Last year, the show’s seventh edition, it welcomed nearly 4,000 visitors, the largest proportion of whom were from commercial printing businesses.
Event director Chris Davies says this year’s three-day show, to be held over 17-19 September at the NEC in Birmingham, will be the biggest yet. There were 71 exhibitors signed up, as this issue went to press, and the organisers expect to top last year’s total of 97 by the time the show opens.
NEED TO KNOW
When: Tuesday 17 to Thursday 19 September
Where: Hall 17, NEC, Birmingham
Opening hours: 17-18 September: 10am to 5pm; 19 September: 10am to 4pm
Where to stay: The NEC is well served by hotels and show organisers say they will be unveiling some accommodation deals in the coming weeks
More information: theprintshow.co.uk
Print Show Gala Party
The Print Show Gala Party will be held at the National Motorcycle Museum, a stone’s throw from the NEC, on the evening of 18 September. This is a ticketed event limited to 300 people and must be booked in advance. Price: £69
“The Print Show always strives to improve and grow the event year on year,” says Davies, “and this year is no different. The high calibre of exhibitors already confirmed for the show has been noted by several companies deciding to exhibit this year for the first time.”
Big names on the exhibitor list include Agfa, Fujifilm, Mimaki – as represented by UK distributor Hybrid Services – Konica Minolta, SwissQprint, InkTec, eProductivity Software, Mutoh and more.
“The Print Show provides a space to get in front of all the latest technologies, from the hardware recently launched at Drupa and Fespa, to demos of the latest software developments, to chatting with trade printers to find out how they could enable them to add more to their offerings and diversify into new markets,” adds Davies.
In the post-Covid expo landscape, the return of in-person events has been hailed by exhibitors and visitors alike, and Davies says this is reflected by those participating at The Print Show. “This is due to the ability to showcase and demonstrate technologies face-to-face, display various applications, and to really delve deep into the latest developments in real time on the show floor,” he says.
“Software providers will be running live demonstrations of their latest launches; hardware manufacturers and resellers will be running presses live across the three days; and trade printers will be on hand to meet with new customers and to discuss their capabilities and offerings.
“There is no other environment where you are able to access all these resources, from such a variety of brands, in a single space, other than at trade shows. Being the only UK show dedicated to the entire print industry also means The Print Show is well positioned to provide this experience to our UK market which may not have been able to travel to Europe for larger shows.
“The benefit of localised events across Europe has been highlighted by exhibitors such as Agfa, and this was something that influenced the company’s decision to exhibit this year at The Print Show.”
In terms of prominent show themes, Davies says feedback from exhibitors suggests diversification, sustainability and the demonstration of applications will be high on the agenda.
Bumper year
Of course, 2024 has been a busy year for events, what with Fespa in March and Drupa in June, but Davies says this has worked to Print Show’s advantage, with manufacturers already geared up for expos and keen to present their wares to the UK industry close up.
“The benefit of The Print Show being the only UK show dedicated to all corners of the print industry is that manufacturers are using the show to demonstrate their new launches to the UK market,” says Davies.
“This can be seen with Agfa, SwissQprint, Vivid Laminating Technologies, and more, all bringing kit that’s never been seen at a UK show before.”
New exhibitors this year include a number of wide-format specialists, including RMC Digital Print, Super-Wide Digital, Soyang Europe, and First Display Signs & Graphics.
“The addition of several new exhibitors from the wide-format and graphics industry indicates the shift that is taking place in the wider industry with companies continuing to diversify and expand their offerings,” says Davies.
There will be a number of UK-first showings at the event, says Davies, including the Agfa Anapurna Ciervo H3200, a 3.2m-wide hybrid press that boasts much higher productivity than its predecessor, with an almost 70% increase in printing speed in Production Mode, and which was launched at Fespa in Amsterdam earlier this year.
The SwissQprint Kudu, which was introduced at Fespa 2023 and has yet to be shown at a UK event, will also be on show. This is a 3.2x2m UV LED machine that complements the company’s existing flatbed range. The device can reach maximum print speeds of 300sqm/hr and offers 10 colour channels compared to nine on the other models.
Konica Minolta will showcase the newly launched AccurioPress C84hc, its SRA3-format wide-gamut digital press; Liyu UK will demonstrate the recently launched Platinum KCXL+ flagship flatbed model; and Vivid Laminating Technologies will be launching its new Veloton cutting technology to the UK market.
Fujifilm will be showing its new range of Apeos light production printers as well as its print-on-demand toner presses and the Acuity Prime wide-format inkjet printer.
CMYUK will be showcasing the Canon Colorado M5W from Canon’s new M-Series printer series launched in March last year.
“These hardware showcases demonstrate the huge opportunity for visitors to access a wide variety of newly launched technologies all at a single event,” says Davies.
In addition to hardware, there will be a huge array of software providers such as Artworker, Accura MIS, eProductivity Software, VB Media, and PrintIQ, as well as trade printers including Very Displays, Venture Banners, Route1Print, Solopress, Print.com, and more.
For the 2023 show, the Knowledge Zone seminar programme was revamped to encompass a range of different voices commenting on various topics and challenges facing businesses, and proved very successful. This year’s programme focuses on a wide range of topics affecting the printing industry, with speakers drawn from across the sector and beyond. Attendees can expect to acquire insight and inspiration in equal measure.
Davies says: “The Knowledge Zone is well worth a visit as it’s been carefully curated to equip visitors with tangible take-home skills on everything from SEO and social media, to implementing AI, overcoming business challenges, and being greener.”
Davies says his team has been “working tirelessly to create a speaker schedule for The Knowledge Zone that is diverse and offers our visitors added value for their visit”.
“This has resulted in a fantastic lineup of well-known names such as RNIB and LUSH, along with talks from key companies such as Bluetree Group and Landa. The topics within the schedule span everything from using SEO to boost your brand’s visibility to implementing AI and how to use LinkedIn for social selling,” he adds
Prominent industry figures will also share their journeys within print and the steps they have taken that have led to large-scale business growth and success. Speakers include Solopress boss Simon Cooper, James Kinsella, co-CEO of Bluetree Group, WebMart founder Simon Biltcliffe and serial adventurer Nick Hollis.
The full speaker schedule and more information on each talk can be found on The Print Show website.
Back by popular demand is the Gala Dinner. Running on the evening of the middle day of the show, the Gala Dinner will again serve as a celebration of the UK print industry, inviting exhibitors to join together for a night of food, drink and entertainment.
The 2024 Gala Dinner will provide the perfect space for visitors and exhibitors to relax and network, says Davies. Taking place just a six-minute drive from the NEC in the iconic National Motorcycle Museum, the evening will feature a three-course meal followed by musical entertainment.
Tickets are now available to purchase via The Print Show website and capacity is limited to 300 spaces.
Also returning this year are the Networking Cafe, offering both visitors and exhibitors the opportunity to take time away from the busy show floor and the ‘Golden Ticket’ prize draw which offers attendees the chance to win a number of what organisers describe as “fantastic prizes”.
