Initial unaudited visitor numbers were, at 4,200, up 20% on the last event in 2003 according to organiser IIR, which will release final numbers at the end of the month.

This was confirmed by exhibitors. BABS International managing director Dick Reynolds, who thought after the last show it was "dead on its feet" said: "We've been very surprised it's just been non-stop. I imagine the attendance is up, it certainly was on our stand."

Visitors to the Harrogate show were in the mood to buy rather than browse, with a huge amount of orders closed at the show. Litho Supplies notched up 2m worth of sales over the three days, with 1.3m on Wednesday alone, beating the total for all sales in 2003 in one day. In total it sold seven B2 platesetters, seven Xerox digital presses and its first KBA Genius 52 (see separate story p6).

"Northprint is not a show where people come to look at what is on the horizon five-to-ten years from now. Companies come to evaluate real products and make immediate investments," said IIR event manager Gordon Kirk.

Other firms reporting brisk business included HP Indigo, which notched up two 5000 sales and Xeikon, which sold 600,000 worth of kit.

"This year's Northprint has a real buzz and was a very productive show," said HP Indigo UK marketing manager Paul Randall.
And as the doors for this year's show closed some exhibitors had already been confirmed for the next event in 2007, with IIR investigating the possibility of enlarging the show.

Story by Barney Cox