Page 47 - Print 21 Magazine Sep-Oct 2020

PacPrint
Heidelberg has been pulling out of expos for the past decade or more, it has not been at PacPrint since 2009. Harper says, “Times are a-changin’, that’s for sure – and, though I’m sorry to say it, I think unfortunately we will probably not see most of the heavy metal exhibitors back.
“It is a shame because I know there was only one offset exhibitor at the last PacPrint in Melbourne in 2017.
I remember he approached me when bumping in, complaining that it was a waste of time as he was the only heavy metal exhibitor present. ‘If
I had known that, I wouldn’t have exhibited’, he said.
“Happily, his mood had completely changed by the end of the show, when he came up and thanked me, saying it was the best PacPrint show he had exhibited at, and that he sold three big units.
“Our aim always is to ensure PacPrint is a really comprehensive show, covering commercial print, labels and packaging, wide-format and signage, everything. It is amazing, though, that everyone’s perception of the show – regardless of the exhibitor line-up – is coloured by their own expectations.
“The commercial printers will often say that PacPrint is not for printers any more – it’s just a large format show, despite the cutsheet presses, label and packaging equipment, prepress, MIS and workflow systems, finishing solutions, rollers and transport
systems, and so many other relevant offerings. Sign people, on the other hand, will sometimes complain
that there’s not enough for them
– it’s ‘just a printing show’. This is despite the laser cutters, routers
and engravers, textile printing, LED and illuminated signage solutions, custom-designed software solutions.
“We’re always working on trying to increase the relevance for every visitor. But we also take the positives from that feedback – obviously, there’s a huge variety of interest and businesses attending the shows, and they would all like to see more of what interests them. That’s a great opportunity for exhibitors.”
We have seen many print exhibitions, even before Covid, fall
by the wayside – international shows like Ipex and Print, and numerous national shows – what is it that Harper thinks gives the Australian show relevance? He says, “Trade shows
have certainly changed over the years, and they’ll continue to evolve as new opportunities and technologies become available. Our shows will continue to evolve and adapt.
"The local trade shows like PacPrint and Visual Impact, however, remain relevant – not only because not everyone can travel overseas
to visit international shows – but because ANZ print businesses
are early-adopters, always keen
to identify and capitalise on new opportunities and new innovations to make their businesses more
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Engaging: Nothing beats the personal presentations of a trade exhibition
efficient, more profitable, and more attuned to the market of the future. So, they really welcome the trade show experience.
“Looking at it from a visitor perspective. It’s often those smaller exhibitors who can provide the
aha moments or niche solutions which will best suit your business. If businesses don’t come to trade shows, they could well miss out
on seeing some of the innovative solutions from smaller players.
“It is expensive to exhibit at trade shows in Australia, we know that. But if you analyse how much it would cost to send a sales representative out to see every potential customer in the region, it’s an amazingly good investment. Many of our members rely on trade shows to bring the market to them – to provide face-to-face meetings with industry people.”
The last PrintEx was run in conjunction with a Visual Impact wide format show and a label show. Harper says the next PacPrint likely to follow that pattern, noting, “There will be three shows in one in 2021 – PacPrint 2021; Visual Impact Expo, and The Label & Packaging Expo.
“We often hear from visitors that they made unexpected discoveries
at our shows which have really been
of benefit to our business – and that includes some of the industry’s biggest and most successful players. There’s a saying that ‘innovation happens at the intersection of ideas’ – so we believe creating those intersections is a really valuable part of our show.”
One of the developments in the Covid no-crowd world has been the rise of the virtual trade show, with the Visual Connections virtual print show the first in the world to get
up and running, and is on track to welcoming 12,000 visitors over its four month run.
Harper says, “The virtual
show has certainly exceeded our expectations. The question was, how could we stay connected, and help our Visual Connections members to stay connected with our industries, and how best to assist industry businesses to keep moving forward? In a nutshell, it worked and, quite unbeknown to us, we became the first organisation – we believe, anywhere in the world – to create an online expo for this industry.”
Its template is now being used by exhibition organisers around the world, testimony to the innovative thinking of Visual Connections, and to Harper, undimmed after almost half a century in the business. 21
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