So back in 2015 when PrintWeek first seriously began looking at whether the UK industry needed a dedicated UK show the first thing we realised was that we would need to thoroughly research the market to answer two simple questions: does the industry want a dedicated UK show and, if it does, what should it look like? Because building a field of dreams wasn’t an option.
So we surveyed just under 1,100 printers and buyers, 1,089 to be precise, and the good news is a resounding 97% of you had attended an exhibition and 88% felt that there was a need for a focused UK event.
But those are just two of the of the hundreds of statistics that we gleaned from our research, because while they answered our first question we also wanted to know what an unmissable UK print show would look like.
“When you look at what makes a successful show, the common factors are that they are designed by the visitors and exhibitors and constantly evolve,” says Ed Tranter, managing director of PrintWeek-Live! organiser MA Exhibitions, part of PrintWeek publisher Mark Allen Group.
“So we asked the PrintWeek audience dozens of more detailed questions about what ‘good’ looked like in an exhibition, and then we analysed the responses and followed up with phone interviews – and those findings will shape PrintWeekLive!.”
So what were those findings?
In essence they were that visitors wanted an event that is filled with the latest technology and applications from the leading manufacturers, suppliers and resellers and content featuring business leaders from inside and outside of print and rich in best practice.
Basically PrintWeek, but live (can you see what we did there?).
“Introducing knowledgeable experts from outside our industry for keynote sessions on innovation, technology and good business practice will provide a fresh perspective,” says Real Digital International managing director David Laybourne.
“Blending this broad view with a mix of established manufacturers and suppliers showcasing innovation and smart working practices will create a well-balanced event that I look forward to attending.”
And Laybourne is far from alone in wanting to hear from experts from outside the industry. It was mentioned by many respondents.
Highlighting the latest technology and applications is also crucially important.
When it comes to what makes people decide to attend an event, unsurprisingly three-quarters highlighted finding out about new products and technology, but almost half of the respondents said that networking with their peers, buyers and exhibitors was also key.
“Print always says that it’s a ‘people industry’ and here’s a good chance to meet a fair few of them,” said Toyota (GB) print buyer Weldon Molony.
“I will be looking forward to seeing a good mix of quality products from their proud manufacturers, to see and hear where they think they add the value in business, experience the innovation that’s out there and network with other buyers from the UK.”
We also wanted to find out what stops people from attending events too, because despite having the best of intentions many people don’t always visit an event they planned to.
The increasing demands on business leaders’ time are well documented and 61% of those surveyed said that the main reason they hadn’t attended a show in the past was that they simply didn’t have the time when the event came. This tallied with the fact that very few people said they attended an event for more than one-day.
“I get impatient quite quickly and so I want less flannel and bureaucracy and more pointed, informative discussion and instant decision-making,” said Integrity Print managing director Mark Cornford.
This led us to identify that visitors needed a show where it’s possible to see the latest technology, hear thought-provoking content and be able to network all in one single visit.
So PrintWeekLive! will have a show floor bristling with the latest kit and applications from the leading manufacturers, suppliers and resellers, a keynote conference featuring inspirational business speakers from inside and outside of print and workshops that will share best practice tips and practical advice.
It will be an event that will inspire visitors, show the latest innovations and initiate thoughts and discussions that will benefit their businesses.
However, to create a successful annual event befitting of the industry by showing the power of print in its many guises to printers, buyers and designers then it needs to work for the exhibitors too.
So after listening to what the visitors wanted and creating a concept based on those needs, before we took the decision to launch PrintWeekLive! we took our proposed show model and our detailed research to some of the leading manufacturers to hear their thoughts.
And the great news is that, with very few exceptions, the manufacturers we spoke to wholeheartedly supported the concept, the methodology and the fact that PrintWeek had the history, the credibility, the reach and the marketing data to deliver an event that will inspire, innovate and initiate and make the industry proud.
Which means that before PrintWeek-Live! even launched we were lucky enough to have five of the UK’s leading suppliers as our key partners: Antalis, Duplo, Heidelberg, Tharstern and Xerox.
While this is fantastic start, it’s just the beginning. Over the next few months we will be engaging with the wider supplier community to ensure the show floor is a true reflection of our exciting industry.
And then we’ll start work on putting together a truly inspirational conference and workshop programme to ensure that we make good on our promise to build an event based on what the industry wants: because 95% of you said that if we built that, then you would come.
ABOUT THE SHOW
When 8-9 March 2017
Where Jaguar Exhibition Hall, Wasps Arena, Coventry
Opening times
Wednesday 8 March, 10am to 5pm (conference starts 9.15am)
Thursday 9 March 10am to 5pm (conference starts 9.15am)
Entry fee Free, including car parking and Wi-Fi
More info www.printweeklive.com
ABOUT THE ORGANISER
PrintWeek is part of the Mark Allen Group. PrintWeekLive! will be organised by MA Exhibitions (MAX), our award-winning exhibition business.
The Mark Allen Group comprises more than 70 business, manufacturing, medical and consumer media brands.
Within MAX’s portfolio there are 14 large-scale events – ranging from a few thousand metres up to the 14,000m2 Optrafair event – spread across sectors including electronics, manufacturing and engineering and communications and, now, print.
In the past four years, MAX shows have won PPA Event of the Year and PPA Launch of the Year, not to mention two high commendations.
SIX REASONS TO ATTEND PRINTWEEKLIVE! 2017
- To see and hear everything you need under one roof PrintWeekLive! will showcase the latest technology and applications, and share new business thinking, advice and great networking opportunities
- To learn about best practice Conference and workshop sessions, covering everything from the production of print to the business of print, will offer hints and tips from leading manufacturers, industry experts and business leaders from inside and outside the world of print
- To check out the latest technology and applications The show floor will be packed with an impressive range of the latest print technology and experts from the leading manufacturers and suppliers will be on hand with helpful advice on how you can improve your business
- To make business boosting connections Book yourself onto our conference and workshop sessions and quiz industry experts and business leaders from inside and outside the world of print about how they overcame or, perhaps, embraced their business challenges
- To win new business PrintWeekLive! has been designed for all segments of the industry: printers, buyers and vendors. A chance encounter with a like-minded visitor across a crowded show floor or seminar theatre could be the beginning of a beautiful relationship
- Because the best ideas don’t come from sitting behind a desk If Sir Isaac Newton had been slaving away over calculations instead of taking five under an apple tree then he may have been just another physicist. Inspiration comes when we break routine and open ourselves to new experiences that can inspire, innovate and initiate
FAQs
Will there be kit at the show? Absolutely. The latest technology being on the show floor will be integral to PrintWeekLive! along with conference and workshop sessions.
How is it different then? Simply because the show’s format has been based on extensive research among potential visitors and exhibitors. The traditional print show-format hasn’t changed for decades: but the industry’s needs have changed significantly and will continue to evolve.
Do we really need another UK event? Our research highlights that the UK print community wants a sustainable event. By listening to all the stake-holders we have created a show that’s fit for purpose, answers the needs of visitors and exhibitors and will be a credit to the entire industry by promoting the power of print to the widest possible audience.
But surely it will compete with other events? That’s not the plan. We partner with many shows across the UK and Europe and will continue to do so. We are building a show based on research and experience that we believe offers something unique to the UK market and that’s why we’re proud to do it under the PrintWeek banner. Competing events, like competing media brands or competing printers, co-exist by offering something different and focusing on their own customer needs, not their rivals’ offerings.
What if I just want to attend the conference and workshop sessions? We will structure the pre- registered sessions so that you have ample opportunity to visit the show floor during your visit, because you said that you want to see the great innovations and applications as well as hear great speakers.
But won’t the workshop sessions simply be sales pitches from the exhibitors? No, because we all know that doesn’t benefit the visitors or the exhibitors. PrintWeek will have the same editorial standards at the event as it does in print and we’ll work with the workshop sponsors to ensure their presentations are valuable. Also, the workshop sessions are only one aspect of the content programme. PrintWeek will put together a conference programme featuring business and technology experts and leaders from inside and outside of print.
Why only two days? Because our research shows that the vast majority of visitors only attend a UK event for one day. Equally, so that the event will be sustainable for exhibitors, with the build-up, show days and breakdown all included in the normal working week.
Does that mean that there won’t be the massive stands that dominate some shows? The maximum stand size is 54m2 either shell scheme or self-build. Big enough to show a selection of kit, but small enough to build and install in two days. We all know that even on the biggest stands at a show like Drupa the chances of the exact model in the exact configuration that you need being on display are pretty slim. But we also know from our research that visitors want to see machines in action. But the research also demonstrated that in the vast majority of cases, seeing a machine at a show is just the beginning: it’s an opportunity to see and hear what a technology can do, start a conversation about your business needs, and arrange a follow up discussion or site visit. Nobody needs a 1,000m2 stand to start a conversation.
So how big will the show be? Up to 6,000m2 in total
Who is exhibiting? We want to work with everyone in the industry and we already have some great partners on board in the shape of Antalis, Duplo, Heidelberg, Tharstern and Xerox who all committed to the show pre-launch as headline sponsors.
How often will it run? Annually.
Will PrintWeekLive! have any impact on the PrintWeek Awards? Absolutely none. The Awards will continue to celebrate the best in UK print in the autumn and PrintWeekLive! will highlight the possibilities in UK print in the spring.
How can I find out more? Visit www.printweeklive.com
RESEARCH MATTERS!
In the autumn of 2015, PrintWeek began a quantitative research project to discover if the UK print industry wanted a national show, and if it did, what that show would look like.
After the respondents were filtered, the survey had been completed by just under 1,100 individual printers and buyers.
A selection of the findings from the 33 question survey were:
• 85% of respondents were final decision-makers
• 10% had budgets sign off in excess of £5m
• 16% had budgets sign off between £1m and £5m
• 89% had made purchasing decisions based on what they had seen in PrintWeek
• 97% attend exhibitions
• 88% felt there was a need for a focused national event
• 95% would attend an event organised by PrintWeek
The findings were used in the next qualitative stage of the research, in which we met with key manufacturers and suppliers and shared some of our initial research to see if the show described by potential visitors resonated with them.
We then went back to some of the printer and buyer participants in the initial research to add further detail and ask some of the additional questions thrown up by our meetings with suppliers.
The result of that six-month research project will be PrintWeekLive!.
ABOUT THE VENUE
The Jaguar Exhibition Hall at the Wasps Arena, Coventry is one of the UK’s leading exhibition venues. In the coming months the site, formerly known as the Ricoh Arena, will undergo a major rebrand.
The modern facility offers a 6,000m2 pillarless exhibition hall as well as a range of conference rooms catering for hundreds of delegates – PrintWeekLive! will take over the entire venue, which will be dressed to the highest standard to ensure that for two days next March the venue will truly reflect the power of print.
The venue is easily accessible from all over the UK whether it be by car or public transport. By train it’s only 50 minutes from London or 15 minutes from Birmingham and via car it’s only half a mile from a main motorway hub. The site also features 2,000 on site car parking spaces, which will be free for visitors to PrintWeekLive!.
PrintWeekLive! visitors will also have free access to the venue’s Wi-Fi network.
As well as the Jaguar Exhibition Hall, the Wasps Arena site also features a Double Tree by Hilton hotel and a further 2,000 hotel rooms are only minutes away by car. The site also boasts a number of restaurants and bars, including one of the UK’s largest casino venues, Grosvenor Casino Coventry.
In short, the Wasps arena is the perfect venue for exhibitors and visitors alike, and for two days every March from 2017 it will be the new home for the UK print industry.
OUR HEADLINE SPONSORS
Antalis UK
Bruce Munro, national sales director: As the leading European distributor of paper, packaging solutions and visual communication products, Antalis is delighted to be associated with PrintWeekLive! 2017. As the ‘go-to’ information resource for the industry, PrintWeek has researched the market to establish a focused national event and, as a sponsor, Antalis will be on-hand to share our extensive industry, product and service experience and knowledge with delegates throughout all aspects of the show.
Duplo UK
Sarah Crumpler, UK marketing manager: Duplo always engages with customers and actively uses their feedback to shape its own events, such as London Calling and Northern Lights. PrintWeek has the same ethos. While we will continue to support other shows, including running our own, we’re proud to be a founding sponsor of PrintWeekLive!, which we are confident will have a major presence in the UK.
Heidelberg UK
Gerard Heanue, managing director: Heidelberg UK has long recognised that a UK trade show is needed but wanted to find an organisation that could bring a fresh and professional approach. We believe that the Mark Allen Group will do just that. As the publisher of PrintWeek it has a thorough understanding of the market and it has a dedicated exhibition division. But, most importantly, it has a clear strategy based not on what it believes the market wants, but on thorough market research. We think the venue is right for visitors from around the UK and we are very excited to have signed up for the first PrintWeekLive! in March 2017.
Tharstern
Keith McMurtrie, managing director: Being a global market leader with the number one MIS product in the UK, it felt natural for us to show our support for PrintWeekLive! and be a headline sponsor. We’re very passionate about the printing industry – it’s where our company was created, where many of our staff have worked and where our family and friends still do. So we’re delighted to be supporting an event that will help the companies within it prosper and grow. We look forward to being a part of the inaugural PrintWeekLive! show and helping to educate its visitors about MIS, print software and integrated workflows.
Xerox
Mike Holyoake, country general manager UK & Netherlands: As the global leader in digital cut-sheet technology, Xerox has always led the wave of change in the graphics industry in partnership with its customers. And based on that experience, we see two intrinsically linked areas for print businesses to consider when deciding upon their future investment plans: automation and innovation. While the benefits of end-to-end automation are obvious, just as important is the the need to innovate. And the best way for printers to achieve that is through partnerships with their suppliers and customers, because at the centre of all true innovation is collaboration. And that is why we are proud to be a headline sponsor of PrintWeekLive!.
