Business News
The Print Show set for record year as organisers confirm additional floorspace at NEC
Tuesday 27. March 2018 - The Print Show 2018 is set to smash a number of records after organisers confirmed that additional floorspace has been made available for the event due to an incredible demand for exhibition space at the show.
Taking place from September 18th to 20th at the NEC in Birmingham, The Print Show 2018 will be the fourth edition of what is now regarded as the UKs leading print event.
A host of leading brands have already signed up to appear at the show this year, including HP, EFI, Hybrid Services (Mimaki), Morgana Systems, Vivid Laminating Systems), CMYUK, Renz, Premier Paper, Spandex, Peleman Industries (formerly Unibind) and Perfect Bindery solutions.
In recent weeks, organisers have added a number of other leadings names to the exhibitor list for this years show. The likes of Duplo, Friedheim International, Two Sides / Print Power, Denmaur Independent Papers, Amaya, Encore, Venture Banners, A Star Binding Supplies and Smart Print have all signed up.
With demand for stand space now at an all-time high, organisers have moved to expand floorspace for The Print Show this year, allowing as many companies to exhibit and showcase their solutions as possible. The whole of Hall 9 at the NEC will now be dedicated to The Print Show, meaning that this years event will be bigger than ever.
Initial plans had been for The Print Show to take place alongside The Sign Show, in a move that mirrored last years partnership with SignLink Live. However, due to the ongoing expansion of The Print Show, organisers have moved to postpone The Sign Show until 2019.
Chris Davies, director of The Print Show, explains: “The Print Show 2018 has had some fantastic early traction, with many major brands having confirmed their places at the event in September. After a really successful show at the International Centre in Telford last year, our relocation back to the NEC for this year has been a popular move.
“This has meant we have been able to expand the show to now take up the whole of Hall 9 at the NEC. While this means that The Print Show will be bigger than ever before, it does unfortunately mean that we will have to postpone The Sign Show until 2019.
“A section of the hall had been allocated to accommodate The Sign Show after its successful debut alongside The Print Show last year as SignLink Live. However, with demand for exhibition space at The Print Show so high, we now need the entire hall for the event.
“As Hall 10 next door is not available this year to host The Sign Show, it is with a heavy heart that we are postponing the event for 12 months. However, we have confirmed with the NEC that Hall 10 will be available alongside Hall 9 next year, so we will be able to run both events at a much larger scale.”
Educating the UK print industry
Finishing specialist Friedheim International is one of the many recent sign-ups for The Print Show 2018, confirming its stand at the event and also agreeing to sponsor the Printers Bazaar special in-show feature.
Speaking about Friedheims return, Mark Bristow, managing director, says the company is keen to spread the word about some of its latest technologies and how these can benefit show visitors.
“Our main goal is to educate UK customers in the full range of equipment we distribute,” Bristow says, adding: “Yes we are very well known in the UK for high speed folders, guillotines and laminators, but how many customers know we have a separate converting division, or even a Packaging division?
“We want to show printers what they can do with the latest offerings from KAMA, Komfi, Beck Packautomaten, Bograma to name a few manufacturers who produce the very best machines in their respective fields but have smaller profiles in the UK market than they should.
“Our job, our goal is to show visitors how much can be added to their portfolio of service they offer their customerswhere they need to invest in their next buying cycle.”
Bristow also spoke about Friedheims backing of the Printers Bazaar and how this will fit in with its own goals.
“By sponsoring the Printers Bazaar, Friedheim will be able to showcase applications that our machines can produce in a way that a stand filled with machines wont be able to,” Bristow says.
“Well be able to have real conversations with customers in regards to their own products and what our equipment can achieve for their workflow and add an extra dimension to their print.
“The Print and Packaging zone is the perfect spot for us at this moment in time since its the sector we know Printers are looking into more and more. Our converting manufacturers perfectly placed to deal with any questions and requests customers would have for this new, exciting and hugely open market.”
Meanwhile, Duplo has opted to double its stand size at The Print Show this year in order to showcase more of its products and solutions to the thousands of visitors set to attend.
The finishing specialist is a long-term supporter of the event and after another successful attendance at last years show in Telford, will return this year as the exhibition switches back to the NEC in Birmingham.
Andy Benson, managing director at Duplo UK, says the floorplan for The Print Show 2018 is already strong and with plenty more sign-ups expected ahead of Septembers event, believe the exhibition will attract a varied audience.
“We like to support the UK industry events and did so with The Print Show in 2017,” Benson said.
“Being back at the NEC is clearly an advantage for most given its transport links, and we have agreed to take a stand more than double the size of last years to ensure we can show a good representation of the categories and brands we represent in the UK.
“We would hope as many suppliers sign up as possible. It becomes increasingly difficult to drag prospective customers away from the harsh commercial reality of 12/24hr deadlines in their businesses, so with a comprehensive and varied supplier base, any visitor should achieve a real return on their time investment away from their day to day environment.
“From what Ive seen, a decent array of brands have already committed, and if we can build variety we will attract a broader and more varied potential client base to see us all at the NEC.”
Benson also offered a preview as to what visitors can expect from Duplo at The Print Show 2018.
“We will of course share the art of the possible with Sensory touch through our DuSense product, offering a true differentiator to any quality printer seeking to stand out from the crowd,” Benson said.
“We have one or two new innovations which we plan to showcase, but will share those nearer the time!! With a double sized stand, come and see what you might find to help you with your finishing pinch points.”
Elsewhere, Two Sides and Print Power have also signed up to exhibit at The Print Show for the fourth consecutive year, praising the annual event for its ability to “showcase innovation”.
The two organisations work tirelessly to champion the use of printed products in the modern world.
While Print Power promotes the use and effectiveness of print media in a multi-channel world, Two Sides aims to dispel the myth that paper and printed work are not sustainable.
Speaking about the decision to sign up to exhibit at The Print Show again this year, Tandy Wakeford, events and membership manager at Two Sides and Print Power, comments: “Two Sides and Print Power have supported The Print Show since its inception; it is a great event showcasing innovation, the effectiveness and opportunities for print.
“The last event was very positive. Not only did we have the chance to engage with many of our stakeholders and members, we were able to discuss the campaigns with hundreds of visitorsmany whom became members as a consequence of the show.”
A platform for new technologies
Meanwhile, Intec Printing Solutions has revealed plans to display a selection of new kit at this years edition of The Print Show, after confirming its place at the event for the fourth consecutive year.
The company has exhibited at The Print Show since the exhibition launched in 2015, following the event to the International Centre in Telford last year and back again to the NEC in Birmingham for this year.
Reflecting on this long-term support, Ian Melville, managing director at Intec, comments: “The Print Show, since its inception, has drawn customers that are undoubtedly looking to invest in new equipment.
“It provides us with a platform to engage with customers and inform them of who we are and what we can offer them to improve their profitability. We have acquired some fantastic new business from our attendance at the show, as we do year on year, so there was no question for us about exhibiting again this year.”
Looking ahead to this year, Melville sets out Intecs initial plans for its stand at the event, which will feature a selection of new and upgraded products.
“We will be presenting a new mini version of ColorFlare and upgrades to the flagship CF1000XL model with increased pressure for better quality foiling and finishes, on a wider range of papers, with higher speeds for greater productivity,” Melville explains.
“Intec will also be introducing enhanced versions of our flatbed cutters with productivity improvements with auto feeding ColorCut Flatbeds.
“In addition to the new products we will continue to demonstrate our ColorSplash printers with new colour toners.”
Elsewhere, A Star Binding Supplies plans to use The Print Show as a platform to showcase the “excellent quality” of its kit, focusing on a new punching machine that will have its UK debut at the event.
Vina Thakerar from A Star says: “The exhibition is where all the companies who use printing consumables come; they can now see what A Star Binding Supplies can do in the UK. We need to generate revenue and compete with other companies supplying binding machines and consumables in UK.
“We are showing punching and binding at The Print Show. We are now able to supply punching machine (for A4 and A3 paper), calendar binding machine and consumables. This is the first time A Star will be showing the machines in UK.”