Record Attendance at PrintMedia Expo

The economy is in a funk, ad sales are up marginally over last year, and publishing industry vendors are sweating every detail of every deal.Yet against this gloomy backdrop, publishers and vendors remain surprisingly bullish on the future of print and publishing. That was the overriding buzz on the floor of the seventh annual PrintMedia Conference & Expo, which included the BookTech Conference & Expo, held at the New York Hilton in March.Trade shows and events across industry sectors, including publishing, are struggling for survival. Some shut their doors. Others have dramatically cut back on the number of events they host.Indeed, the promoter behind the computer industry's top show, Comdex, filed for bankruptcy protection from creditors last year. The same promoter, Key3Media Events Inc., also produces NetWorld+Interop, Seybold, and other events.Bucking the trend: The PrintMedia/BookTech Conference & Expo, which saw attendance grow 10% over last year, to approximately 3,300. The number of exhibitors also increased 22%, to 153 total."The traffic was very good," says Mark Hertzog, group publisher for North American Publishing Company, in Philadelphia, the event's producer (NAPCO is the publisher of PrintMedia magazine). "The loyal exhibitors that have been with us for years were pleased, as were the new exhibitors."Hertzog credits the show's better turnout to a new, broader agenda that incorporated three of NAPCO's other brands. This year, the show integrated the PrintMedia Conference & Expo, the BookTech Conference & Expo, the MagazineTech show, and the In-Plant Graphics Conference.This combined approach took the established BookTech base, and further attracted people interested in print and advertising production, design, and workflow."[This] is one of the few shows that caters to the whole spectrum of the publishing and printing industries," says exhibitor Suzanne Mescan, VP of marketing for Progressive Information Technologies, in Emigsville, Pa. "It attracts the kind of publishing customers that printers, compositors, software, editorial, and other suppliers look for, more than any other trade show we go to."There could be another reason this year's PrintMedia show had upticks in exhibitors and attendance: Competitor Seybold's shuttering of its east coast publishing event."We're filling the void, and expanding the base," says Hertzog of NAPCO. "The traffic had a new synergy. Seybold consolidated their North American shows into one event, in San Francisco. I don't believe most publishers want to travel from New York to San Francisco just to attend a trade show, especially with the world situation today."Exhibitors agree. "The publishing industry is in New York," says Renée Yardley, director of marketing for the Tembec Paper Board Group, in Montreal. "I don't want to overemphasize convenience, but it's a factor in bringing everyone together."PrintMedia's New York base also means top publishing executives can more easily attend the event. "The type of people and quality of the traffic was great," says Jeff Burg, marketing manager with Visual Systems Inc., in Milwaukee. "It was the decision makers. I think that's because it's held in New York. [Buyers] can easily go to the show, instead of sending assistants to scout for them."For many exhibitors, this year's show was a platform for launching new products and services. "We saw this as an opportunity," says Dominic "Doc" Maiorino, VP of sales for Domtar Publication Papers, in Newark, N.J. "We rolled out a new marketing thrust and promotional pieces, which highlighted our entire publication package, and it was met very well."Domtar showcased its new Domtar Lighthouse Matte, Domtar Lighthouse Dull, and Domtar Lighthouse Gloss at its PrintMedia booth. The papers are now available in 88 brightness, making them the brightest lightweight coated freesheets on the market, Maiorino says. The brightness boost, paired with Domtar Lighthouse's blue-white shade, also enhances print and color contrast, he says.Other leading industry vendors also leveraged the show for news value:• GBC Industrial and Print Finishing Group, Addison, Ill., introduced its Pre-Embossed film, a new product line added to the company's portfolio of one-sided laminates. The first finish in the line, Pre-Embossed Linen, is a polypropylene film used in one-sided lamination of digital and offset printed materials. The company also unveiled its scuff-resistant Matte OPP film for book covers and dust jackets at the show. • Progressive Information Technologies announced its new V-Max1 service. Company officials say V-Max1 is a faster, more efficient way to paginate and proof content for reprint, in electronic or print forms. V-Max1 can automatically and accurately paginate content within a design (e.g., an encyclopedia) and returns fast-loading, low-resolution PDF proofs for review, company officials say.• Permalin Products, New York, announced the launch of its Esprit 70# colored endleaf and side panel product. It's priced 20% to 40% lower than competing offerings, according to company officials. It's available in 13 colors, including black, with construction similar to Permalin's popular Multicolor line.• Jaguar Advanced Graphics Inc., Bethpage, N.Y., announced the release of its Jaguar Creative Guide. The extensive guide illustrates virtually all of the printing and finishing effects produced in-house at Jaguar. These include multicolor and hexachrome printing, film and UV laminations, spot and overall, glow-in-the-dark, scratch & sniff, glitter UV, embossing, foil stamping, and more.• Blackbourn Media Packaging, Edgerton, Minn., showed off its 2003 lineup, which includes 13 new stock items such as its CD C-Tray family and stock CD/DVD albums.• MeadWestvaco's Packaging Resources Group launched its enhanced Tango family of coated cover stocks, which feature a new "absolute white" styling. The complete absence of color shading in the papers results in more vivid and precise colors, while manufacturing advances deliver higher brightness, and greater color stability, company officials say. "[Our] enhanced Tango provides superior color reproduction with less fading and yellowing over time," says Bryan Ortman, global graphics segment manager for MeadWestvaco, in Stamford, Conn. Next year's PrintMedia show is shaping up as a must-see show. NAPCO's Hertzog says most exhibitors have already signed up for a repeat performance. In addition to the show's traditional educational and informational focus, Hertzog promises more of a convention-style atmosphere, with increased emphasis on interactive displays, events, and entertainment."It's becoming an annual convention of people who are in design, production, workflow and publishing," Hertzog says. "It's not just a trade show or conference of sessions and seminars. It's become a rallying point where people come to see their industry friends. We recognize that aspect and want to build on that."-Rich Levin

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Record Attendance at PrintMedia Expo

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