Success for XPLOR and Emerging Technology at GRAPH EXPO
It has been almost three weeks since I returned from Graph Expo and finally have decompressed, sorted through dozens of business cards, press kits and the tchotchkes, determining which I would keep and which ones would go to my nine year old daughter.
This being Xplor’s second year holding a conference program at the event I am pleased to report registration and attendance was up 23% over 2010. I was quite satisfied with the results and look forward to 2012.
Graph Expo, or Digital Expo?
I am not sure if it crept up on me or if I simply spent more time on the show floor this year but Graph Expo has morphed into digital and apparently I am not alone. In an InfoBlog posted by Jim Hamilton, September 22nd he stated: “For all practical purposes, as one looks at the list of top vendors in recent years, Graph Expo has become dominated by digital exhibitors. Heidelberg was the number one exhibitor until 2008, when it did not exhibit, and it probably was the top exhibitor for many shows prior to Graph Expo 2004.”
Every year I look forward to saying hello to the ever increasing number of Xplor sponsors and supporters and checking out the new, evolving and emerging technologies.
This year was a bit more difficult as I had many more companies on my agenda. I will apologize ahead of time if I slight someone, it is not intentional.
Invitation only
I had received quite a few “pre-event” releases and invitations to “stop by our booth” and see what was new. (OK many were not really invitation only but were intriguing) Here are a few highlights. I won’t go into much detail, but suggest you check them out.
Bell and Howell – I was invited by Mike Maselli, VP of Marketing and Product Management, to stop by and see “the new Bell and Howell” and there was a great deal to see. The “enveloper’” is a real slick product that actually wraps the envelope around inserts. A great demonstration. Their new control system that talks to you and has online support via Skype and their inserter technology demonstration that does 30k envelopes per hour. The new Bell & Howell is off to a great start based on what I saw. Visit www.BellHowell.net for more info.
Keen – A new comer to Graph Expo, in fact it was their first tradeshow. Met with Vitaly Golomb, the Founder and CEO, who demonstrated their web to print solution. There are a lot of them out there but this one is special. Check out www.keenprint.com or www.rethinkprint.biz
Konica- Minolta – An old friend I worked with at Kodak, Mike Watt, is now with Konica Minolta and gave me a personal tour of the Screen Trupress Jet520. I also spent some time with Erik Holdo, SVP Production Print Solutions. Konica-Minolta has signed up for the 2012 Xplor Conference and Vendor Forum, March 27-29 in Tampa Bay and Erik Holdo’s presentation will be “tasty”. You will have to attend experience it. (I assure you you will not attend another presentation like it.) This printer is worth checking out. Visit www.kmbs.konicaminolta.us
Pitney Bowes – A couple weeks prior to Graph Expo I received a briefing from Pitney Bowes on their new MarketSpace product. This product has the potential to be a game changer for any company that prints bills and statements and advertisers that want to reach their audience.
In a nutshell, MarketSpace matches advertisers with producers of bills and statements, facilitating the sale of whitespace to a demographically specific audience. This could finally bring Transpromo into the mainstream. Based on what I saw of the program, this could be a win-win for all: advertisers, document producers and consumers.
Graph Expo 2012 or Digital Expo 2012
No matter what you call it, Graph Expo has gone beyond traditional print. Digital has become the order of the day, and not just paper. This show has become the largest event in North America for digital output and communications.
Mark your calendars – October 7-10, 2012 for Graph Expo 2012
