Social media has made its mark on PACK EXPO. A first for the show, the Tuesday First Timers reception included over 139 guests invited purely through social media—Facebook and Twitter.

Why? The show’s organizers, PMMI, and reception sponsor Schneider Electric both want to engage the new generation of leaders in the industry. It’s another first.

The networking event drew young professionals from the consumer goods industries, packaging machine builders and student contestants in a PMMI-sponsored packaging machinery research competition.

Garvey Corp.’s Ben Garvey welcomed the attendees, followed by Schneider Electric’s John Kowal thanking the assembled group for the privilege of becoming the event’s first sponsors. Then Massman Automation’s Jeff Bigger announced winners of the college scholarship competition. The team from Purdue University Calumet won top honors for their studies on palletizers, and Rutgers took second place.

The PMMI Education and Training Foundation golf tournament—for which Schneider Electric was also the major sponsor—raised some $25,000 for educational scholarships.