CONLATINGRAF Will Celebrate 50th Anniversary at Graphics of the Americas 2017

SAO PAULO, Brazil and Orlando, Fla. — April 1, 2016 — Fabio Arruda Mortara and James Martin, respective presidents of CONLATINGRAF and GOA, have announced CONLATINGRAF's plans to celebrate its 50th Anniversary at Graphics of the America 2017.

CONLATINGRAF (Latin American Graphic Industry Confederation) and GOA (Graphics of the Americas) have worked together for over 40 years.

"CONLATINGRAF has become the ultimate champion of positive growth for graphic arts organizations throughout Latin America, and we could not have done this without the tremendous support of our family at PAF and the GOA event," Fabio Arruda Mortara says, referring to both GOA and the Printing Association of Florida (PAF), producer and host of the GOA Exposition and Conference.

"We have much to celebrate in Ft. Lauderdale in 2017. It is only fitting that we celebrate our special Gold Anniversary, marking 50 years, at GOA. We will also commemorate the event with the Theobaldo De Nigris Printing Awards Competition, and the Graphic Arts Leaders of the Americas Award (GALA) Ceremony. 2017 will be a milestone in our history," Arruda Mortara says.

Martin, who is also CEO of PAF, says that GOA will be honored to help CONLATINGRAF celebrate the half-century mark. GOA serves two audiences — the United States, Caribbean and Latin America — with an international expo and conference that rivals any in the world.

PAF/GOA and CONLATINGRAF: A Special 40+ Year Relationship
Equally important is the role PAF/ GOA and CONLATINGRAF play in bringing Latin America and North America together, at GOA and throughout the year, to assist in getting products into distribution and assisting with professional development.

"This work requires specific understanding of the different cultures and how they operate both personally and professionally," says Martin, who established the Latin American territory for a division of a company acquired by Heidelberg, explains. "These relationships don't come overnight, just because you are both in the same room. They take years of work together, and as Fabio says, the closeness and length of the relationship has made us family as well as business associates."

Teaching and Showing the Best Technology and Most Profitable Applications
GOA's unique and loyal mix of attendees from Latin America, the Caribbean and North America — attracts innovative vendors showing the hottest technologies, and serving all levels of quality and the range of applications, as well as truly practical education tracks.

At the 2016 exposition held Feb. 15-18 in Miami, show highlights included an Epson Digital Couture Fashion Show, which came to Miami directly from a stint at New York Fashion Week; The Flexo Zone sponsored by Nilpeter; the Wrap Cup Americas Competition hosted by MR ClipArt and sponsored by 3M; the Dye Sublimation Application Center, sponsored by Epson; the Short Run Digital Center, sponsored by UniNet and Kompac & UPM; the Direct-to-Garment Center, sponsored by Oki Data Americas; and Wide Format Print Shop Live!, sponsored by HP, Caldera, Zund and Gilman Brothers.

The 2017 expo will include most — if not all — of these, as well as a greatly expanded packaging effort, and new emphasis on digital printing and digital finishing.

GOA is held annually in February, and has made Miami its traditional home. An exception came in 2011 and 2013, when GOA hosted the show in Orlando in order to fulfill requests from attendees and exhibitors. The Miami Beach Convention Center will be closed for renovation in 2017, and so the CONLATINGRAF celebration will take place during GOA in Fort Lauderdale, Fla. — a 20 minute drive from Miami.

For More Information
For details about GOA 2017, please visit: www.goaexpo.com, or call: +1 (407) 240-8333.

About CONLATINGRAF
The "Confederacion Latinoamericana de la Industria Grafica," CONLATINGRAF was founded in 1967. Its membership is comprised of 15 countries in South America, Mexico, Central America and the Caribbean. CONLATINGRAF's major objective is furthering the interests of the printing industries through continuous education and technological improvements. CONLATINGRAF works closely with global suppliers and Industry institutions and follows and implements environmental protection programs. The organization holds two annual assemblies; an ordinary in autumn, and an extraordinary in early spring. The president and chief officers are elected for a two year period with a rotating office in the country of the presidency.

About Printing Association of Florida (PAF)
The Printing Association of Florida is one of the most active and influential printing associations in North America, with headquarters in Orlando, Fla. More than 300 Florida-based graphic arts companies consider PAF their ultimate business partner. Governed by an all-volunteer board of directors elected by its membership, PAF is a not-for-profit association representing the interests of the graphic arts industry throughout the state. PAF is affiliated with Printing Industries of America, the world's largest graphic arts trade association. PAF is located at 6250 Hazeltine National Drive, Suite 114, Orlando, FL, USA, 32822.

About Graphics of the Americas (GOA)
Graphics of the Americas, produced annually by the Printing Association of Florida, will take place on Feb. 16-18, 2017 at the Greater Fort Lauderdale/Broward County Convention Center in Ft. Lauderdale, Fla., USA. GOA is one of the graphic communications industry's largest, annual, combined expositions and conferences. GOA is a unique event attracting printers, designers, and creative professionals from North America, Central America, South America, the Caribbean, and all corners of the world.

Source: Graphics of the Americas.