PrintExpo runs out of visitor badges on day two

With two halls at the Chennai Trade Center Nandambakkam, packed with technology and 132 exhibitors, plus huge crowds and queues, was a thrill. The event was a great opportunity to take measure of the printing industry in Chennai and indeed Tamil Nadu.

Yes, we ran out of badges in the middle of day two. In a way, it was great news because we were exhausted of more than 12,000 visitor badges. We started using VIP badges to accommodate the visitors. In spite of some spillover from the Camera Show, there were a lot of genuine players looking for ways to add value or improve their service.

Digital, in particular, had a big presence at the event, and it is a buyers' market with almost all the major vendors being present at the show.

In addition, there were consumables vendors who were offering compelling incentives for ink, spare parts support and consumables contract. There was a lot of interest in UV and LED.

There was a presence from MIS providers plus a lot of talk amongt vendors about the increasing role of print finance.

Finishing and post-press automation players were a highlight at the show.

The cost of entry into the market is reducing in all areas including MIS, print production and finishing. It’s a dynamic period for the industry and the future lies in niche markets, local business, relationships, and capitalising on IT technologies.

PrintExpo has acquired a reputation for hosting the big players of digital print in Chennai, and the 2015 event was no exception. We prepare for our show, round the year, and have announced the dates of all our shows for the next 24 months. As you can see, we have shifted the next PrintExpo dates to August 2016 since it is “the Drupa year” in 2016. My lean-mean team often prepares for months to ensure we offer the best business opportunity for attendees and based on the level of professionalism throughout the show, we put our best foot forward.

I expect PrintExpo to grown into a major brand like our packaging show.

Overall PrintExpo was a great success for both exhibitors and attendees. A lot of contracts were signed - in fact I was following PrintWeek India's live tweets from the show to get a regular update.

As I see it, the next few months will be an interesting period as the industry rides on the optimism generated by the event. We foresee a lot of businesses flexing their new capabilities with their investments from PrintExpo.