Managing director Peter Jolly said the show “exceeded expectations”, with the ratio of visitors to pre-registrations far higher than the debut event last year.
Duplo UK took orders worth £350,000, with a pipeline of a further £1m to follow up after the event at Royal Armouries in Leeds on 8 and 9 March. More than 160 people registered for the event.
First-time Duplo customer RouteOne Print invested in a DC-746 multifinisher to help it offer a new one-day express turnaround service for flyers and business cards.
Director Adam Carnell said: “At the moment everything goes through the guillotines and we wanted to separate this work out.
“Automation of the DC-746 set it apart from the other options: the speed of set-up and the variety of products we can put through it.
“Quality is another key: we had to make sure we couldn’t see a difference between our guillotine-cut products and the products the DC-746 produces.”
Duplo marketing manager Sarah Crumpler said: “The run-up to Drupa is always a difficult time as companies often hold off making purchasing decisions. But this year sales are on the increase.
“And unlike last year where people wanted to see smaller kit, this year our focus group told us they wanted bigger equipment, hence the attendance of suppliers like Friedheim. This implies companies are in a position to make larger purchases.”
Long-time Duplo client Stockport-based NHS-specialist SF Taylor bought an iSaddle to improve automation and drive more efficiencies through the business.
Managing director Simon Young said: “It was the perfect product to complement our business and support our continued investment strategy.”
Northern Lights drew together a number of additional technology partners, giving visitors the opportunity to take in advancements from paper through to industrial finishing.
“Our customer forum before the show indicated people wanted to see wider finishing applications and industrial finishing,” said Jolly.
“We ran a ‘clinic’ style area for operators, where users of our System 5000 booklet system and our technical staff were able to help customers achieve best practice in running their finishing kit.”
