Positivity in print
Organising and hosting an event for the first time since the pre-pandemic world was never going to be an easy task. Going into this process, there are so many uncertainties; is there still an appetite for this sort of exhibition? Will people still visit? Can those companies that exhibit still do business?
The Print Show 2022 more than quelled these concerns, with the three days in Hall 17 at the NEC having been hailed a major success, both by those who attended as visitors, as well as the 100-plus companies that exhibited at the event.
The Print Show saw thousands of visitors over the three-day event
Here, SignLink, which was in attendance for the entire show, looks at some of the main highlights from the show floor and offers a valuable insight into what those who were unable to visit or exhibit this year missed in Hall 17.
Buzzing with excitement
Wandering around the hall in the hour leading up to opening on day one, you could almost feel a sense of relief in the air. Relief among industry professionals kept away from an event like this for so long because of the pandemic, all of whom were keen to get back to meeting new and existing customers in person at a major show.
The Print Show remains the only event entirely dedicated to the UK print industry and its place on the calendar is hugely important to the UK market. The show also caters for wide-format print and signage companies with examples such as wide-format kit from Hybrid and ADAPT Amari Digital Printing Technologies; soft signage options from Very Displays; and vehicle wrapping demos from Grafytip.
Hybrid Services drew plenty of interest in kit on its long stand at the show
Sneaking a peek outside the giant doors at the front of Hall 17 shortly before they swung open to visitors, and people were already starting to gather, keen to see equipment in action and speak with industry experts about how this can help them grow their business.
After the doors were opened and day one panned on, it was soon clear that any doubts over an appetite for an event like this were unnecessary. Yes, perhaps the crowds were a little lower than usual for an opening day, though this may partly have been down to the unplanned bank holiday on the day before.
An appetite to attend was matched by the desire to invest. Just a few booths down from SignLink’s sister publication Print Monthly’s stand, we heard news of CreaseFold selling one of its machines before 11am, less than one hour after the show opened. This trend continued throughout the day, and indeed the show, with exhibitors across the hall closing deals on all sorts of technology and kit.
One stand that proved particularly busy throughout The Print Show 2022 was ASL. Such was the success of its show that ASL signed up to exhibit at The Print Show 2023 during this year’s event, opting for a larger stand in an effort to showcase even more of its solutions next September.
“The Print Show is exceptionally hard work but always fun,” says Paul Stead, sales at ASL, adding: “Somehow, it always pays off. We’d be dumb not to come back next year.”
Stead also explains how partnering with software providers EFI, Solimar, e-Productivity Software, and Vpress allowed ASL to showcase its wider offering to visitors. “It allowed us to share our space with very talented software vendors; it made for a more fluid story,” he says.
Bigger and better
While sales are often the end goal for those who exhibit at an event like this, sales at the actual show are by no means the be-all and end-all, with many companies there to get new leads. Again, this was certainly the case at The Print Show, with many exhibitors revealing they took a great number of leads that they will chase up when back in the office to drive through sales.
ADAPT Amari Digital Printing Technologies, a diversified print machinery and media supplier, reported both sales and leads at The Print Show this year. Taking part in the event for the first time, ADAPT ran a series of eye-catching stands at the show, decorated with a graffiti design and blasting out music that provided a pleasant accompaniment to the constant whirring of printers and other machinery as is standard at any print event.
ADAPT Amari Digital Printing Technologies had a major presence at The Print Show 2022
“We had a very successful show; it was ADAPT’s show debut and we wanted to make sure we made the best of the opportunity,” ADAPT general manager Dominic Bowen comments, adding: “We definitely did this. The feedback from people on the stand was amazing. The impact the Platinum range of printers had and the buzz around FLXfinish+ on the Canon Colorado were probably the main highlights for us. They created great opportunities for us and made sure there was a great atmosphere around the stands.
“We are still going through the data from the show, but what I can say is it looks good. We are also finalising a few deals as we speak. We have already booked and we will be back bigger than this at next year’s show!”
Another exhibitor that was busy throughout the show was Hybrid Services, the exclusive distributor for Mimaki in the UK and Ireland. Operating a unique, long-running stand alongside the side of the hall, Hybrid showcased a range of machinery, from the new 330 Series solvent printers to Mimaki’s latest vinyl cutter and new full-colour 3D printer.
“It was a highlight to simply be at the exhibition and given the challenging environment and timing of the show, it’s testament to the efforts of the organisers and our fellow exhibitors that we were able to present such a quality event,” says Duncan Jefferies, head of marketing and business development at Hybrid Services.
“In terms of meeting and speaking with visitors, it was exciting to talk with so many print and sign businesses looking to add to and expand their capabilities with investment in wide-format kit. As the commercial printing sector continues to evolve, wide-format solutions become ever more relevant, and we appreciated the conversations with visitors who could very readily see advantage in investing in the Mimaki solutions we had on the stand.
“Whilst we didn’t see as many visitors through the door during the three days as we might have originally hoped, the people we spoke with all seemed extremely engaged and focused on getting valuable information and experience from the show.
The people we spoke with all seemed extremely engaged and focused on getting valuable information and experience from the show”
“Hybrid has supported The Print Show from the very first event and we look forward to continuing the relationship going forwards.”
Famous faces
It would not be a proper review of The Print Show if we did not mention some of the special attractions that were taking place throughout the hall. Visitors were able to get a glimpse into new markets on the Diversification Zone, while the Business Seminar Theatre played host to a series of special talks, each offering advice to visitors on ways that they can grow their business.
However, the highlight of each day for many visitors was the celebrity attraction, something that has become unique to The Print Show and an incredibly popular feature for attendees and exhibitors alike. This year, we were treated to boxing legend Frank Bruno, Countdown and The Apprentice star Nick Hewer, and Gardeners’ World presenter Monty Don.
Bruno was first to take to the stage on day one, entertaining visitors with tales of some of his most famous fights, including bouts with one of boxing’s all-time greats in Mike Tyson. Talking on stage with his promoter, Bruno offered an insight into the world of boxing and his struggles with mental health, opening up on his journey to success and stardom.
Frank Bruno, one of three celebrity speakers at the show, was presented with letterpress prints of his early fights
A special moment for organisers and one company in particular occurred following Bruno’s Q&A when Chris Brandon, recently retired managing director of formerly family-run 141-year-old print business Baileys Printers, had the opportunity to present the boxer with original letterpress posters produced in the 80’s for a number of his fights.
These posters played an important role in promoting sporting events and would have been found plastered across venues such as the Royal Albert Hall and Wembley Arena.
Brandon himself hand produced these posters and Bruno was taken in by them, and along with a number of visitors who stopped by, took the time to look through every one of the impressive printed products with care.
Speaking to Carys Evans, SignLink and Print Monthly Editor following the moment, Brandon said: “The posters that we brought today for Frank to see I actually worked on those with my father, which was nice. Originally they were letterpress posters so typically for a big event like the Wembley Arena or the Royal Albert Hall, we’d print 1,000 or 1,500 all hand-fed, the machines single colour. They used to print on a good day 700 an hour, so you’d know it would be two solid days printing. It was long hard work, and very different from now.
“The posters we did were from Frank’s early career up until when he won the European title, and was eliminated from the Heavyweight title, so it was his earlier career. 40 years ago, a lot of people won’t remember him but Frank was a mega star. The likes of Tyson Fury and AJ are very high profile now but Frank was bigger and everybody loved him. Today was the first time I’ve met him and it was a real honour.”
Reflecting on Bruno’s reaction to the posters, Brandon adds: “He was over the moon. He was delighted to see them. Obviously he’d not seen them for so long and a few of the other people around asked whether they were original, and they are original posters. When we remembered, we’d keep a couple of each show so we’ve got a few dozen. It brought back lots of memories for him. All of the posters we did he won the fight so even better.”
On day two, it was the turn of Nick Hewer, the trusted right-hand-man of Lord Alan Sugar and a mainstay on British television for a number of years. Hewer talked visitors through the journey that led him to appear on TV, going into detail of some of his business ventures and how he began his working relationship with Lord Sugar. He even let loose with some behind-the-scenes secrets from The Apprentice, including what really goes on in the board room and his thoughts on the contestants in the more modern series.
Then it was the turn of Monty Don, a hugely popular figure with the British public and an all-round lovely chap. Taking to the stage, Don talked us through his early career, how he and his wife opened a jewellery shop before he discovered his love for gardening and moved into TV work. Don also opened up on his mental health struggles and how gardening has helped him through tough times, before causally slipping in that his biggest regret in life was – how can we put this delicately – he did not have enough “fun” as a teenager.
Of course, this was not all from the three celebrities, with each of them taking time after their talks to meet visitors, autograph books and memorabilia, and even have a photo taken, with this then printed as a souvenir for attendees to take away as a memory of their time at the print exhibition.
On this note, The Print Show 2022 will certainly live long in the memory of all that attended. Not only was it the first major UK print event since before the pandemic, but it was a successful one. Footfall may have been a little lower than in previous years and the hall may not have been as big as in years gone by, but the most important thing is that business got done.
O Factoid: The Print Show 2023 will take place from September 19th to 21st at the NEC O
Without The Print Show, there would not be a gathering point for the UK industry to strike deals and meet with peers.
For this reason, we predict The Print Show will only go from strength to strength as the industry, and indeed the wider economy, continues to recover.
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