George Clarke, president of Ipex 2010 and Heidelberg UK managing director, declared it the "recovery show" and the "most important Ipex everforourindustry".

"It has been busy and had a real vibrancy. It has shown itself once again to be a truly international event," he said.

Ipex 2010 event director Trevor Crawford added: "Ipex has played a key role in reigniting the global industry and everyone tells us the event has come at the right time to be a catalyst for the market."

The success of the show was a welcome contrast to the past two lean years, although manufacturers had little idea prior to the NEC doors opening that customers would be ready to spend.

Komori European marketing manager Philip Dunn said: "We had a slightly low expectation, but people have been coming with an open mind after spending the last two years just staring at their balance sheets."

This willingness to invest was evident in the number of deals done at Ipex, with exhibitors across NEC selling equipment and software in record numbers.

"On the eve of the last day, we have taken orders for 140 printing units for the UK alone, including several for our new B1 press, the Speedmaster CX 102," said Clarke. One unnamed exhibitor happily announced: "We have sold all our capacity for 2010, so now we need to go to the beach!"

One of the main talking points at the show was the coming of age of digital, which outstripped litho's floorspace for the first time at Ipex 2010. HP, which had the largest stand at the show at almost 3,000m2, sold in excess of 100 Indigo presses alone at the exhibition.

Alon Bar-Shany, HP vice-president and general manager, Indigo digital press division, said: "Ipex 2010 has sounded a note of cautious optimism. At Drupa, people were in denial."

Xerox also reported more than 100 Ipex sales, led by the iGen4, the new Colour 1000 Press and the "ever-popular Xerox 700" among others.

Tracy Yelencsics, vice-president of production products and programs, said she had been impressed by the "number and quality of contracts signed at the show".

This was echoed by Canon Europe's professional print director and Ipex 2014 president David Preskett. He said that the firm's sales had surpassed 2006, but "the key thing is that every visitor walked away with new ideas for their business".