It is fair to say the NEC has provided a secure and successful home for Ipex for the past three decades and the positive feedback from 2010 demonstrates Ipex’s winning formula. However, the industry is changing and now is the time to challenge this success, avoid complacency and push the boundaries. The growth of new media poses a considerable challenge to print and the numbers of printers are declining. Print service providers are therefore redefining their businesses and service offerings and Ipex needs to reflect these changes. Ipex 2014 must still deliver for its loyal visitor base, but equally it has to evolve and the move to London goes way beyond 2014.

Defining Ipex is challenging in itself, but I believe it must deliver some key fundamentals: inspiration, networking and new business opportunities, a technological innovation showcase and a chance for suppliers to generate sales as well as providing a platform for boosting the industry, attracting new talent and demonstrating the power of print to new audiences.

Multimillion-pound investment in the region’s transport infrastructure should address concerns about travelling to Excel, and the Olympic legacy giving London an even greater profile on the international stage will offer a tremendous boost in further attracting overseas visitors. Despite this, moving to London is a bold decision.  Staying at the NEC would have been the easier option, but Excel London gives us a blank canvas, and the chance to create a new and beneficial Ipex experience for traditional visitors and new audiences.

Proximity to the capital’s £21bn creative and media industry will provide a fresh base from which to draw this new audience of brand owners, creatives and marketers – customers of printers – to boost print’s status in the media mix. I also hope it will bring fresh talent and new ideas into the industry.

Ipex will remain a UK-based show, but London’s potential to expand international visitors will give a further boost to its leading position on the global events calendar. Furthermore, it means major manufacturers can call on international budgets and expand their visitor’s experience beyond the show floor.  The focus on international growth is also an investment in UK print as a whole, benefiting all UK stakeholders going forward, and I’m proud to be part of this new chapter.

For those who have queried ‘Düsseldorf or London’, I ask this: is visiting one global show every four years sufficient? Don’t let your business get left behind. Ipex 2014 in London provides that much-needed springboard for growth, not just for Ipex and the global industry, but also for every individual print business.

David Preskett, President, Ipex 2014