Greetings from the show floor at Ipex, where the build-up has reached a critical stage as the countdown clock ticks down ahead of tomorrow's opening. It's a frenzy of activity here.

I've now walked around every hall and can say with hand on heart the show is looking ABSOLUTELY GREAT. From a visitor point-of-view the layout and navigation really is miles better than it was in 2006. What's more exhibitors large and small have come up with some really stunning booths and compelling displays. And there is a huge amount of new and interesting stuff to see here - some of which I'm sure we don't even know about yet.

So. The exhibition looks great, IIR have done a terrific job in getting more than 70,000 visitors to pre-register, and now we have this damned volcanic ash back again and the likelihood of strike action by BA staff. Nightmare.

Hopefully the ash will dissipate quickly and disruption will be minimal, but the fact that international attendees could find their plans stymied makes it more important than ever that print businesses based here in the UK make the effort to come along. It is, after all, the biggest event in print this year. And it's here.

The layout being as it is, it is perfectly possible for someone interested in, say, finishing to do a time-efficient day trip to the NEC to blitz that sector without the need for overnight accommodation, too. Or even a couple of day trips spread out over the course of the show.

And look at it this way, if international visitors numbers are low for the first couple of days there will be even more time and attention available for domestic visitors.

I repeat my assertion that it will be impossible for anyone to attend this show without learning something useful and coming away with at least one good idea, and quite probably a whole clutch of them. So please come.