The Print Show 2019 sets off with flying colours
Each year, visitors to The Print Show are treated to an array of different technologies from all corners of the print industry.
Tuesday, 17 Sep 2019 16:46 GMT
Hall 9 was filled with visitors on the first day of The Print Show 2019
This year’s show is no different and with added features such as celebrity book signings, The Diversification Zone and a global launch, visitors have not been short of things to see. As the first day draws to an end, we reflect on some of the highlights of the first day.
Hall 9 of the NEC in Birmingham has been filled with the sounds of networking, sales and the whir of machines. However, David Chill, owner of Hot Foil UK, says the show provides a platform for the more traditional side of print as well.
With two types of foil print machines on display capable of embossing, debossing, type setting, dye cutting and sublimation, the equipment on display at the Hot Foil UK stand has received a steady flow of visitors all day.
Chill says: “We’ve had a really good steady flow of customers all through the day from all over the UK. We’ve also some interest from a few people abroad, and a particularly good inquiry from Iraq of all places.
“We are pleased particularly to see the diversity of people, not only printers but people who are into personalisation, sign printing as well, so it seems to be a very good forum and a great mixture of different people and aspects of different parts of printing coming together at one show.”
...it seems to be a very good forum and a great mixture of different people and aspects of different parts of printing coming together at one show”
This is Hot Foil UK’s third time as exhibitors of the show and Chill explains how he has watched the role trade shows have in the industry evolve: “This is our third year now and I think people are more interested in the new technologies that are coming into foil printing and certainly there is still a great resurgence in people wanting to do all forms of personalisation and that seems to be the topic of the moment.”
Also noting a change in the industry is Mark Edwardson of TECNIcart who visited the show to explore the new technologies available. Edwardson says: “We’ve been in the industry for about 20 years and it’s changed vastly. I’m quite impressed walking around.
On the subject of trade shows in general, he says: “It’s about getting that information out and for people to see and touch and see what’s out there. It’s seeing all that diversity in one place.” Having visited with a particular interest in screen printing, Edwardson was surprised by the quality and adds: “Now it looks like a litho machine, it’s unbelievable.”
I’ve said it before, it does what it says on the tin - it’s called The Print Show and this is printing technology. It’s simple”
The Print Show welcomes return exhibitors year on year. HP returned this year with its UK launch of the HP Stitch as well as showing its DesignJet Excel 3300 for the first time in the UK.
Phil Oakley, regional business manager of large-format print at HP, explains that this is because of the forum provided by the show.
Describing why HP has returned to the show, Oakley says: “Two simple reasons - one, we have something new to talk about with customers which is always important, so the timing of the show was great after FESPA and ITMA where it was launched globally, so this was the first UK show.
“Secondly, and I’ve said it before, it does what it says on the tin - it’s called The Print Show and this is printing technology. It’s simple.”
Away from the hustle and bustle of the show floor, one of today’s most popular features was a celebrity appearance from Sir Ranulph Fiennes, who quizzed by Print Monthly’s consultant editor, Rob Fletcher, entertained visitors with stories of his life.
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