“Media Expo will mirror the print industry’s robustness,” Raj Manek, Messe Frankfurt Asia Holding

Five months and two Media Expo editions old, how has the ride been so far?
We took over the show when it already was in a fine form.  I consider this an opportunity to take a closer look at the print industry. It has been a learning curve since then and will continue to be. But by the Delhi edition we will be able to play on our strengths.

What can we expect from the Delhi edition?
A trade show can be gauged for success basis two dimensions; the exhibitors and the quality of the visitors. Creating a quality visitor footfall requires a lot of data building, which we have begun work on. With the Delhi edition we are aiming to bring a wider range of technology and media to participate from 3D printing to digital signage to the substrates.

Additionally, there will be seminars and conferences organised which will aim at educating the printers and the end-users. A lot of the brands; the end customers, are not aware of the possibilities of print. They demand of the printer only what they know of and not what the printer is able to produce. This needs to change and this change in attitude will benefit both the printer and the manufacturer.

It’s Messe Frankfurt and the perception is that the show will be at a bigger scale and grand.
Our aim is to be the best platform in this space; a one-stop. The scale is bound to be bigger but we will reach there eventually. May be by the next three editions (by 2017), we will be able to scale up the show. Both the Delhi and the Mumbai editions will be of a stature that will attract visitors from across the country and international visitors as well.

From your experience at Kolkata and Mumbai, would you say the growth of the Indian print industry is region-specific?
Absolutely not. The print industry in India is growing at a rate of about 15-20%. The exhibitor needs to market themselves at the exhibitions. We also intend to train the exhibitors to do so, so as to attract potential clients.

Will the culture of exhibition sustain with virtual exhibitions making inroads?
The concept of exhibition is over 700-years old and it will continue to be a strong medium of business. People still love to touch and feel what they will invest their money in. They still want to know the face behind the voice they are dealing with, shake hands and sign deal. They want to see and sense the output that the machines will give. Exhibitions also provide a great networking opportunity with people of the same industry, under one roof.