Show Stopper?

It was only a matter of time before somebody suggested that perhaps Graph Expo/Print should not be an every year event. I couldn’t disagree more. Despite recent drops in attendance, the annual Graph Expo and its four-year rotation with the Print offer a valuable and necessary resource for the entire printing industry. Not that long ago there were a number of regional printing trade shows serving the industry, but they have fallen by the wayside. Aside from Graph Expo/Print there are only two remaining shows that could be considered major events—Graphics of the Americas and On Demand. Both of these events have also suffered from attendance declines. GOA has become more and more oriented toward the Latin market and is no longer the major draw for North American printers it once was. On Demand is a digital-only show with no offset component, meaning it only represents one segment of the evolving printing industry. Graph Expo/Print is the only show with offerings for all industry segments and it has continued to expand its coverage into areas such as wide-format, mailing services, newspapers, etc. It has attempted to change as the industry changes and has, for the most part, been fairly successful. As far as attendance goes, an improving economy might help some, but there needs to be an emphasis on attendee quality as opposed to attendee quantity. Sure, it’s nice for students to attend the show and learn about the industry. It’s also a perk for non-management employees to attend, but neither of these segments buy or recommend purchases. Vendors have always had a love/hate relationship with trade shows and the recent economic turmoil hasn’t helped things but until there is an effective and efficient alternative to a well-run and comprehensive printing trade show Graph Expo/Print will remain a valuable and viable venue.