MIS topped the show's 'Must See 'Ems' list, voted for by 16 leading industry consultants and trade magazine editors, of the six technologies deemed most important for printer survival in 2009 and beyond.

Ralph Nappi, president of the Graphic Arts Show Company (GASC), said: "Given the current financial crisis we're experiencing around the world, graphic communications professionals need to be able to invest wisely in technologies that offer them the most operational advantage for their investment dollars.

"Survival in this economy is not about finding the fanciest 'gee-whiz' gadgets that might wow clients for a limited period of time.

"Instead, the Executive Outlook Conference and the Must See 'Ems offer printers expert, considered advice about the technologies that will best aid them in growing and differentiating their businesses over the long term."

The other top technologies for this year's show, which is being held in Chicago's McCormick Place from 26-29 October, include IT competence, colour management, workflow, digital printing and web-to-print.

Four additional technologies made the list of second-tier survival technologies, dubbed 'Worth-A-Looks'. These were advances in offset lithography, the ability to use technology as a differentiator, computer-assisted materials management and integrated cross-media workflow or cross-media production capability.