Bringing the Future of Print Into Focus in Las Vegas

The printing industry is getting ready to converge on the Las Vegas Convention Center Sept. 23-25 for PRINTING United Expo 2026. It will bring together more than 800 exhibitors, attendees from across the globe and hundreds of product launches and technology previews. The launches will span digital printing and automation, specialty finishing, workflow software, and more.

Some of the most exciting discoveries occur at the intersections of different segments: digital textile printing in signage, packaging innovations adapted for commercial use, and automation crossing multiple sectors of the show floor.

The industry has operated this way for some time, and the numbers bear it out. More than 75% of SOI participants have diversified beyond their primary printing segment, according to the “State of the Industry Report 2026,” sponsored by Canon U.S.A. Two-thirds now offer services beyond printing, and those services are expected to grow from 23.5% of revenue today to 28.6% by 2028.

For companies weighing their next move, the Expo provides an opportunity to compare technologies and applications from across the industry in one place.

And it’s not just about the equipment — although there will be more than 4 million tons of it on the floor. The AI Pavilion focuses on implementation, the advocacy team will walk you through your actual tariff exposure, and the Alliance’s economists are bringing the numbers on where the industry stands. The goal is to send attendees home with what they need to make the right decisions right now — and into 2027.

Making the Most of Your Expo Experience

Three days go by fast on a floor this size. Download the event mobile app before traveling. It lets attendees search sessions by market segment, build a personal agenda, filter exhibitors by technology category, access interactive floor plans, and receive real-time schedule updates.

Reserve ticketed events in advance, too. The G7+ Exchange sold out its first year, the Women in Print Alliance Annual Networking Luncheon requires a ticket, and the Resorts World progressive dinner must be added during registration. The same goes for room accommodations. Official hotel blocks are available through the Expo’s Hotels & Travel page at printingunited.com.

Alliance members should prioritize an early visit to the Alliance booth. One-on-one office hours with subject matter experts are scheduled based on availability throughout the week. Reserving a spot early allows attendees to use the guidance they receive on a Wednesday morning question session to shape the rest of their show plans.

And if you’re bringing a team, resist the urge to travel in a pack. Divide the coverage by role, send people to sessions relevant to their responsibilities — the AI Pavilion builds its schedule that way deliberately — and use the evenings to compare notes.

Taking the AI Readiness Benchmark on Day 1 may help here. The scored Lab Report tells team members where to spend the next two days.

Looking Forward: The Future of Print

In a year with this many open questions, one of the fastest ways to find answers is to go where everyone who has them will be. For three days in September, that’s Las Vegas.

The trip pays off more if you don’t come alone. Much of the schedule is built for different organizational roles. The AI Pavilion, for example, runs sessions aimed separately at owners, operations leads, and front-line staff. A capital decision evaluated from several vantage points is stronger than one made alone from the corner office.

Come to benchmark your AI readiness, learn about a new global color standard, to sort out your tariff exposure, or simply to find a better way to do what you already do.

Nonmember general admission started at $50 for an Expo-only pass and $150 with paid education, with rates increasing as the show nears. Alliance members attend free. Registration is open at printingunited.com, where members also receive VIP perks and enhanced access to the full Expo experience.

See you in Las Vegas.

Don’t miss out. Register here.