PRINTING United Expo 2021: Bringing the Band Back Together

Since 2019, the world has changed. The COVID-19 pandemic wreaked havoc across businesses worldwide. During 2020, as the virus spread, we saw markets disappear nearly overnight as in-person trade shows, conferences, and events were canceled. Some companies were forced to close their doors entirely or severely restrict their operations.

The economic damage is something businesses are still getting a handle on. Among all printing companies surveyed in the May 2021 “COVID-19 Print Business Indicators Research Report” (produced by PRINTING United Alliance and NAPCO Research), sales fell 15.4%, on average, in 2020, with reports of contraction exceeding reports of growth by 77.8% to 20%. Nearly half (46.7%) reported a decline of at least 20% and more than one-quarter (28.5%) reported a decline of at least 30%.

Looking at individual market segments, the report shows that sales were down, on average, 15% for graphic and sign producers, 17.1% for commercial printers, 22.4% for apparel decorators, and 8.9% for functional printers. In contrast, sales were up 6.6%, on average, for packaging printers/converters.

The picture for most print providers continues to look much brighter, however. Currently, all signs indicate that growth will begin midyear and will accelerate through the remainder of 2021.

According to a consensus of economists surveyed by The Wall Street Journal, U.S. GDP will grow 5.9% this year — the fastest since 1984. Some economists are suggesting it might even be higher. According to the Independent Commodity Intelligence Services (ICIS), the U.S. economic outlook continues to strengthen. After Q1 GDP growth of 6.4%, ICIS estimates full-year GDP growth of 6.6%.

Positioning Yourself to Ride the Recovery

However, the upturn we’ve all been anticipating won’t necessarily mean all print businesses will see growth. According to the same May 2021 research report, the print service providers (PSPs) best prepared to protect their margins from cost inflation and labor shortages; and to identify, and quickly adapt, to how client behavior is changing in the aftermath of COVID-19, will be the ones who really benefit from this economic recovery and growth.

But where will this growth come from? What specific printed products will offer the most options for profitability? How can PSPs get a handle on the products and services their clientele need to benefit the most during the economic recovery?

Business owners need to arm themselves with the most up-to-date and relevant market trends information, and position it alongside the hardware and technology required to bring those plans to fruition. The best place to accomplish all those goals will be at the upcoming PRINTING United Expo 2021.

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PRINTING United Expo is on track to be the global printing event in 2021. The first in-person industry event of significant magnitude since its inaugural 2019 Expo, the fall event — which will take place at the Orange County Convention Center (OCCC) in Orlando, Fla., Oct. 6-8 — will enable printing’s leading suppliers to display their newest technologies coming to market. (To register, visit printingunited.com.)

“The industry is ready to gather once again and the time has finally arrived,” Mark J. Subers, president, PRINTING United, says. “Since the launch of PRINTING United Expo in 2019, through to the PRINTING United Digital Experience, and now at the doorstep of this year’s event, we have been talking to industry leaders and partners the entire way to understand how these events can best serve them.

“While virtual events kept us going during the past challenging year, the feedback we continue to hear is that people want, and really need, to be together to begin getting back to business,” he adds. “In fact, according to a recent study conducted by Association Insights, 94.7% of respondents indicated that large industry trade shows are important, or essential.

Companies have continued to develop products and technology since the pandemic began, and they are waiting to finally showcase what’s been going on live at PRINTING United Expo, according to Subers. “With so many updates, we want to be sure all printing industry professionals can see and hear it all. From Expo Preview to Expo Live to Expo Wrap-Up, we’re working to equip the industry with the most up-to-the-minute education, technology launches, and opportunities to connect; and then revisit all these areas after the show to ensure attendees haven’t missed anything.”

Something on Display for Every Attendee

Market segments across the industry will be represented on the show floor at PRINTING United Expo 2021. The Expo will be the launching point for new technology debuts in 2021 and beyond.

The real draw to Expo Live is the volume of exhibitors and biggest names in the industry that have signed on to join the more than one-million-square-foot show floor.

Apparel

The PRINTING United Expo show floor will feature the experiential Apparel zone. A café and beer garden will be central to the area, which will be a gathering spot for business meetings, peer-to-peer engagement, and relaxing with friends and colleagues. Attendees can select from one of four designs to see and keep a custom T-shirt made on a screen or direct-to-garment (DTG) digital machine and will have a chance to win one of many prizes from the Apparel Zone sponsors. They will also be able to listen to apparel-focused podcasts in a specially created podcast booth, which will be broadcast live each day from the show.

Major exhibitors, such as Delta Apparel, Epson, GSG, Kornit, M&R, Mimaki, Monti Antonio, Nazdar, OmniPrint, Roland, SanMar, Stahls’, and Vastex will all be displaying and demonstrating new technology in the space.

Commercial

Attendees will be able to see and experience significant hardware running live on the PRINTING United Expo show floor — a first in a long time at an industry-wide event of this magnitude. Some companies in the space on the show floor include Agfa, Canon, ChromaLuxe, CP Bourg, Duplo, Fujifilm, GEW, Graphic Whizard, Heidelberg, HP, INX, Kodak, Konica Minolta, MBO America/Komori, Mohawk, Muller Martini, Ricoh, RMGT, Rochester Software Associates, Rollem, and Tecnau.

Digital Textile

Industry brands are increasingly looking for ways to expand service offerings to meet customer demand by embracing new trends, while being mindful of expenditure. Attendees looking for the latest technology in digital textile printing will see equipment on the show floor from companies such as Berger Textiles, Brother, Brown Manufacturing, EFI, Fisher Textiles, Gerber, Greentex, HP, Kongsberg, Kornit, Mutoh, Sakurai, Serge Ferrari, TVF, Ultraflex, and Zund.

Graphics/Wide-Format

Expo attendees will also see the latest in graphics and wide-format technology. Some exhibiting companies in this space include 3M, Agfa, Durst, EFI, Epson, Esko, Fujifilm, HP, INX, Mimaki, Nazdar, Onyx Graphics, Roland DGA, TVF, Ultraflex, and Vanguard.

Mailing and Fulfillment

The industry’s mailing and fulfillment communities are a key industry segment that will call PRINTING United Expo home. Leading mailing segment names participating will include AccuZip, Capital Mailing Fulfillment, Capstone, Crawford Technologies, Kern, Kirk Rudy, MBO America/Komori, Pitney Bowes, Printware, Quadient, United Business Mail, U.S. Postal Service, Tecnau, and W+D.

The event will also feature postal trade groups, such as the Envelope Manufacturers Association, In-Plant Printing and Mailing Association (IPMA), PostCom, as well as mailing publication Mailing Systems Technology.

Packaging

Packaging is a major focus and highlighted area of this year’s event. A special area of the show floor is a dedicated Packaging Pavilion, where PRINTING United Expo association partners, such as the Association of Independent Carton and Corrugators (AICC), Paperboard Packaging Council (PPC), Flexible Packaging Association (FPA), and TLMI, will all be on hand. Additionally, on the show floor, the newest technology in packaging will be shown from leading companies Agfa, Durst, EFI, Epson, Fujifilm, Heidelberg, HP, INX, Kongsberg, Nazdar, RMGT, Xeikon, Zund, and many more.

Latin American (LATAM) Pavilion

PRINTING United Expo attendees will have the opportunity to meet with distributors in the designated LATAM Pavilion on the show floor. CONLATINGRAF, the leading association, will be on hand to help attendees make connections with the most influential businesses in the market space.

To celebrate being together again, registered attendees are also invited to a special series of Community Receptions taking place the first night of the Expo on Wednesday, Oct. 6 from 5-6 p.m. In the true spirit of convergence, attendees can attend any, or all, of the receptions in the following areas: Apparel; Canadian; Commercial/Publishing; Functional Printing; Graphic/Wide-Format; Graphic Installation; In-Plant; Latin American; Mailing and Fulfillment; and Package and Label Printing/Converting.

Education for the Masses

In addition to the excitement on the show floor, educational sessions are accessible online during Expo Preview, onsite in Orlando during Expo Live, and after the event during the Expo Wrap-Up. Featured sessions include topics covering economic trends and analysis; growth markets and opportunities by market segment; planning for profitability; sales and marketing insight; convergence and diversification; and much more. A dedicated track of sessions will also be presented exclusively in Spanish.