The Print Show is the UK’s only dedicated printing exhibition and takes place once a year at the NEC in Birmingham. With a cross-section of exhibitors, this event is always one for the calendar and not to be missed! From global heavyweights like HP, Epson and Mimaki through to one-man bands, The Print Show is an event for all.

This year has seen the introduction of the celebrity area. With Sir Ranulph Fiennes OBE, Gregg Wallace and Chris Eubank filling the line-up; It provided attendees with an exciting and insightful addition to the show. One of the yearly highlights of The Print Show is the Business Seminar Theatre. Adorned with guest speakers from the industry’s leading experts; the event schedule has covered topics from sustainability through to increasing sales and margins.

Data Image Visit The Print Show!

Ready for another year of action; myself and our Head of Artwork and Technical Development, Chris, headed to the NEC on Tuesday to visit The Print Show. Arriving at hall 9, greeted by the smiles from the team, we scanned our tickets and walked in. The Print Show is renowned for its exhibitors. With brands from all across the globe showcasing the latest technology and innovation in print. Upon entering the event, we were given the opportunity to drop our golden ticket into a stand to be in with the chance of winning a bespoke Print Show pinball machine adorned in CMYK! This was very exciting and I’m sure will be a great addition to someone’s office.

After doing the usual sweep of the room, checking out who’s who and where they are, we narrowed our day down and highlighted what stands we wanted to visit the most! The HP stand was a definite go-to for us, especially with their latest technology on show. As well as this, the PrintMonthly and IPIA village stands were also high on our list. Clearly a lot of thought had gone into all of the stands and it paid off! Now in its 5th year, the event still attracts some of the biggest names in the industry.

Going Green

At 2.15pm, we made our way to the Business Seminar Theatre where we sat down for a discussion about sustainability. Led by a panel of experts, Nove Abbott, Phil McMullin, Brendan Perring and Marcus Timson delivered a very interesting talk. As a company that is very vocal about our commitment to sourcing and recommending alternative green options as part of our end-to-end service, we found this seminar extremely worthwhile. With 60% of buyers now being attracted to buy through environmental factors – sustainability is certainly very important for the modern print business.

Another great, green initiative that we found at The Print Show was the PVC recycling scheme. This scheme identifies itself as ‘the sudden realisation of the solution to a previously incomprehensible problem’. Partnered by Soyang Europe and Blue Castle Group, this initiative brings exciting developments to sustainability within the print industry!

The Print Show 2020

All in all, we had a fantastic time at The Print Show 2019. So much so, we’re already looking forward to visiting again in 2020! If you have an upcoming event that you think should be on our radar, then leave us a comment. Don’t forget to follow us on social media for more information about how we are leading the green movement within the print industry. We’re on LinkedIn, Twitter, Instagram, Facebook, Pinterest and YouTube so make sure to keep updated!