29 Mar 2024

IIR aiming to transform Northprint 2011 event

 

Northprint 2011 [www.northprintexpo.com], which takes place in Harrogate from 10th to 12th May next year, will see a significant change in its agenda which will transform the show into one of the UK’s premier industry events. Following on from the success of Ipex 2010, the IIR Print Group has committed considerable investment to create new innovations and attractions that go beyond the traditional trade show format. Visitors and exhibitors alike will have an opportunity to explore new areas of the show geared to delivering an industry-wide experience to network, view new technologies, explore innovative applications, participate in customer case study demonstrations, as well as benefit from a range of informative workshops and seminars offering advice to boost business and maximise the potential of print.

The event will also be backed by a proactive integrated marketing campaign to drive visitor registration using IIR’s valuable Ipex 2010 visitor database. IIR will also host a special VIP visitor programme to attract printers who are in a position to invest in new technology. This database of UK printers with an intent to invest, is qualified by post-Ipex 2010 visitor analysis statistics, which indentified 38% were looking to invest in digital, wide format and inkjet, 19% in post press and finishing equipment, and 16% in offset technology.

Commenting on the show, Trevor Crawford, Director of the IIR Print Group says, “There is without doubt a fresh sense of optimism in the market, and now is the time to move forward and embrace this change. With this in mind, the IIR Print Group has invested heavily in developing the long respected Northprint brand and transform it to new heights in terms of its position in the UK events calendar. With the backing of the IIR Print Group, and all these exciting new attractions geared to increasing the visitor’s experience, Northprint 2011 is set to be the best ever and re-establish itself once again as one of the highlights in the UK print industry calendar.”

New to Northprint 2011 will be the Printers Profit Zone, which will provide a series of free business growth seminars throughout the three days of the show. The Zone will replicate the format that proved to be such a huge success amongst visitors at Ipex 2010. Master class sessions tackling the critical sales, profit and marketing issues facing print service providers today will be delivered by industry expert Nick Devine, who will offer practical advice on how to win new business and maximise profitability.

The BPIF’s Financial Alliance team of experts will also be hosting a Finance Clinic where printers can ‘drop in’ for impartial advice on finance and funding, tax issues, M&A (mergers & acquisitions), debt recovery as well as other related issues, and benefit from a range of short informative presentations. Other trade associations such as the BAPC will also be on hand to offer advice and support to members.

The event will also feature a theatre-style ‘Litho Technology Centre’ where offset manufacturers and distributors, accompanied by their customers will run videos, demonstrations and case study-style presentations. In addition, in recognition of the growth in the digital wide format market, Northprint 2011 will present a dedicated Wide Format Applications Lounge, which will showcase the capabilities of this technology and demonstrate the range of innovative applications to printers that are thinking of diversifying and investing into wide format technology.

Adding to the attraction of the event, Northprint will also witness an influx of potential young talent on the last day of the show, as the finalists of PrintIT! gather to attend the initiative’s sixth Annual Awards Ceremony. Proskills award-winning ‘Schools into Industry’ programme, PrintIT! celebrates the best of Britain’s young talent, honours all the finalist students and their teachers, and presents category winners with individual awards as well as prizes for their schools in the form of print-related equipment. Prior to the ceremony, the students, teachers and their twinning printers will all have the opportunity to visit the exhibits and industry attractions, providing them with an insight into the various career opportunities that the UK print industry offers.

Throughout the three days, the event’s highlights will be captured in the Northprint Show Daily, which will be printed onsite on the Ricoh stand.

"The diversity of Northprint 2011 is going to be a real win-win for everyone,” adds Crawford. “Exhibitors will be guaranteed exposure amongst the largest audience of UK commercial printers and print buyers while visitors have a host of additional value-added attractions to boost their experience, with a quality mix of technology, interactive demonstrations and educational workshops and seminars."