NPE2027 Guide: The Plastics Show Dates, Venue & Attendees
By Ilyas Kerbal,
NPE2027, The Plastics Show, runs from 3 to 7 May at the Orange County Convention Center in Orlando. Held every three years, it is the largest plastics event in the Americas, with more than 2,200 exhibitors expected and over 51,000 attendees projected.
Machines run live on the floor, and the show covers the entire chain from resins and additives to molding, extrusion, automation and recycling. Here is what you need to know about the show and how to plan outreach to the processors and brand owners who attend.
NPE2027 at a glance
| Next edition | NPE2027: 3-7 May 2027 |
| Venue | Orange County Convention Center (West and South buildings) |
| City | Orlando, Florida, USA |
| Typical month | May (2027) |
| Frequency | Every 3 years |
| Attendance | 51,000+ projected |
| Exhibitors | 2,200+ exhibiting companies |
| Industry | Plastics processing, machinery & materials |
| Organizer | Plastics Industry Association (PLASTICS) |
| Official website | npe.org |
What is NPE?
NPE is the plastics industry’s flagship event in the Americas, covering the whole supply chain: resins and additives, injection molding, extrusion and blow-molding machinery, molds, automation, recycling and sustainability.
Because it is held only every three years, processors and brand owners come ready to buy capital equipment. Large machines run live, and the show is a key place to launch new technology.
Where and when to find NPE
Orange County Convention Center in Orlando (West and South buildings).
Does it change location? No. NPE has been held in Orlando in recent editions (2018, 2024, 2027).
Blue industrial robot arm in a factory. Photo by Homa Appliances on Unsplash.
NPE attendee profile
- Plastics processors and molders
- Brand owners and product engineers
- Plant and operations managers
- Procurement and capex buyers
- Recyclers and material suppliers
Budget holders are here, but they are spread across a large crowd that also includes engineers, partners and other vendors. The value comes from filtering the list down to the titles and companies that actually buy from you.
Need the NPE attendee list? I extract it from the official event app and website, enrich each profile and hand it over as a clean CSV or Excel file. Start here
What NPE covers
- Injection molding, extrusion and blow molding
- Resins, compounds and additives
- Molds and tooling
- Recycling and circular economy
- Automation and robotics
- Packaging, medical, automotive and consumer plastics
The sales opportunity at NPE
Because NPE happens only every three years, processors and brand owners often hold capital decisions until they can compare machinery in person. That makes the 2027 edition a concentrated buying moment.
The most valuable attendees are owners and plant managers at molders and extruders, engineering leads at brand owners, and procurement teams. For material suppliers, automation vendors and software companies, a list split by process type and end market makes outreach far more relevant.
Is NPE right for your team?
Go if your buyers work in plastics manufacturing and you can identify the specific companies you want to meet. The budget holders are there; the work is in finding them among a large crowd.
Think twice if you can’t staff a booth or meeting schedule properly. Without a target list, NPE can turn into a lot of pleasant conversations and very little pipeline.
Passes and pricing
| Option | Price / details |
|---|---|
| Also good to know | Registration is open; fees are on the NPE Fees & Deadlines page |
| Also good to know | SPE members get discounted rates |
| Also good to know | Visitors under 14 are not admitted |
| Typical cost | Low hundreds of dollars for exhibit-hall access (confirm on npe.org). |
Prices change between editions and by registration date, so treat these as a guide and check npe.org before you buy.
The NPE app and platform
NPE has released an official mobile app in previous editions; expect one for NPE2027.
Event apps are built for attendees, not for sales teams. You can usually browse profiles one by one, but connection requests are capped, many profiles are half empty, and there is rarely an export button. That makes the app useful on site and frustrating for planning.
Pros and cons of NPE
| Pros | Cons |
|---|---|
| Triennial schedule concentrates capex budgets | Only every three years |
| Covers the full plastics value chain | Heavy machinery booths are expensive |
| Strong international participation | Narrow industry |
How to prospect at NPE
| When | What to do |
|---|---|
| Early planning | Pull the attendee, exhibitor and speaker lists and score them against your ideal customer profile. |
| Pre-show outreach | Contact your top tier personally and your second tier with a short sequence. Aim to book meetings, not booth visits. |
| On site | Work from a printed or mobile list of priority accounts and use breaks and evening events for warm introductions. |
| Post-show | Follow up fast, share what you promised, and keep the list for next year’s edition. |
Recycling and circularity are major themes for 2027. If your offer touches recycled content or sustainability reporting, lead with that in your outreach; it is on most processors’ agenda.
Want this done for you? Send me the event and your ideal buyer profile. I’ll return an enriched NPE list, ready for your outreach sequence. Contact me on Prospector
Frequently asked questions
When is NPE2027?
NPE2027: 3-7 May 2027. Dates can shift, so confirm on the official website (npe.org) before booking travel.
Where is NPE held?
Orange County Convention Center in Orlando (West and South buildings).
Does it move? No. NPE has been held in Orlando in recent editions (2018, 2024, 2027).
How much does a NPE ticket cost?
Low hundreds of dollars for exhibit-hall access (confirm on npe.org). See the pricing table above for pass types.
Who attends NPE?
Mainly plastics processors and molders; brand owners and product engineers; plant and operations managers; procurement and capex buyers.
Can I get the NPE attendee list?
Event organisers rarely sell attendee lists. Prospector builds one for you from the event app and website: attendees, exhibitors and speakers, enriched with job title, company, company size, industry, LinkedIn profile and work email where available, delivered as a CRM-ready file before the event. Ask about NPE here.
Get the NPE attendee list
If NPE is on your calendar, the best time to build your target list is now, while there is still time to book meetings. Contact me on Prospector with the event, your target roles and your CRM, and I’ll tell you what I can deliver and how fast.
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- Automate 2027 Guide: Las Vegas Dates, Free Expo & Buyers
Photo credits
- Cover image: Photo by Homa Appliances on Unsplash
- In-article image: Photo by Homa Appliances on Unsplash
Sources
Event details were last checked in October 2026. Dates, venues and prices can change, so confirm them on the official event website.