Final week for ANZ online print expo

Aussie and Kiwi printers are being advised to get their skates on to get through the doors of the world’s first virtual print exhibition, which has just one week left to run.

 

The online Print, Sign & Display Graphics Virtual Trade Show event has some 25 exhibitor booths, along with seminars, workshops, the opportunity to enter Fespa and Asga awards, and a sign survey to complete. Entry is free.

The online expo was the first virtual show to get up and running anywhere in the world when it opened on 1 June. It is set to close next Wednesday, 30 September.

Since it opened, event organisers around the planet have rushed to create online versions of their shows. No live face-to-face printing industry exhibitions, conferences, or awards events have taken place since Covid emerged back in March, and none will take place in Australia, or anywhere, before next year.

With 1600 visitors on its first day, and a steady stream ever since, the Print, Sign & Display Graphics Virtual Trade Show has been a surprising success in what has been a bleak few months for print. Visitor numbers passed 10,000 last month, and are now approaching 12,000.

Peter Harper, CEO at Visual Connections, said, "Passing the 10,000 figure of visitors to our Print, Sign & Graphics Virtual Trade show certainly exceeded our expectations.

"It was a hard sell at first, with many of our members having their marketing budgets cuts. However, many stepped up to support our industries. They saw the value of being able to reach thousands of printers and sign manufacturers and staying connected.

"More importantly, it demonstrates that businesses are still looking to innovate and create opportunities and are keen to access the information and that will help them review, rebuild and renew their businesses into the future."

Currie Group has the largest booth. A host of other local suppliers also at the show, including Ball & Doggett, Epson, Ferag, Fujifilm, Hexis, HP, Mutoh, Roland DG, Screen, and Starleaton. Clicking on a booth leads you to a rich resource of videos, photos, explainers, information, and contacts.

Open 24 hours a day through to next Wednesday, the local virtual trade show is an initiative of Visual Connections, the suppliers' association which also organises the PacPrint – now rescheduled for September next year – PrintEx, Visual Impact and Label & Packaging Expos. It was created “to provide important opportunities for suppliers and trade businesses alike in the current Covid-impacted situation.”