Business - Events

EFI today announced the 11th annual Connect users' conference will take place next year from April 18 to April 21 at the Wynn Las Vegas. Connect enables leaders from around the globe to attend educational sessions, test drive the latest EFI products, voice their opinions at user group meetings, discuss industry trends, and network with peers.

"We're looking forward to once again hosting EFI Connect at the luxurious Wynn Las Vegas, and next year's springtime event will be the most comprehensive ever, showcasing the full portfolio of EFI products and solutions," said Frank Mallozzi, senior vice president of worldwide sales and marketing, EFI. "Connect provides attendees with countless opportunities for learning, discussion and idea exchange, ensuring everyone takes away new information and insights to make their businesses even more competitive."

For 2010, EFI has reorganised the event to focus more on the needs of the user groups and individuals, moving the user group meetings earlier in the day and improving the daily schedule to offer more in-depth sessions based on the experience level and needs of the individual attendee.

"Connect is a great place to hear from my industry peers about how they're using their system, and to learn new tips and tricks about the software," said Todd Warren, owner of MPI Commercial and Digital Printing, a PrintSmith™ customer. "EFI is always willing to listen to our ideas about new features, improvements, etc. and is quick to implement them."

One new lab area feature will be live workflow demonstrations that will walk a job from acquisition, through management, preparation and production, enabling attendees to see the complete process first-hand. The Connect lab will showcase the latest versions of EFI's print MIS, web-to-print, proofing, and workflow offerings, Fiery® controller and software solutions, wide format printers from the VUTEk® and Rastek™ line-ups, and the latest Jetrion® label printer. As in past years, there will also be an industry vendor area where many of today's leading technology providers will be showcasing their products. 

"These demos, together with some exciting speakers that we'll be announcing over the next few months, promise to make Connect the 'must attend' event of the springtime," adds Mallozzi.

For more information on Connect 2010, go to www.efi.com/connect. Customers that pre-register now can take advantage of super early bird rates as low as $795 - almost half off the 2009 general registration fee. Early registration will lock in the best rates and place attendees on the priority contact list for new event information as it becomes available.

The new HP Designjet L25500 Printer and the new HP Designjet T1200 Printer are on show on the HP stand (Hall 1 Stand K21/L30) at VISCOM Visual Communication Milan, 5-7 November.

These two latest innovations from HP were launched in October and will be on display for the first time in Italy, today.

The HP Designjet L25500 Printer is designed for ease-of-use and available in 42- and 60-inch models. It utilises HP's Latex Printing Technologies to deliver unrivalled versatility for a wide range of large format applications. Offering print service providers with print durability comparable to eco-solvent inks, the HP Designjet L25500 enables users to significantly reduce the impact of printing on the environment, and increase customer value.

The new HP printer is the ideal solution for small and medium digital print and sign shops, as well as copy shops and photo labs interested in offering an enhanced range of high impact indoor and outdoor applications and increasing their competitive advantage.

The HP Designjet T1200 Printer is one of the latest additions to HP's large-format portfolio. Designed for AEC and GIS professionals to enhance productivity and versatility, this new product features two online rolls with smart switching media length tracking and high-volume ink cartridges, including the new Original HP 726 Matte Black Ink Cartridge, to offer a continuous printing experience at speeds of two D-sized prints per minute.  The HP Designjet T1200 Printer also delivers the thinnest lines in the industry, to enable users to produce prints with precise detail, crisp text, and clear and accurate drawings.

FESPA has welcomed the recently merged Swiss trade association Verband Werbetechnik + Print (Association of Advertising Technology and Print) to its global community of member associations, ratifying the decision at its recent General Assembly in Lisbon, Portugal.

The new entity, abbreviated to VWP, is the result of the consolidation in Spring 2009 of Verband Sieb-und Digitaldruck Schweiz (VSDS), and Verband Werbetechnik (VWT). The VWP brings together businesses in Switzerland that are engaged in advertising and print production, embracing both screen and digital processes.

The VWP’s principal goals include: the support and growth of businesses in these industries; representation of members’ interests with third-party institutions and government bodies; development of apprenticeships, training and development in all business and production disciplines; promotion of quality assurance and profiles through rules and guidelines for members; and development of links and agreements with other business organisations.

VWP board member Pablo Morf, explains: “The synergies we achieve with this merger allow us to intensify our focus on benefits to our members. As a larger organisation, we can use our combined resources more quickly and effectively to deliver a broader range of professional support services that address the changing needs of our stakeholders. Unified, our organisation is stronger and more prominent in the market, and can drive positive change. The VWP’s continued membership of FESPA guarantees further advantages to our members, giving them immediate access to best-practice information, global market research, educational materials and events, and a host of business development opportunities.”

FESPA CEO Nigel Steffens comments: “VSDS was a long-standing member association of FESPA, so we are delighted to welcome the new VWP to the fold. FESPA has been a strong advocate of this consolidation, having seen their close working relationship at first hand during our FESPA Digital exhibition in Geneva, Switzerland, in 2008.

He adds: “This is an inspirational example of how business support organisations can build partnerships and combine complementary strengths and service offerings to deliver greater value to their members. We are working through challenging times for all businesses. SMEs in particular need to be able to access affordable and relevant support and advice, and unite with similar businesses to tackle bigger issues such as training and skills development, which may hold the key to their future success. We look forward to working with the VWP in the years to come, and to welcoming their members in person at FESPA 2010 in Munich in June next year.”

An appetite for business rather than frustration with the economic situation: viscom continues on the upswing and sets markers for upturn DISPLAY/POS-World new core segment starting 2010

Düsseldorf. An appetite for business rather than frustration with the economic situation, impulses for an economic upturn and innovations with a stimulating effect: there was hardly a hint of crisis at viscom which, with a marked increase in visitor numbers, set a signal for an economic upturn in the entire sector.

"In a generally difficult economic environment, viscom was able to demonstrate its strength as a positive impulse giver", Hans-Joachim Erbel, Managing Director of Reed Exhibitions Deutsch¬land GmbH, remarked at the close of the three-day event. With more than 10,900 trade visitors, viscom succeeded in growing by more than 22 percent compared to the previous event in Düsseldorf (2007: 8,900), again exceeding last year's top result in Frankfurt. Growth was generated equally at home and abroad.

"Our exhibitors' innovative capacity beats the crisis", is how viscom Director Petra Lassahn delightedly sums up the course of the three fair days. This is also evident from the results of the business barometer, a survey taken at viscom by an independent research institute. According to this survey, more than 80 percent of the companies interviewed expect a positive trend in business, with only one in six expecting the economic situation to deteriorate further. The optimism is due primarily to the business generated by the large number of innovations presented at viscom.

This is not only true for the digital high-tech segments which attracted great interest from a broad range of advertising agencies and retailers at the Digital Signage World, and will continue to expand considerably. The segment of industrial inkjet printing which is used increasingly in industrial production - as in the clothing and furniture industries or in interior furnishings - is also attracting a growing number of customers at viscom who can gain an impression of the possibilities already available in production technology at this stage. There are hardly any limits these days to the industrial processing of all types of materials. More than 150 materials were presented at viscom in the "Industrial Inkjet meets Materials" special show. This is another reason why, with a new visitor structure, viscom is attracting new target groups to the fair and developing more and more into an event also frequented by advertising agencies, decision-makers from industry and the retail sector as well as the manufacturing sectors. A trend that again continued this year.

Yet even in the "classic" segments of advertising technology and light advertising with their predominantly trade character, innovative capacity helps to reach new markets and target groups by using new technologies and materials. A case in point is the first "European Wrap Star" which demonstrated the design possibilities available today with the use of new high-performing films.

All in all, 15 product innovations and best practice applications from the segments of Digital Printing/Large Format Printing, Light Advertising, Signmaking and Digital Signage received awards at this years' viscom (for more detailed information on these, visit www.viscom-messe.de).

In the segments relevant to POS which, with the application of new materials and finishing techniques as well as of digital media and lighting technologies, are growing in importance for product presentation and packaging, viscom further strengthened its leadership. Especially the combination of classic displays, digital POS media and innovations in material technology proves that viscom has the potential to become the POS industry's central trade fair in future.

From 2010 onwards, this is to become another viscom core segment named DISPLAY/POS World, specifically targeting manufacturers and suppliers of display, POS and packaging solutions. "For our exhibitors and visitors, the concentration of exhibitors from the Display/POS sector in a segment of their own represents an additional asset and ideally complements our established core segments advertising technology, lighting technology, digital and individual printing, as well as finishing technology and digital signage", says viscom-Chefin Petra Lassahn. In addition to the exhibition area, the segment will also include an extensive supporting programme as well as the traditional SUPERSTAR contest.

viscom frankfurt will take place from 28 to 30 October 2010 in Hall 3 of the Frankfurt Exhibition Centre.

Sign & Digital UK 2010 will be held on 13 - 15 April at the NEC, Birmingham

Sign & Digital UK, co-located with Screenprint and The Digital Signage Showcase is the leading event for today''s vibrant UK visual communication industry. Spanning 3 days at the NEC, Birmingham, the exhibition attracts unprecedented levels of quality visitors from across the industry. The event offers a unique and unrivalled opportunity to keep pace with a huge range of the latest products and services, as well as the prospect of networking and meeting a broad mix of key industry buyers and decision makers.

With over 21 years experience, this exhibition has continually evolved to give visitors a true insight into the industry today and in the future, which is why it can boast to be the biggest, most visited and longest established  visual communications event in the UK.

The '09 show was again a great success - here are some of the things that have been said about Sign & Digital UK 09:

Mike Lewis, sales and marketing coordinator – Hybrid Services/Mimaki:
“So far the show has been absolutely fantastic. We have been busy from day one, have taken lots of orders already. We shall definitely be booking again!

Allan Ashman, Managing Director - Atech:
“We were delighted when our first client walked on the stand and signed the order form for two products straight away.”

Brett Newman, Head of Product Development - Roland DG ( UK ):
“We took orders from the very first day and I think within a couple of hours of the show opening, which is great! That’s obviously what we are here to do and because of the class of people coming through the door, they’re purposefully coming to make a purchasing decision here at the show. Will we be rebooking? Of course! We’ve done this show forever; it is as simple as that.”

Dean Carpenter, Director, Laserite:
Sign & Digital UK has delivered to us a significant number of high quality leads, several of which have already turned into sales.”

Janice Fairfield - Fairfield Displays & Lighting Ltd:
“The 2009 Sign & Digital show was well planned and has been a great success for us.We will definitely be back next year.”

Mark Dale, Director - PFS:
“The interest we have had was on a more serious level than at any other show.”

Phil Kneale, Sales and Marketing Director - Graphtec (GB):
Graphtec (GB)’s stand was kept busy all three days at Sign & Digital UK. It was our best Sign & Digital UK show in 10 years, despite the recession. Customers came with money in their pockets.

Amy Le Corney, marketing manager - Robert Horne Group:
“We’ve so far sold a couple of laminators, and a couple of printers, and we’ve got some really good leads for some more hardware later on that we hope to close in the next couple of weeks. Sign & Digital UK is a key exhibition for Robert Horne, so we will definitely re-book for next year.”

Sarah Janes of Neschen:
“The show has been lively, informative and above all busy.


Exhibitors: To get involved in the 2010 show please contact the show team

Visitors: To be informed when registration opens click here

More than 35 Chinese manufacturers and suppliers have already confirmed their stand bookings at Ipex 2010, adding more than 1,600 sqm of floor space to the international event which will take place from 18th – 25th May 2010 at the NEC in Birmingham, UK.

Comments Trevor Crawford, Ipex 2010 Events Director, “For many Chinese manufacturers, Ipex 2010 will mark their second or third show which demonstrates the overall growth of their international graphic arts offerings and highlights the importance of Ipex as the number one global graphic arts exhibition in 2010. Equally, a number of Chinese suppliers less well known internationally will use Ipex as a global launch pad. We’ve already exceeded the number of exhibitors from China that participated in 2006, having currently 30 companies contracted compared to 27 in 2006. Demand remains high and we expect the overall numbers of exhibitors from this region to significantly rocket in 2010.”

Of all Chinese manufacturers confirmed so far, joint venture companies Shanghai Electric (Group) Corporation (SEC) & Goss International Corporation have secured the biggest footprint with 1,000 square metres of floor space. They will use Ipex’s international role to promote the merged business.

Shanghai Electric Printing and Packaging Equipment Manufacturing (SPPM) Group's Chairman Mr. Chen Da Xiong says, "As an important business unit of Shanghai Electric Group, SPPM has become an international leading supplier to the sheetfed, web offset and packaging printing sectors. We’ve attended several Ipex shows in previous years and are extremely pleased with the ROI achieved. Ipex 2010 is the ideal platform for us to showcase our strong capabilities and demonstrate our growing product portfolio and differentiating technologies to the international graphic arts community.”

Ipex Organisers are working in close partnership with PEIAC, the Printing and Printing Equipment Industries Association of China, to help exhibitors maximise their participation at the show. Comments Wang Demao, Vice Chariman Executive of PEIAC: “As organisers of two international exhibitions, China Print and Print China, we understand the tremendous contribution to the development of global printing industries made by Ipex over the years. That’s why we are lending our support once again to Ipex 2010 by organising for Chinese companies to exhibit their products at the show. We estimate that the total Chinese exhibition area will reach 2000 square metres.”

Other leading Chinese major players already confirmed and allocated on the floorplan include post-press manufacturer JMD Machinery Corporation Ltd with almost 170 square metres, as well as printing, packaging and consumables suppliers UP Group with 135 square metres. Others include Shanghai Eureka Machinery, Shanghai Hongjing Printing and Packaging Machinery, The Second Film Factory of Lucky Group, Shanghai PrintYoung, Chengdu Xingraphics, Zhejing Zhengrun Machinery and Zhejiang Konita New Materials to name but a few.

Hou Kang, the marketing manager of Longma Aluminium Group of China, which has secured over 40 square metres of floor space at Ipex says that, “Ipex 2010 plays an important part in the company’s export strategy because of its international reach.”

Zhejiang Zhengrun Machinery Co. Ltd will be exhibiting at Ipex 2010 for the first time. Deputy general manager, Wu Yingyi has booked a 60 square metre stand at Ipex. He comments: “Ipex has a wide influence in the global graphic arts world. As a prosperous Chinese company we’ve stepped outside our home borders and today successfully export to 30 other countries. Ipex offers the ideal opportunity to expand our business and relationships even further.”

Pre-registration for all those wishing to attend Ipex 2010 is now officially available via www.ipex.org/register and will result in a £30 saving off the entrance fee. The immediate wave of registrations has been very encouraging and is tracking ahead of the 2006 cycle. So far, registrations have been received from over 80 countries, reinforcing the importance of Ipex on a global scale. The show organisers have confirmed that there will be free fast-track entry for all pre-registered visitors.