RCS, Screen, Scodix, Conversion and Highcon joined forces on stand
North Print & Pack 2013, which this year included packaging for the first time, saw an 8% increase to the 2011 figures, with 2,421 visitors over three days. According to the show organisers, Informa, the quality of delegates produced a resounding endorsement from exhibitors who confirmed that the show continues to play a key role in the UK print and packaging calendar.
Mary Buck, sales manager for North Print & Pack commented, ‘It was clear at North Print & Pack that the show was a key event for print service providers, label printers and packaging converters to attend in 2013 despite the print and packaging industry facing many challenges and changes. We are satisfied with the number of key decision makers it attracted – the hardware and software sales at the show are testimony to this.’
Packaging focus
Your Print Specialists (YPS) was focused on packaging and demonstrated a prototyping workflow with the Mimaki UJF-6042, FineCut software suite and CF2-1218 cutter, including the RealVue 3D Packager application from stand partner FFEI. It also had the Mimaki CJV30-60 integrated printer/cutter on stand and the Mimaki JV33-130 1.3 metre wide format machine.
‘For YPS, North Print & Pack was a significant investment, but one that paid off handsomely,’ commented Hazel Watt, commercial director. ‘The prime objective was to raise awareness of our service-led wide-format proposition amongst commercial and packaging printers in the north of England, and the show delivered just that. We left with more than 100 strong leads and were delighted with the cross-section of decision-making attendees, in particular the diversity of businesses interested in our Mimaki range of wide-format technologies.’
Konica Minolta UKreportedseven production systems sold in three key contracts that were securedon day two of the show. Malcolm Glynn, head of marketing, said, ‘This success is a perfect example of how our consultative approach is enabling companies to grow their businesses through investing in our technology. North Print & Pack 2013 has been a great show for us. We’ve been seeing decision-makers and had huge amounts of interest in our KM-1 and B2 sheet-fed UV inkjet press, and other Konica Minolta’s solutions. The fact that they have been spending money with us is very positive news for our industry.’
MIS provider, Accura, anticipates a great return on investments from the show. Alan McKillop, regional sales manager, said, ‘North Print & Pack 2013 has been a really good show for us to attend, with a steady flow of high quality visitors to our stand over the course of the three days. I expect that we will see an excellent ROI when we followup on our leads over the next few weeks.’
Steffen Haaga, director of sales, EPS EMEA, EFI, agreed. He said, ‘North Print & Pack is a good show for us to meet with new and existing customers in the North – we can spend time with each of them to have meaningful discussions and to show our complete workflow and how it fits in with other exhibitor solutions.’
Kevin McPheat, managing director of AMS, said, ‘I am really pleased that packaging was included this year. We had a very busy three days and are more than satisfied with the outcome.’
Attraction
The show also attracted a number of brand owners, which resonated well with many exhibitors. Paul Briggs, regional sales manager, labels & packaging, Xeikon UK, said, ‘We are pleasantly surprised with the quality of attendees and the number of brand owners we spoke to over the course of the three days. This isn’t usually a group of people we get to see, so we’re pleased that North Print & Pack 2013 attracted these visitors. In addition, we also had meaningful discussions with new and existing customers from around the country.’
RCS, Screen, Scodix, Conversion and Highcon showed the latest in personalised print and packaging applications on a joint stand built from digitally printed gift boxes. ‘We met with a wide cross section of the industry interested in seeing the power of personalised promotional and gift cartons printed by RCS on a Screen B2 Truepress and digitally embossed with Scodix,’ said Bui Burke, VP sales, Screen Europe. ‘Our booth attracted manufacturers, brand owners, retailers, printers and the press – all interested in seeing the potential of a new application.’
A first time exhibitor at the show, Focus Label Machinery Ltd was running its d-Flex digital inkjet press fitted with an IIJ ColourPrint Module on a joint stand with Konica Minolta and Industrial Inkjet. David Lee, managing director, said, ‘This was the first time we have had a chance to truly show the capabilities of this press in the UK and we had customers coming to the show specifically to see us. It was a busy and positive show and we have a number of leads to follow up on in the next few weeks.’
GMG Color had colour management expert, Victor Asseiceiro, director business unit packaging, on stand to explain its OpenColor packaging proofing and CoZone cloud-based colour management solutions. OpenColor recently won the FTA’s Technical Innovation Award 2013 and was making its UK debut.
Awards
On the final day, the show celebrated print’s young talent by hosting to the eighth annual PrintIT! Awards. Around 200 students, parents, teachers and awards sponsors gathered to see the winners in the eight categories, as well as the overall winner (Natasha Bates from Wycombe High School in Buckinghamshire), receiving their individual rewards as well as prizes for their schools.
Mary Buck concluded, ‘We’re delighted to be hearing this feedback from exhibitors who committed to North Print & Pack 2013. It’s gratifying to know that we delivered a high calibre audience, which will in turn produce the ROI they’re looking for from attending. The show mixed all facets of our industry; print and packaging, analogue and digital, young and old. At a time when we are constantly debating the challenges this sector faces, it was a pleasure to see the community come together at an event with such a rich heritage.’
