Printing United will now be taking place entirely online as a result of the Coronavirus pandemic.
Having recently stated their belief that the show could and would take place as planned in Atlanta, Georgia during October, the organisers of Printing United met continuously with experts from venue Georgia World Congress Center, the city of Atlanta, the Johns Hopkins Center and local authorities before making their decision.
‘The decision to cancel this event did not come easily and we have waited as long as possible before costs and logistical implications to our exhibitors and attendees became irreversible,’ said Ford Bowers, president and CEO, Printing United Alliance. ‘Many factors are unfortunately out of our control, including travel restrictions and federal, state, and local governmental regulations, as well as the potential for another spike in COVID-19 occurrences. These factors, and the attendant uncertainties around them, have made it nearly impossible to responsibly hold the event.’
‘We have been humbled by the volume of exhibitors and partners who have wholeheartedly expressed the desire and need for Printing United to take place in order for their businesses to continue the progression out of this disruption, especially after such a successful Printing United showcase in 2019,’ added Mark Subers, president of Printing United. ‘While we realise this is not the same as our cornerstone of being together under one roof, we feel it is the most responsible and beneficial move for all our constituents at this time. We remain committed to bringing the industry an experience like nothing anyone has previously seen before.’
Print United Alliance chief economist Andy Paparozzi stressed that, according to the consensus of economists surveyed by The Wall Street Journal, the American economy is expected to grow robustly in 2021 .That will give the printing industry a big boost, flipping the mindset from cost reduction and survival to capital investment and growth.
