Key industries members and trade press were in attendance to hear the major exhibition announcement
The Print Show has hailed the success of a recent press open day in London, with organisers using the special event to announce that Konica Minolta has signed up to exhibit at the inaugural edition of the show later this year.
Taking place at Birmingham's NEC from October 13th to 15th, The Print Show will give manufacturers and suppliers the opportunity to promote their products and solutions to the UK market. With a number of key trade bodies and speakers also due to attend, visitors will be able to quiz some of the industry's best minds over best business practices and possible diversification opportunities.
With the show already generating plenty of talk in all quarters of the industry, this interest is likely to increase further after organisers staged a special open day for members of the trade press and industry organisations at the Aqua restaurant on London's Regent Street.
Those in attendance were treated to a selection of afternoon drinks and a range of tasty canapés, while also being able to network with other visitors and quiz The Print Show team about the latest goings-on in the run-up to the event this October. Visitors also had the opportunity to experience Oculus Rift Virtual Reality technology, which will also feature at The Print Show later this year.
Commitment from key players
However, the highlight of the day for many was hearing the news that Konica Minolta has signed up to exhibit at The Print Show. The digital print giant has taken one of the largest stands at the event and will be showcasing a range of technology.
Speaking about the news, event director Chris Davies says he is delighted to have secured the signature of another key player in the print market and will now work with the Konica Minolta team to ensure they get the best out of their appearance at the show.
"Konica Minolta is not just a name known across the print world, but also other industries outside of our own market," Davies said. He added: "Obviously it's great to have yet another big name commit to the show as this demonstrates just how much such companies think about the event.
"If we're being honest, companies like Konica Minolta wouldn't be signing up to The Print Show and associating their brands with it if they didn't think it was relevant or wouldn't be a success in the current market. We're delighted to have their support and I'm looking forward to working with them ahead of the show in October."
Commitment to The Print Show
Other highlights on the day included an informative round table debate with various key members of the industry. Chaired by well-known industry expert Catherine Carter, the session addressed the current state of the industry and the impact that The Print Show could have.
Gareth Parker, strategic marketing manager for production print at Ricoh, was one key figure to feature at the roundtable. Speaking shortly before the session, he once again reiterated Ricoh's commitment to The Print Show, explaining that the manufacturer has a number of big plans for the event.
Parker said: "The reason why we're backing The Print show is that it's a great time for Ricoh in particular, following our New Dawn event last October. What we're going to be showing on our stand amongst other things will be the Pro C9100 flagship series, the Pro C7100 series and other new applications that we're going to be announcing to the market at the show."
Martin Hawley, director sheetfed service at Manroland, was also invited to take part in the session, using his appearance to explain the reasons behind the firm's decision to exhibit at The Print Show.
Hawley said: "As we've seen, especially in the UK, there has been a demise of industry shows, so it's really important that the British print industry gets together in one place as a focal point for the event so that they can network. It also gives us the opportunity to give people a visualisation of our new products."
Increasing interest from the industry
The event attracted interest from all quarters of the print industry; ranging from trade media including Outlook and Digital Printer through to key trade bodies such as the IPIA, BAPC, The Printing Charity, Two Sides/PrintPower, and the BPIF.
Amy Hutchinson, marketing director at the BPIF, reiterated the federation's commitment to The Print Show, praising the organising tram for their work in preparation for this year's inaugural event.
Hutchinson added: "Exhibitions that have relevant stands and engaging content are great for drawing people out of their businesses and getting them networking. They are an excellent way for business to talk to new customers and also reaffirm their relationship with existing customers.
"I think the UK printing industry definitely needs an annual show that encourages information sharing and networking. In an industry that is evolving so quickly, I think it's so important the business keep up to date with the latest trends and technologies.
"We think it's really important to facilitate events that will benefit our members and the industry as a whole."
Luke Stoneham, sales manager for The Print Show, was also on hand at the open day to answer visitors' questions. Reflecting back on the event, he said there was plenty of positivity from those in attendance regarding the show later this year.
Stoneham said: "The feedback we got on the day was really positive; everyone I spoke to seemed to be very upbeat about the show and what it will bring to the UK market. Everyone was also very impressed with the fact we have managed to get Konica Minolta on board and believe it will generate a lot of buzz over the next two months or so in the lead up to the event in October."
