NPE 2027 runs May 3–7 at the Orange County Convention Center in Orlando. As of September 2026, 87% of the show floor had sold. The West Hall sold out in June, with the remaining space in the South Hall and the Tangerine Ballroom. If you've secured your space, the next decision is who designs and builds your booth. Exhibitorly helps you compare NPE 2027 exhibit builders, review relevant portfolios and request proposals using one brief. For a machinery-led exhibit, the right builder plans around equipment footprints, guarding, utilities and installation, not just how the booth looks.
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NPE 2027: The Plastics Show
Event datesMay 3 – 7, 20275-day event · Mon–Fri
Attendees51,000+Expected, per the organizer
OrganizerPLASTICSPlastics Industry Association
Exhibitors2,200+Expected exhibiting companies
VenueOrange County Convention Center9800 International Drive, Orlando, FL 32819, United States
Event details last updated
About NPE: The Plastics Show 2027
NPE: The Plastics Show is produced by the Plastics Industry Association (PLASTICS). It runs once every three years, so NPE2027 is the first edition since 2024, when Trade Show Executive's Gold 100 ranked it the seventh-largest trade show of the year.
For 2027 the organizer expects 51,000+ attendees and 2,200+ exhibitors from more than 130 countries. Buyers come from automotive, medical, packaging, building and construction, and consumer products. Five Technology Zones group exhibitors by type: Bottle, Manufacturing Services, Materials, Moldmaking, and Recycling & Sustainability, with a new Sustainability Park.
What sets the NPE show apart is the floor itself. Many exhibitors run machinery demonstrations, from injection molding machines to extruders and automation. For an exhibitor, that means the booth is often built around a working machine, not a set of graphics.
A single quote is hard to judge on its own. Request two or three proposals against the same brief so you can compare the design, the services included, how each builder handles your machinery, and the total expected cost.
Booth Builders for NPE 2027: The Plastics Show
Hand-picked, vetted exhibit builders with proven portfolios, ready to build your booth.
Metro Exhibits tops the list of custom trade show exhibit designers and provides the turnkey experience preferred by thousands of exhibitors. We design and fabricate custom displays in one of our three nationwide locations, for rent or purchase. Our wrap-around support includes every aspect of trade show exhibiting, including all show services, transportation, installation and dismantle and storage. Our MetroPlus division provides a comprehensive line of promotional items, cloud-based portal marketing inventory management, and event management.
At Pure Exhibits, we are passionate about helping businesses create memorable trade show experiences that leave a lasting impression. Our mission is to design and build custom trade show booths that perfectly align with each client's unique brand identity and requirements. We understand that navigating the trade show landscape can be overwhelming, which is why we strive to simplify the rental process for our clients.
Las Vegas’ Premier Turnkey Exhibit Partner Elevate your brand with custom booth design and local fabrication experts. We provide seamless, cost-effective solutions from 3D concept to on-site installation, ensuring your business stands out on the Las Vegas convention floor for any tradeshow event.
Why NPE Exhibit Builders Need Machinery Experience
At most shows, the booth is the product display. At NPE, the product is often a full-size production machine, and the booth is everything around it. That changes what you need from a builder:
The machine sets the floor plan. Its footprint, service access and the 1 ft setback from the aisle that the show requires decide where walls, counters and meeting space can go.
Weight and power come first. OCCC halls are rated at 400 lb per sq ft, with one area of West Hall A at 300. The show calculates load as the machine's weight divided by its contact area. Heavy equipment, power drops and compressed air all need planning before design is locked.
Running equipment needs guarding. Operating machinery must be adequately fenced or shielded so visitors can't reach moving parts. For sound-reproducing or sound-amplifying equipment, the rules set an 85 dBA maximum measured in an adjacent aisle or neighboring booth. Machinery that produces excessive noise or vibration may also be restricted.
There's no next year. NPE comes every three years. A missed deadline or a booth that doesn't work costs you the whole cycle, not one season.
Not every NPE exhibitor needs a heavy-machinery specialist. If you're showing materials, components or software, a builder who plans good meeting space may be all you need. If you're demonstrating operating machinery, ask builders for examples of comparable installations and how they handled guarding, utilities, access and safety.
NPE Orlando 2027 Dates, Hours and Halls
The show runs May 3–7, 2027 at the Orange County Convention Center. Exhibit halls are open 9:00 a.m.–5:00 p.m. ET from Monday, May 3 to Thursday, May 6, and 9:00 a.m.–3:00 p.m. on Friday, May 7 (NPE exhibitor FAQs).
The show uses the West and South buildings. By June 2026 the West Hall had sold out. The remaining space was in the South Hall, including the Technology Zones, and in the Tangerine Ballroom, which hosts the new Sustainability Park. Check the official NPE2027 floor plan for your exact location.
Your building matters to your builder. Ceiling heights to the beam differ by hall: 40 ft in West Halls A, B and D and in the South and North Halls, 33 ft in West Hall C and 30 ft in West Hall E. That limits how tall a structure or hanging sign can go.
NPE Show 2027 Exhibitor Timeline, Worked Back from May 3
Several 2027 deadlines are already published in the NPE Show Rules and Regulations. The status column shows which dates are confirmed and which rows are planning advice. The rules document has a few inconsistent dates in places, so confirm anything critical with show management at exhibit@npe.org.
When
What to finish
Status
October 30, 2026
Remaining space balance due for bookings made before October 1, 2026
Published in the 2027 rules
From October 1, 2026
New space applications pay 100% on receipt once space is assigned
Published in the 2027 rules
November–December 2026
Choose a builder and agree the brief, including every machine you'll show
Planning advice
January 2027
Final layout with machine positions, guarding, power and air drops
Planning advice
March 1, 2027
Requests to change your Freeman move-in target date
Published in the 2027 rules
March 5, 2027
Hanging-sign and truss drawings due, plus booth-approval drawings for booths of 400 sq ft or more
Published in the 2027 rules
Early March 2027
Freeman advance-order discount deadline
2027 date not confirmed. Check the Freeman kit
April 2027
Freight shipped to the advance warehouse or booked for delivery on your target date
Planning advice. Real deadlines are in the Freeman kit
April 30, 2027
Badge pickup opens. Move-in begins no earlier than 8:00 a.m. in the designated West and South hall zones; Freeman assigns each booth its own target date
Published in the 2027 rules and FAQs
May 3–7, 2027
Show days: 9:00 a.m.–5:00 p.m., closing 3:00 p.m. on May 7
Confirmed
May 7, 2027
No dismantling before 3:00 p.m.; move-out in the designated zones complete by midnight
Published in the 2027 rules
NPE Trade Show Rules for Running Machinery
The setback, floor load, guarding and noise limits are covered above. These are the other 2027 rules that shape an NPE booth. All of them are in the NPE Show Rules and Regulations.
Robots. Robots mounted on processing equipment must meet ANSI/PLASTICS B151. Other robots must meet ANSI/RIA 15.06, and collaborative robots ISO 10218-1. Only qualified staff should run demonstrations. The standard that applies depends on the machine and how the robot is set up, so treat these as a starting point, not a full compliance checklist.
Compressed air. High-pressure air compressors must sit inside your booth, not in parking lots or under the halls. Leave room for one in the layout.
Electrical. The OCCC is the exclusive electrical provider, so power drops are ordered from the venue, not from your builder.
Materials. Hazardous materials are banned, flammable liquids can't be stored in the building, and exhibits that give off odors can be removed. Compressed inert gases are allowed if stored safely.
Vehicles. Fuel tanks must hold no more than a quarter tank or 10 gallons, whichever is less, with one battery cable disconnected. Running a vehicle needs Fire Marshal approval.
Flooring. Floor covering is required across all purchased space. You can bring your own if it covers the whole booth.
Internet. Free Wi-Fi only reaches lobbies, concourses and meeting rooms, not the show floor. Order internet if a machine or demo needs it.
Give your builder the spec sheet for every machine before the first design round. Guarding, compressor space and power routing are much cheaper to plan than to retrofit.
NPE Booth Cost: What You Pay and Who Bills It
An NPE budget has four main cost categories: space, the mandatory recycling fee, show services and the booth itself, which may all be billed separately. Builders usually quote only the booth itself, so account for all four before comparing proposals.
Bill
Who sends it
What's in it
Booth space
PLASTICS
Floor space and badges: one per 100 sq ft, with at least seven. Extra badges cost $30 for members and $50 for non-members (exhibitor FAQs)
Recycling fee (mandatory)
Charged to every exhibitor; confirm how it's invoiced
The member rate is conditional. It only covers space up to a cap tied to the dues your company paid from 2025 to 2027, and space above the cap is billed at $51.50. Members pay $27.00 per sq ft from 4,001 sq ft, and service providers pay $39.50 at any size.
These figures cover exhibit space only. Add the mandatory recycling fee, booth design and construction, freight, installation, electrical and other show services when you build your total budget.
What changes the rest of the budget
Machine weight. Freeman bills material handling with a formula based on booth size and shipment weight, so heavier shipments usually cost more to handle.
Power and air. Each machine's electrical drops and compressed air add to the venue bill.
Build or rent. A custom build costs more up front but can serve other shows in the three years before the next NPE. A rental costs less once.
Hanging signs. Rigging adds labor and equipment cost, and only islands of 400 sq ft or more can hang signs.
Start from the space cost above, then add two or three builder quotes for the same brief and your show-service orders. If you're weighing a full custom structure, see how custom trade show booths are usually priced and built.
NPE Booth Builders and Labor Rules at the OCCC
Florida is often described as a place where anyone can set up a booth. NPE's own rules are narrower. Under the 2027 Show Rules and Regulations, your company's full-time employees may set up your exhibit without union help. Any labor beyond that has to be union labor (the local IATSE), ordered through the Freeman kit or on site.
What that means in practice:
A small inline booth can often be set up by your own team.
A larger build usually needs your builder's crew or labor ordered through Freeman. If your builder plans to supply installation labor, confirm how that crew will comply with the show's labor rules and the Freeman kit requirements before you sign.
Rigging, forklifts and moving heavy machinery go through the official channels. Plan your machine's arrival with your builder and Freeman.
Rules can change, so confirm the current labor terms with show management at exhibit@npe.org before you plan to self-install.
NPE Booth Design: Custom Build or Booth Rental
Whether an NPE booth rental or a custom build fits depends on how often you exhibit and how much of your space is taken up by machines.
Your situation
Usually the better fit
Why
Your machines fill most of the booth
A simple rental shell, or no structure at all
Spend on guarding, lighting and signage around the machine, not on walls
You also exhibit at shows like PACK EXPO or IMTS
A custom build you own and reuse
Worth it if the structure, graphics and layout can adapt to other shows' booth sizes and rules in the three years before the next NPE
NPE is your one big show this cycle
Rental with custom graphics
Lower upfront investment and no structure to own or store. Confirm freight, installation and dismantle are included
You're showing materials or services, not machinery
Inline rental or a pre-designed kit
You need meeting space and clear messaging, not heavy structure
Let the machine be the landmark. It's the most visible thing in your booth. Put your name and one clear message near it, readable from the aisle.
Give visitors somewhere quiet. A floor of running equipment is loud. A small enclosed or partly shielded meeting area is where pricing and spec talks happen.
Show output, not just the machine. A table of finished parts or samples made on the machine tells a buyer more than the machine alone.
NPE 2027 Floor Plan and Exhibitor List
The official NPE 2027 floor plan shows sold and open space across the halls. Space selection is largely done, so the NPE exhibitor list is already well filled in, and it keeps growing as late applicants book.
Send your builder the booth number and a marked-up floor plan screenshot showing the aisle-facing sides, neighboring booths and any access limits. Then brief them on three things:
Open sides. Which sides face main aisles decides where the machine and the main graphics go. Remember the 1 ft setback for machinery.
Neighbors. Running equipment next door affects noise and sightlines. Put your meeting area on the quieter side.
Zone rules. If you're in a Technology Zone or Sustainability Park, check the zone's qualifications and any booth requirements in the Technology Zone guide.
Questions to Ask Before You Hire an NPE Booth Builder
Send the same questions to every builder you're comparing. The answers tell you more than the renders do.
Have you built booths around comparable operating machinery? Ask for photos, the show name, the machine type, and how guarding, utilities and installation were handled.
What's in your quote, and what isn't? Freight, installation labor, graphics, storage and on-site supervision should each be a clear yes or no.
Who files the show orders? Electrical comes from the OCCC, and material handling and labor from Freeman. Find out whether the builder files them or you do.
Will we see a floor-level layout before the render? It should show machine positions, the aisle setback, power and air drops, and where the compressor sits.
Which building are we in, and does your plan change with it? Ceiling heights and hanging-sign limits vary by hall.
Can we reuse this booth before the next NPE? If you exhibit at other shows, ask how the structure adapts to a smaller space and what storage costs.
Start Planning Your NPE 2027 Booth Before the March Deadlines
Tell us your booth size, building, machinery requirements and budget. Compare proposals from NPE 2027 exhibit builders against the same brief, including design, fabrication or rental, installation and what each quote includes.
NPE 2027: The Plastics Show runs May 3–7, 2027, at the Orange County Convention Center in Orlando, Florida. Exhibit halls are open 9:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. ET from May 3 to May 6, and 9:00 a.m. to 3:00 p.m. on May 7.
How do I find exhibit builders for NPE 2027?
Look for builders who install at the Orange County Convention Center and, if you're running machinery, have built around comparable equipment. Then compare two or three proposals for the same brief. On Exhibitorly you can review NPE booth builders' past work and send one brief to several of them.
How much does booth space cost at NPE 2027?
Non-members pay $51.50 per sq ft. PLASTICS member rates are $30.50 for 100–400 sq ft, $29.50 for 401–1,000 sq ft, $28.50 for 1,001–4,000 sq ft and $27 for 4,001 sq ft or more, subject to a cap tied to membership dues. A 10×10 booth costs $3,050 for eligible members or $5,150 for non-members, before the $100 recycling fee, booth construction and show services.
How often is NPE held?
NPE: The Plastics Show is held every three years. NPE2027 follows NPE2024, and the 2021 edition was cancelled because of COVID-19.
How many people attend NPE?
The organizer expects 51,000+ attendees and 2,200+ exhibitors from more than 130 countries in 2027. About 27% of NPE attendees come from outside the US, according to PLASTICS.
Can I run machinery in my booth at NPE?
Yes. Operating machinery must be adequately guarded, and machinery and equipment must sit at least 1 ft back from the aisle. The 85 dBA limit applies to sound-reproducing or sound-amplifying equipment, measured in an adjacent aisle or neighboring booth. Machinery that produces excessive noise or vibration may also be restricted. Robot demonstrations must follow the applicable safety standards.
What is the floor load limit at NPE?
The Orange County Convention Center halls used by NPE are rated at 400 lb per sq ft, except one designated area of West Hall A rated at 300 lb per sq ft. The load is calculated as machine weight divided by its contact area.
Who is the official contractor for NPE 2027?
Freeman is the show's general services contractor. The Orange County Convention Center is the exclusive electrical provider, and Sodexo Live is the exclusive food provider.
Can exhibitors set up their own booth at NPE?
Partly. Under the 2027 show rules, an exhibitor's full-time employees may set up their own exhibit without union help. Labor beyond that must be union labor, ordered through Freeman. Confirm the current terms with show management.
When does move-in start for NPE 2027?
Freeman assigns each booth its own move-in target date. In the designated West and South hall zones, move-in starts no earlier than 8:00 a.m. on April 30, 2027. Requests to change your target date are due March 1, 2027.
Can I hang a sign over my NPE booth?
Only qualifying island or split-island booths of at least 400 sq ft can hang signs, and some low-ceiling areas of the West Hall are excluded. The bottom of a hanging sign must be at least 18 ft above the floor, and the top no more than 26 ft. Overhead trusses may exceed 26 ft. Drawings must be submitted for approval by March 5, 2027.
Should I rent or build a custom booth for NPE?
Rent if NPE is your one big show this cycle or your machines fill most of the space. Build custom if you exhibit at other industrial shows and can reuse the structure in the three years before the next NPE.
Where can I find the NPE 2027 floor plan and exhibitor list?
Both are on the official floor plan at npe2027.mapyourshow.com. Most space was chosen at Space Selection in March 2026, so the exhibitor list is already largely filled in.
This guide is independent. Exhibitorly is not affiliated with NPE : The Plastics Show or Plastics Industry Association. Event details come from the organizer's latest published information and can change — check the official event website before you book.
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