PacPrint crucial to industry future: Andy Vels Jensen, HAN

Andy Vels Jensen, managing director of Heidelberg Australia New Zealand calls for wider support from the printing community for future PacPrint shows.

In keeping with tradition, the offset press manufacturer has one of the largest stands at this year's show, while some other suppliers have reduced their presence considerably.

"We perceive the show as an important investment in Heidelberg's future and our industry," he said. "[However], I don't see that all suppliers agree that it's an important show for the industry to attend."

The greatest problem, according to Vels Jensen,  is that there is no common understanding about what to do with the show and what its function should be. Time is money, and some suppliers see trade shows as too great a cost, particularly when cost-cutting is at the forefront of everyone's agenda.

By Vels Jensen's own admission, PacPrint costs Heidelberg $42,000 an hour to run, but he feels it is worth it. "That is what we are putting back into the industry," he said.

The good news is that the costs of day one were already covered before the show had even been declared open thanks to one (unnamed) customer making a considerable investment from Heidelberg's display of technology on display, which includes the Speedmaster XL 75; Anicolor Speedmaster SM52 and the Stitchmaster ST 450. "We've tried to show the most innovative solutions that drupa had," said Lindsay Barnes, general manager, product management.

By the conclusion of PacPrint 09, Vels Jensen expects to have taken $300,000 per hour worth of orders. "The figure was more than double that at our previous two PacPrints," he said.

It might be another four years away, but Vels Jensen is already calling for action on the direction of PacPrint 2013 "It's important to bring about the issue of how Printing Industries Association Australia and GAMAA are funded for the next four years," he said. "There has to be a better way that our industry can survive."

Outside of PacPrint, Vels Jensen also thanked Glenn Plummer for his 10 years of service with HAN. Plummer leaves Australia next month to head up consumables and marketing for the Asia Pacific region in Singapore. A new management team has been put into place as a result.