Over 200 companies registered in advance for the event with ‘a significant number’ of unregistered visitors arriving on each of the six days, according to event organisers.
It was the fourth consecutive running of the event, which was held from 7-9 and 21-23 October at Apex Digital Graphics’ Hemel Hempstead showroom.
“Apex has taken orders of well over £1m at Print Efficiently 2014. This included a Ryobi press with LED-UV but we also had orders and enquiries across our entire product range including Konica Minolta digital equipment and Screen CTP,” said Apex managing director Bob Usher.
“Print Efficiently is now well established as an annual event and continues to go from strength to strength. The show format is popular among visitors as they can see the latest technology in a relaxed environment and gather the latest industry ideas while they are here, not just by viewing equipment but also by participating in a seminar or networking with like-minded people.”
IFS, the show’s other core partner, also had a successful show with orders in excess of £250,000. “We took orders for two AF-406 pharmaceutical folders, two Foliant Gemini laminators, a Horizon BQ-280 PUR perfect binder and a Horizon SPF-200/FC-200 bookletmaker,” said IFS joint managing director Bryan Godwyn.
“It was a very worthwhile exercise. The event is developing its own brand, the location is superb for customers and suppliers alike and we’re already talking about next year.
“Customers from all over the UK came along and the feedback was excellent. It was definitely the busiest Print Efficiently so far, which we think reflects both the popularity of the show but also a greater confidence in the industry at large.”
Renz, which returned to the show after a two-year absence, also reported brisk activity. Managing director Iain Bullock said: “We sold a Renz P500 E Heavy Duty Punch with two punching dies and a Renz MOBI 500 automated spool fed wire binding machine with Renz KA 300 calendar hanger insertion amounting to an order worth £34,000, which came as a direct result of Print Efficiently.”
Colourbyte, the event’s wide-format partner, showed a range of Epson products at the show for the first time. Managing director Tim Stockley said: “Several proofing solutions were sold at the show and our demonstration Inkjet Imagesetter solution producing screen film positives was shipped straight from the show to a new customer. Our Hemel Hempstead showroom is now booked for follow up demos on the Epson Solvent printers.”
Apex and IFS also partnered with Proskills to print and finish 3,000 student workbooks for its education initiative PrintIT! during the second week of the show.
A group of 16 GCSE and A-Level students from Riddlesdown School, Croydon visited the event to see equipment in action as an aid to their Design and Technology courses that incorporate the PrintIT! module.
“That was a fantastic day because the students were so enthusiastic and you could see that they had never seen these machines running before. We hope that it’s inspired a few of them because they’re the sort of people we need in the industry,” said Godwyn.
Print Efficiently 2014 covered most aspects of commercial print from web2print, MIS, colour measurement and consumables, through to litho, digital and wide-format print and finishing. Other partners included Vpress, Shuttleworth, CyanX, TSS, PDC, KAS Paper Systems and Premier Paper.
