The third annual Package Design 2006 Conference & Technology Exposition is just a few weeks away, and registration is strong. The conference will offer presentations and a variety of interactive events to spotlight packaging’s increasing importance as a marketing tool. The event will be Jan. 30-Feb. 1, 2006, at the Hilton Clearwater Beach Resort in Clearwater Beach, FL.

Alex Isley, Principal at Alexander Isley Inc., will be the keynote inspirational speaker. Isley will share his guilty pleasures, pet peeves, and inspirations in package design.

Additional speakers will include:

• Paul France, Principal Engineer, Procter & Gamble.

• Mark Yunker, Senior Packaging Engineer, Imperial Sugar Co.

• Sandra Marshall, CEO and Chief Scientist, EyeTracking Inc.

• Dena Ladner, Manager, North American Lubricants Innovation/D-I-Y Packaging, Shell Lubricants.

• John Kowal, Global Marketing Manager, ELAU Inc.

• Craig Sawicki, Executive Vice President, TricorBraun.

• Sam Ciulla, Managing Director/Creative, Lipson Alport Glass Associates.

Package Design 06 will focus on the tools, techniques, relationships, and total solutions approaches to innovative and successful package design. Sessions and topics will focus on cutting-edge and emerging structural and graphic package design, processes, and tools for production efficiency, superior performance, safe distribution, and point-of-purchase impact.

One special area of interest will be a session on design for toddlers, tweens, and baby boomers.

The conference will also feature National Paperbox Association competition judging, the Package Design Tools & Services Expo, and interactive sessions and activities. The Global Packaging Exhibition will be expanded. Attendees will be able to handle and inspect nearly 200 award-winning glass, metal, paperboard, rigid, and flexible packages in the food, beverage, pharmaceutical/medical, health and beauty aids, chemical/agricultural, foodservice, and industrial sectors from around the world.

The conference is owned and produced by Packaging Strategies, and co-produced by Package Design magazine. DuPont is the event’s exclusive co-host and Shelf Impact! is a supporting host. Participating sponsors are Hewlett-Packard, Esko-Graphics, Paxonix, and Sun Chemical.

Contact Conference Manager Karen Close at 610/935-2183 or e-mail meetings@packstrat.com.