The leading canmaking machinery and services show of its kind for more than a decade, Cannex 2007 filled the Las Vegas Convention Center with 115 booths and 141 exhibiting companies.

Canmakers attended Cannex 2007 in force, looking out for the latest ideas in manufacturing technology. Top executives from Crown, Rexam, Ball, Impress, Kian Joo, Daiwa, Exal, Can-Pack, Grupo Zapata, Envases Universales, Pacific Can, Toyo Seikan and many others could be seen eyeing the latest equipment.

The show kicked off with a provocative message from Bill Barker, Rexam’s chief executive for global beverage can operations.

“Seven years ago they were predicting the demise of the can but the canmaking world woke up and became more market driven,” said Barker. “The industry is working with better equipment, better materials and with a high level of operating excellence with a myriad of new products that add value to brands.”

Machinery on show included CarnaudMetalbox Engineering’s 3400 beverage can necker making its world debut, Hinterkopf’s H240 decorator, Can Man’s X1 welder, and Custom Machining Corporation’s new end lining machine.

The Canmaker Conference provided a forum for news from the markets and companies presenting their latest ideas. Highlights included ORG’s Wei Qiong, who offered the latest data on the Chinese canned food markets.

Finally, Impress’s chief executive Francis Labbé hosted a press conference in which he revealed that the company was setting up a strategic partnership with ORG. It was an appropriate finale: Labbé first met the ORG top brass during the Cans of the Year Awards dinner at The Canmaker Summit in Spain last year.