXPO staffing around the capital equipment and materials format — product demonstrators for packaging machinery, automation, and materials presentations; brand ambassadors for booth traffic management and visitor qualification; and lead retrieval specialists to capture industry segment, packaging format, and project timeline alongside badge data. For exhibitors running live machinery that requires visitor queue management, TSM provides trained staff for those safety and flow positions across all four show days.
Greeter and Crowd Gatherer
Lead Retrieval Specialist
Product Demonstrator
Presenter or Host
Team Lead or Coordinator
Why Our Clients & Models Trust Us
Patty Collins
February 2, 2023
I had to take the time to post this review. Simply stated, the TSM Agency is the best model staffing agency we have ever worked with. Our account executive, Caryn, was prompt and professional. We only had two days to staff two models. We came to an agreement and had our models in the same day I initially contacted them.
Zoe Clegg
February 7, 2018
The TSM Agency is our go to model staffing company. Our account executive is so easy to work with and knows the industry inside and out. But what really separates TSM from the other companies we have worked with in the past are their models. TSM Agency trade show models are just the best. When you talk to the girls you can tell TSM treats them well and that they are very loyal to the agency. The girls always come prepared and on time. They are a joy to work with and their smiles are infectious! I can’t say enough. It makes me very happy to see our competitors enviously looking at us because our trade show models are doing such a great job and our booth is always packed.
Mason Painter
January 23, 2023
Keila and Kirsten were exactly what we were looking for from our trade show models. For our previous show we flew a couple of employees to work the show and, no offense to them, we will never do that again. Professional models were far better at generating leads for us; the entire reason we did this event is Las Vegas. Our models were well prepared, dressed professionally, kept up an amazing energy during every day of the show and help us demo our products. Caryn, our TSM Agency account executive, did an amazing job and provided the perfect models.
Evelyn Vang
February 2, 2023
Thank you TSM Agency! We have never received so many leads as we did this year at the World of Concrete Show. Our models were great and we want to staff the same girls next year. They performed above and beyond our expectations. Thank you TSM!
Benefits of Booking Chicago Booth Staff for PACK EXPO International
A staffed TSM team at PACK EXPO keeps your machinery running, your engineers in qualified conversations, and your lead capture complete across all four show days of the packaging industry’s most important biennial event. Chicago local staff eliminate four days of travel overhead and bring the industrial trade show experience McCormick Place’s largest show demands. Learn more about our product demonstrator services for packaging, manufacturing, and capital equipment trade shows.
Local talent reduces travel
per diems, and cab fares while increasing coverage across long show days.
Consistent representation
improves trust through on-message conversations, posture, and presentation.
Lead qualification
routes hot prospects to your team so valuable time goes to the right conversations.
Flexible staffing
adapts to single-day exhibits, multi-day shows, and multiple locations on the Strip.
Smart support tasks
like materials handout and list capture free your reps to sell.
Trained staff
greet visitors, manage booth flow, answer basic questions, and scan badges with your app.
Product demonstrators
highlight features and benefits that move attendees from interest to next steps.
Reliable scheduling
and coordinator support keep shifts covered during sessions, breaks, and evenings.
Bilingual options
help you connect with international attendees and expand your reach at global shows.
Professional presence
elevates your brand and improves recall long after the event ends.
PACK EXPO happens every two years — TSM ensures your booth performs at full capacity for every hour of it.
Frequently Asked Questions
PACK EXPO International is the world’s largest packaging and processing trade show, produced biennially by PMMI at McCormick Place in Chicago. It draws 45,000+ packaging professionals and 2,500+ exhibitors across the North, South, and Lakeside Center buildings.
PACK EXPO International 2026 runs November 1–4, 2026 at McCormick Place, 2301 S Lake Shore Dr, Chicago, IL.
PACK EXPO International is a biennial event held every two years in Chicago. In alternating years, PMMI produces PACK EXPO Las Vegas.
Attendees include CPG brand packaging managers, manufacturing and process engineers, supply chain directors, contract packagers, sustainability leads, and packaging R&D professionals from food, beverage, pharmaceutical, personal care, and industrial sectors.
Exhibitors present packaging machinery, materials and substrates, automation and robotics, labeling and coding systems, sustainable packaging, contract packaging services, software and controls, and processing equipment.
Yes. TSM provides product demonstrators, brand ambassadors, and lead retrieval specialists for PACK EXPO exhibitors across all three McCormick Place buildings.
TSM recommends booking 8–12 weeks before the show given PACK EXPO’s scale, biennial significance, and multi-building format.
TSM can supply product demonstrators, brand ambassadors, lead retrieval specialists, queue managers for live machinery, and team leads for multi-station large island exhibits.
Yes. TSM’s Chicago roster includes staff with manufacturing, engineering, and industrial trade show backgrounds suited for PACK EXPO’s technical audience.
Yes. TSM briefs all staff on your equipment and can prioritize candidates with relevant manufacturing or technical backgrounds who can work alongside your engineers during live demos.
Yes. TSM’s Chicago roster is large enough to staff booths in multiple McCormick Place buildings and coordinate across the four-day show.
Yes. TSM can source Spanish-bilingual staff for Chicago events upon request.
TSM carries $1M/$2M general liability insurance. COIs are available on request.
Contact TSM at (888) 702-7986 or support@tsmagency.com. TSM returns a staffing proposal within 24 hours and assigns a dedicated account coordinator.
Yes. Every booking includes a custom booth brief covering your machinery, materials, industry segment focus, sustainability credentials, and lead capture criteria.
TSM maintains backup staff for all bookings. Chicago’s large local roster supports same-day replacements across all four show days and all three buildings.
TSM is a woman-owned national trade show staffing agency founded in 2005 with 2,000+ events staffed, a 5.0 Google rating, and MPI membership across 25+ U.S. markets.
TSM lead specialists record the buyer’s industry segment, packaging format, line speed or capacity, and project timeline — giving your team a qualified pipeline segmented by application rather than a raw scan list from a 45,000-person show floor.
