CHICAGO — October 18, 2026 — Festo Didactic North America returns to PACK EXPO International 2026, October 18–21 at McCormick Place, bringing together advanced automation and workforce development solutions that help manufacturers improve operational efficiency. Visitors to Booth #N-6132 in the North Building can explore training technologies and approaches designed for today’s increasingly automated packaging environments.   

As packaging facilities integrate advances in automation technology, workforce capabilities need to evolve alongside them. As an industrial workforce development partner, Festo works with manufacturers to understand their goals and develop training approaches that help their teams make the most of evolving technologies. 

Preferred Technical Learning Collaborator to PMMI

Festo Didactic is the Preferred Technical Learning Collaborator to the Association for Packaging and Processing Technologies (PMMI). Together, the two organizations are bringing customizable and effective training solutions to packaging and processing companies. 

Festo’s hands-on mechatronics learning systems and curriculum directly align with PMMI’s Mechatronics certification program. This strategic collaboration empowers PMMI member companies and educational institutions to implement industry-approved training protocols. By tailoring the programs to individual facility needs, technical personnel master emerging technologies while keeping operational workflows running smoothly. 

"As industrial machinery and technology advance, the demand to continuously upskill workers and modernize facilities grows right along with it,” said Karolyn Ellingson, Head of Industrial Workforce Development for Festo Didactic North America. “PMMI’s Mechatronics certification program provides a valuable pathway for packaging professionals to strengthen their technical skills while helping manufacturers develop the workforce capabilities needed for increasingly automated operations.”

Hands-On Learning to Maximize Uptime

Festo Didactic’s modular learning equipment gives technicians first-hand experience with the foundational building blocks of modern packaging lines. By combining real-world industrial components with simulated troubleshooting environments, technicians learn to diagnose, isolate and repair equipment issues before they cause costly production delays.

Festo Booth Demonstrations:

• Fluid Power: Vacuum and pneumatics systems maintenance
• Electrical & Control: Sensors, PLCs and electrical circuit fundamentals
• Diagnostics: Hardware and software simulation for real-time troubleshooting

"When a packaging line shuts down, every minute counts," said Troy Manley, Director of Sales for Festo USA. "By upskilling technicians in the latest automation technologies, in simulated learning environments, they gain the confidence and know-how to troubleshoot complex issues quickly, which ultimately decreases factory downtime and improves overall plant productivity. The PMMI Mechatronics certification program helps demonstrate these capabilities to employers."     

Schedule a consultation with a Festo expert at PACK EXPO to learn how to elevate your technical workforce capabilities and automation strategy.

Explore Festo's industrial workforce development resources to learn how manufacturers can assess workforce needs, build technical capabilities and prepare teams for evolving automation technologies.