GASC president Ralph Nappi stressed that, despite the fact the show falls within eight months of next year's Ipex, there was still value in attending for UK printers.

He said: "From an attendee standpoint, if digital equipment and if pre-press software are an important part of your livelihood, then you should come to Print 09.

"All the big companies in those sectors will be here and be here in a big way, because this is their home base. They will show the biggest and best they have."

Nappi argued that the likes of Xerox, EFI, Cannon and HP would all be able to dedicate more resources to the Chicago-based trade show than Ipex because the US is their home market.

"They will have the ability to send the best equipment and best staff," he said. "They will have resources here that they can't afford to send all over the world. This is the place where they will want to shine."

Nappi added that the show was currently about 75% full, thanks in part to a "stimulus package" launched by the GASC last month in a bid to counteract the recession and in response to concerns over the number of big suppliers to the print industry who were considering downsizing their space at the show and bringing less equipment.

The scheme, which is expected to cost the GASC in the region of $3m, means that exhibitors need only get their equipment to the dock and leave it to the show organisers to pay for the transport to the show and back again.

For smaller exhibitors who have no need for this final mile-style delivery service, the GASC is offering up to $5.50 per sq ft to pay for the transportation of stand displays and other equipment to the McCormick Place exhibition centre.

Nappi said: "It's going to be smaller than Print 05, but all the major players will be there and in a very effective way. We've had very few cancellations and very few downsizing, which is a testament to how well-received our stimulus package has been.

"People come to trade shows to see the latest technology, especially running equipment, and there was a concern that people would be disappointed and that that would hurt [Graph Expo] for 2010 and 2011.

"We had to secure the show for future years and make sure that attendees wanted to come back and that's why we launched the stimulus package, which has been very effective."

According to Nappi, because the GASC is a trade association rather than a commercial organisation, it is in a position to take a more long-term view than most show organisers.

"Don't get me wrong, we want to make money but we're a non-profit organisation, so therefore we're happy to take the hit for the good of the show," added Nappi.