09.12.2015
Featuring the latest technologies from more than 430 exhibitors, dynamic show floor features, more than 50 co-located events, and an unmatched educational slate, GRAPH EXPO 15 will open tomorrow in Chicago’s McCormick Place and run through Wednesday, September 16. For the third year, the CPP EXPO which serves package printers and converters will be co-located with the show.
With a theme of “Transform,” GRAPH EXPO 15’s highly interactive show floor attractions will be complemented by a robust slate of trending educational sessions responding to the needs of the 12 major graphic communications industry segments: Wide Format Inkjet Printing; Package Printing & Converting; Commercial Printing; Mailing & Fulfillment; Corporate/Education/Government Printing Centers/In-Plant; Manufacturing/Industrial Printing; Transactional Printing; Quick/Small Commercial Printing; Book Printing/Publishing; Newspaper Printing/Publishing; Photo Imaging; and, Marketing/Creative Services/Media/Print Buying.
GRAPH EXPO 15 show goers will discover a host of learning opportunities among 13 show floor pavilions and specialty sections, including a robust lineup of industry expert panel presentations and special events in the Printerverse Theater. Co-located CPP EXPO will also present a specialized slate of educational opportunities for package printers and converters.
Learning Opportunities:
Educational opportunities will begin Sunday morning September 13 with the always-popular EXECUTIVE OUTLOOK Conference, co-sponsored by EFI and Xerox. This year’s “The Essential Element for Focused Growth” themed session focused on business growth strategies will explore the latest issues, trends and solutions in the graphic communications industry. The half-day conference will wrap up with the announcement of the “Best of Category” selections from the 2015 MUST SEE ‘EMS competition winners, all of which will be prominently recognized by booth signage on the show floor. Also, the annual “Legacy Award” will be presented for a past MUST SEE ‘EMS winning technology which has had a significant, lasting, and continuing influence on the graphic communications industry. The program will conclude with the announcement of the winner of the 2015 Positively Print Award, which honors a print advocacy program designed to promote the enduring power, sustainability, and effectiveness of pri nt in today’s media mix.
Immediately after the close of EXECUTIVE OUTLOOK, the doors to GRAPH EXPO 15 will open with the slate of 50-plus seminars, continuous sessions in the Printerverse Theater, plus special workshops and panel presentations that are open to all attendees, offering unprecedented learning opportunities for graphic communications professionals from every segment of the industry. Complete seminar details are available at www.graphexpo.com.
On The Floor:
Along with hundreds of exhibitors displaying their hardware, software, products, and services, the GRAPH EXPO 15 show floor will feature 13 show floor pavilions and specialty sections that include three new for 2015 show floor attractions: Materials Matter, Applications Island and the Industrial Printing Pavilion.
Materials Matter celebrates the essential role that materials play in the print ecosystem. Inside the new 1,200 sq. ft. specialty showcase multiple substrate manufacturers will demonstrate the powerful role that their paper and non-paper substrates play in every print job.
For attendees who come seeking to expand their sales offerings is Applications Island, the exciting show floor “oasis” of the hottest unique new print applications designed to help printers gain new customers and new print jobs. This beach themed show feature is completely created in print applications, and everything from the display walls to the furniture is a real and unique print application. Here, show visitors will find categories of print such as cross-media direct mail, digital label, books and more. Each category will feature several unique high response applications!
This year making its world debut the Industrial Printing Pavilion, featuring Future Print sponsored by FlexTech Alliance, will offer live demonstrations of 3D printing to demonstrate how the exciting “new” worlds of Package Printing, Commercial Printing, and Industrial Manufacturing converge. The Industrial Printing Pavilion is sponsored by The Society for the Plastics Industry (SPI), producer of the large NPE show; Graphic Arts Show Company (GASC); and, CPP EXPO.
Headlining as well the host of popular GRAPH EXPO 15 show floor features will be:
* The Inkjet Candy Store, back by attendee demand, sponsored by the International Sign Association (ISA), will be all together in one featured space, and side-by-side in LIVE demonstrations, the very newest ‘cream of the crop’ in new wide format inkjet technologies.
* BIG-The Wide Format Pavilion will feature the hottest output equipment, software, media/substrates, inks, finishing equipment and supplies, plus new applications and solutions.
* Prepress/Software: Workflow & Design will enable attendees to see the most exciting new software and test-drive the very latest equipment!
* Press/Finishing highlights will include cutting-edge innovations in digital, offset, flexo, gravure and hybrid print technologies, plus the most complete array of binding and finishing equipment and supplies.
* Deliver-The Mailing & Fulfillment Center, sponsored by the United States Postal Service-still the world’s largest mailing show-will feature all the latest equipment, software & supplies, research, market data, best practices and solutions for bridging print with marketing.
* The Marketing Pavilion is a “how to” hub of marketing education, resources, and networking and featuring all the latest marketing and graphic communication tools and technologies.
* News Print-The Newspaper Pavilion is a dual marketplace and networking hub for newspaper production pros and increasingly commercial printers. Sponsored by News & Tech, it features unique new applications and workflow solutions designed to help cut costs, boost profits and make informed buying decisions.
* The In-Plant Place, sponsored by the In-Plant Printing and Mailing Association (IPMA), is a dedicated networking hub exclusively for in-plant pros from every industry segment – government, corporate and education – to come meet, unwind, learn, and share.
* The Printerverse, sponsored by the Print Media Centr, is the highly interactive show floor hub to meet, tweet, learn, interact and explore the latest innovations and applications that are driving our industry forward in exciting new directions. The Printerverse Theater will feature a continuous lineup of expert panel presentations and special events throughout the show.
* Education Main Street will feature representatives from colleges, universities and educational organizations providing information on curriculum offerings, scholarships and talented, skilled students seeking internships! And, for the first time ever, in Booth 570, “The Hiring Hub: Closing the Skills Gap”-will be a re-creation of the SkillsUSA championship challenge and supporting teamwork required by our industry to ensure a quality future workforce. Here, show visitors will get a firsthand look at this unique display and also, during special sessions, interact with representatives from companies who have discovered a key to reaching skilled potential hires.
Additionally, two show floor Learning Theaters will offer daily quick-take ‘hot topic’ sessions that will engage, inform, and provide attendees with immediate take-away information: The Experiential Lab, sponsored by FlexTech Alliance (booth 4436); and, The Printerverse Theater (booth 3867), featuring an exciting lineup of expert panel presentations on a diverse array of timely topics and special events.
Beyond the Seminars Program:
Five free special industry presentations will be held during GRAPH EXPO 15 beginning on Monday morning with: “The State, the Opportunity, and the Future of the GlobalPrintMediaChannel,” moderated by Dennis Mason, Mason Consulting, followed by an IPMA sponsored luncheon presentation, “In-Plants Make a Splash,” with Howie Fenton, InfoTrends. Tuesday’s free sessions will be: “The Emergence of Omni-Channel Marketing: An Industry View and Perspective,” moderated by Matt Swain, InfoTrends; “Game Changing Digital Print Opportunities in the Americas” a panel presentation presented by NPES; and, rounding out the afternoon in the show floor reception area, “Haptic Brain │ Haptic Brand: A Communicator’s Guide to the Neuroscience of Touch, presented by Sappi North America.
Additionally, three free exhibitor presentations will be offered during GRAPH EXPO 15. Monday’s session will be: “Search Engine Optimization: 7 Tips for Local SEO & 5 Strategies to Take you Through 2016 by PrinterPresence,” with Tawnya Starr. Tuesday’s two free sessions will explore: “Email Marketing Uncovered: How to Integrate Email Into Your Direct Mail Mix by AccuData Integrated Marketing,” presented by Erika Serrano and Nate Petel; and, “LED UV and the Future of Offset Printing by Air Motion Systems, Inc.,” with presenter Steve Metcalf.
To explore the latest trends and current business opportunities in different regions of the world, the free International Day Program on Tuesday, September 15, from 4:00 to 5:30 pm, offers education and networking opportunities. The panel discussion, “The Ins and Outs of Doing Business Globally,” will take an in-depth look at a number of export destinations for the U.S. market; including India, Brazil, Colombia, Mexico and Indonesia, and also share information and resources to help businesses assess opportunities to market their products and services with direction to help launch international trade activity. The program also will include an overview of the recent PRIMIR study, “Value-Added Printing & Finishing for Improved Profitability.
Show visitors this year can triple their ROI because of an unprecedented expo combination in Chicago’s McCormick Place. As GRAPH EXPO 15 and co-located CPP EXPO will run September 13-16 in the South Hall, PROCESS EXPO and the co-located International Dairy Show and InterBev Process show will take place September 15-18 in the North and East Halls. With trending industry issues and innovations related to food packaging design, migration, and expiration, these concurrent events offer a first-of-its-kind opportunity for printers, packagers, processors, and converters to intermingle and explore the global scope of these vital facets of the graphic communications and packaging/processing industries. During the two-day overlap, attendees at either event will have single-pass entry into the exhibit halls for all events.
graphexpo.com.
