HBA reborn with ingredients focus

HBA has been running for 15 years now, but in recent years the event has faced criticism that it has had too much of an emphasis on the packaging aspect of the industry. Packaging often represents higher margins for many manufactures, hence the greater prominence it often seems to take at international events that sometimes seem to overshadow ingredients. Redressing the balance, the event's organizers have decided to re-launch the event as the HBA Global Expo, which will also feature a focused educational programme aimed at informing industry professionals about innovations and developments within the industry. Likewise, the re-emphasis on the ingredients aspect of the industry will see the event organizers collaborate with another branch of the CMP group, CMPi Ingredients Events. CMPi holds international ingredients events that serve the pharmaceutical, food and health industries. The collaboration will also be a new departure for CMPi, extending its capabilities into the cosmetics and personal care arena. Likewise, the HBA Global Expo organizers claim that by tapping into the experience provided by CMPi in the ingredients field, it will be able to position the event as the first of its kind in North America to platform the growing convergence of cosmetics and ingestable foods. This has manifested itself in the form of a new category known as nutricosmetics, which, although still small, is fast-growing as new launches continue to proliferate. "Attendees will be able to spend their time at the event more efficiently and be totally immersed in the entire business of beauty, health and wellness," said Jay Gorga, event director for HBA Global Expo. "Innovative solutions in the various stages of product development will be strategically platformed at HBA and the enhanced conference program, new product showcases and the exhibit floor presentation theater will spotlight the latest trends and emphasize future industry directions." The event is scheduled to take place on September 18-20, 2007, at the Jacob K. Javits Convention Center in New York City, some two weeks before its European rival, the Beyond Beauty expo, is due to open its doors in Paris.