Northprint 2011 [www.northprintexpo.com], which takes place in Harrogate from 10th to 12th May, has already attracted an impressive line up of major industry suppliers, with manroland, Konica Minolta and Ricoh confirming a considerable presence at the show early on in the pre-show cycle.
Industry suppliers have been particularly enthusiastic about the host of new innovations and attractions at the show, geared to providing real value to visitors by delivering a quality mix of technology and applications, interactive case study demonstrations and educational workshops and seminars.
Trevor Crawford, director of the IIR Print Group, says: “With many suppliers still finalising their marketing plans for 2011, we’re delighted about the early industry-wide support the show has already received to date. We’re engaged with a number of companies about their involvement in Northprint and are confident that the current exhibitors will act as a magnet for suppliers with similar or complementary products.”
Commenting on the decision to exhibit at Northprint, Norman Revill, managing director, manroland GB, says: “We’re very pleased to announce that we will be exhibiting at Northprint 2011. It’s a great exhibition with a proud heritage and deserves to be supported by the industry. manroland is the market leader in sheetfed presses in the north of the UK, so Northprint will provide us with a great platform to meet with our loyal northern customers and those nationwide printers considering investing in a manroland press.
“Representatives from all our commercial divisions – sheetfed, printcom and printserivces - will be on hand throughout the show to discuss how manroland can help printers add maximum value to print and continue to create greater efficiencies in their print operation. We will also be showing on the stand regular video presentations highlighting our broad portfolio of products and services as well as a smaller version of our VAP (value added print) tunnel, which was so successfully introduced at Ipex 2010.”
Ricoh has committed to printing the event’s Show Daily newspaper on its stand at Northprint. Chas Moloney, marketing director, Ricoh UK, also emphasises the importance of Northprint: “The economy is still in a difficult phase, with many printers finding business harder now than they did twelve months ago, despite the fact we are technically out of the recession. However, to support the print industry and its growth, it’s important the market, and Ricoh as a business, look to the future by committing to key industry events such as Northprint. Ricoh as an organisation is continually innovating and this is demonstrated through the evolution of our products, market solutions and additional support services, such as our Business Driver Programme. By signing up to Northprint early, we are demonstrating that print is still a strong sector and exhibitions such as Northprint continue to provide a key platform in which to communicate with customers and prospects.”
Konica Minolta’s product manager for production print, Pauline Brooks, says: “Konica Minolta is exhibiting at Northprint 2011 as part of our ongoing policy of supporting the print industry. We believe that it is crucial to demonstrate to the industry the latest hardware and software solutions that can stimulate business for all areas of the commercial print market. Northprint has always been an significant event in the UK’s print industry calendar. There are a number of new and innovative initiatives to stimulate interest and attendance at the show. For example, the new ‘Printers’ Profit Zone’ will focus on a range of profit-making ideas, including cost-effective solutions customers can invest in for variable data and PoD.
“At the show, we will be demonstrating the new bizhub PRESS colour digital press series, our mono digital production press range and our Solutions Portfolio. With the high level of confidence and the exciting new ideas being poured into the show we are looking forward to welcoming visitors onto the Konica Minolta stand next May.”
Alongside the exhibitors and their technologies, some new innovations and attractions are planned for Northprint 2011 that go beyond the traditional trade show format. New to the event will be a theatre-style ‘Litho Technology Centre’ where offset manufacturers and distributors, accompanied by their customers will run videos, demonstrations and case study-style presentations. A dedicated Wide Format Applications Showcase will highlight a range of innovative applications to printers that are thinking of diversifying and investing into Wide Format technology.
Following its success at Ipex 2010, new to Northprint 2011 will be the Printers’ Profit Zone, which will provide a series of free business growth seminars throughout the three days of the show. The BPIF’s Financial Alliance team of experts will also be hosting a Finance Clinic where printers can ‘drop in’ for impartial advice on a range of subjects to provide ideas for funding.
“Beyond Northprint acting as the largest and most successful national print show in 2011, the show’s attractive features will provide an unmissable ideas forum for the UK print community. We’re really excited about the positive industry reaction and commitment from suppliers and are working closely with exhibitors, visitor groups and print experts to ensure that Northprint will extend its reach even further, appealing to commercial printers, finishers, print buyers, publishers, marketing agencies and designers nationwide,” concludes Trevor Crawford.
