‘Supersized’ GRAPH EXPO Packs in Crowds, Racks Up Sales in Chicago
RESTON, VA—09/24/07—With 654 exhibitors filling 460,296 square feet of booth space on the sold out show floor, this was the largest U.S. national graphic communications trade show since 2000 and the second biggest GRAPH EXPO ever. Its education program of nearly 70 sessions drew a record number of participants, notably the largest registration since 2000, with participants choosing to attend more sessions than in the past, including five sold out sessions.
Continuing its commitment to provide verified attendee data, the Graphic Arts Show Company (GASC®) reported 31,779 total participants (includes exhibitors and attendees) at the event, achieving a 3% increase in attendance over last year, with 20,285 actual verified attendees.
“The activity on the show floor felt great”, said Ralph Nappi, President of GASC. “Now with the registration data compiled and finalized, we definitively know that this year’s GRAPH EXPO surpassed last year’s show with 20,285 attendees spending at least one day at the show, and most more time,” he added.
The universally positive experiences of exhibitors confirmed a major commitment to new technology investments and demonstrated an industry rapidly progressing to expand its services, capabilities and value to communicators of all kinds.
As reported in the Show Daily’s September 10 lead story, aptly titled ‘Opening Day Home Run’, according to Sheryl Pattek, Executive Director, Marketing Strategy and Operations, Océ North America, Inc., “Océ has participated in GRAPH EXPO for the past eight years, and the show gets better every year. It has been very busy from the minute the doors opened, people coming to the booth appear to be well qualified - they’re not ‘tire kickers’ - and there are a lot of new faces.”
Likewise, reported Forrest D. Leighton, Senior Manager, Product Marketing, Production Systems Division, Canon U.S.A., Inc. “we’re so excited about the response we’re getting. The traffic has just been incredible!”
