As SGIA Expo Evolves into PRINTING United, Commercial Printing Joins the Mix

In its final iteration as SGIA Expo, the leading trade show for the North American print industry welcomed 24,293 registrants to the Las Vegas Convention Center, where 612 exhibitors highlighted the latest technology driving the industry. At the conclusion of the show however, the SGIA Expo name was officially retired, as it evolves into PRINTING United, a new event for all segments of print.

PRINTING United (Oct. 23-25, 2019, Dallas, Texas) will remain 100% owned by SGIA, but through a partnership with NAPCO Media, will build on top of the current graphic, industrial, and garment segments, and extend deeper into the commercial, in-plant and packaging markets. NAPCO Media is the leading provider of printing industry publications, including Printing Impressions, Wide-Format Impressions, In-plant Graphics and packagePRINTING.

At the conclusion of the 2018 SGIA Expo, preliminary figures for PRINTING United provided evidence of the upcoming show's magnitude. With approximately 78% of the expected exhibitor space for PRINTING United already booked, the total square footage for the 2019 show YTD exceeds that of 2018. Expectations are that booth space for PRINTING United will be sold out before the end of the year which will occupy the entire Kay Bailey Hutchison Convention Center. Additionally, approximately 6,300 attendees have already registered for the 2019 Expo.

Ricoh USA, a current exhibitor at SGIA Expo, was among the first companies to commit to taking part in PRINTING United, more than doubling its booth size for 2019. Brian Dollard, Director, Strategic Planning and Business Development for Ricoh USA’s Commercial & Industrial Printing Business Group, says the company intends on utilizing the event as the Americas launch for the Ricoh Pro VC70000 continuous feed inkjet printer, an ideal solution for high-end applications like catalogs and magazines.

Ricoh's Brian Dollard addresses attendees of the Ricoh press conference at SGIA 2018.

“We’re very excited for PRINTING United, as Ricoh intends to use this platform as the launch of our new Ricoh Pro VC70000 in the Americas,” Dollard said.

Part of what makes PRINTING United a strong fit for Ricoh is that the event will bring multiple segments of the printing industry together under one roof. With products for both the wide-format and commercial segments, Dollard said Ricoh is excited to introduce both of these segments to new ways of looking at print.

“It’s not about one segment or another, it’s about addressing the entire opportunity,” he said. “Our hope is that in the Ricoh booth people will get inspired as these segments combine.”

While digital innovation for the commercial printing industry will be among the big draws of PRINTING United, the show will also highlight the latest in conventional printing technology. RMGT, for example is planning to demonstrate an automated five-color, 9 series LED-UV sheetfed offset press during PRINTING United.

PRINTING United’s broad scope, noted Chris Manley, president of Graphco, “makes it more customer-centric” from an attendee’s point of view and therefore “automatically more successful for us” as exhibitors.

“A trade show ought to be about the customer experience as much as ours as manufacturers,” Manley said. “Being in a venue with buyers from multiple verticals is very appealing.”

In addition to Ricoh and RMGT, several other exhibitors that have displayed equipment during past SGIA Expos intend to bring commercial printing solutions to PRINTING United — in many cases expanding their booths to do so. Canon Solutions America will be making a sizable addition to its booth size, expanding 150% from 4,000 sq. ft. in 2018 to 10,000 sq. ft. at PRINTING United. Other exhibitors in the Graphics and Wide Format segment that are expanding their booth to include commercial printing solutions are Duplo USA Corp., Mitsubishi Imaging (MPM) Inc., and Scodix.

To date, exhibitors in the Commercial and Packaging neighborhood or otherwise offering commercial solutions are Accura MIS, ACTEGA North America, Adams Magnetic Products, Advantage Innovations Inc., Afinia Label, AMS Spectral UV - A Baldwin Technology Co., Art Materials Service (AMS), B & R Moll, Baumer hhs, Burkle North America Inc., Canon Solutions America, Clampitt Paper, Cooley/Commercial Graphics, DAF Products Inc., Digifab Systems Inc., DocketManager Inc., Duplo USA Corporation, EnCore Products/A Div of Elmer’s Products Inc., Foliant Laminating/Graphco, GPA - Specialty Substrate Solutions, GU Eagle America Inc., Heidelberg USA, Hohner Stitching Products, iJetColor by Printware, Jet FX, Jiangyin Allnice Digital, Technology Co Ltd., Kala Finishing Systems Inc., Kiontec Inc., Konica Minolta, Laminacorr, Magic, Marck & Associates, MBM Corporation, Memjet, MindFire, Mitsubishi Imaging (MPM) Inc., Monti Antonio - USA, MPI Print Inc., Muller Martini Corp, Multipanel UK Ltd, Neenah--Neenah Coldenhove, Neopost USA Inc., Nobelus, Packsize International Inc., Polymeric US Inc., PressWise by SmartSoft, Print & Graphics Scholarship Foundation, PrintLink, Radian Laser Systems, Relyco, Ricoh USA, RISO Inc., Rochling Engineering Plastics Ltd, Rollem International, Ryobi MHI Graphic Technology, Scodix Ltd, Screen Americas, Signs2Trade.com, Sihl, SMI Technology Co Ltd, Solimar Systems Inc., SpencerMetrics, Spiral, Starflex Co Ltd, Suzhou Innovesco International Co Ltd, Tec Lighting, Trotec Laser Inc., Verseidag US, Xeikon div of FlintGroup, YUL Technologies Inc., Zimmer Austria, and Zoo Printing.

Ford Bowers

Ford Bowers, CEO/President of SGIA, and CEO of PRINTING United, explained that the concept for PRINTING United centers on the convergence occurring throughout the printing industry.

Convergence, Bowers explained, is the act of printers expanding beyond their core segment into adjacent areas of print. Examples of convergence could include commercial printers expanding into wide-format printing, or commercial shops adding packaging capabilities.

“Printers in different segments are reaching across and adopting new technology,” Bowers said. “It’s important to provide a one-room approach where all solutions are available for review.”

About PRINTING United

PRINTING United, a new event hosted by SGIA in partnership with NAPCO Media, will launch in Dallas, Texas, October 23–25, 2019. Focusing on the opportunities presented by the convergence of printing technologies and markets, PRINTING United will cover print and finishing technologies in industry segments from garment to graphic, packaging to commercial, and industrial. Its objective is to convey all components of integrated solutions to satisfy virtually any client need.

SGIA — Supporting the Leaders of the Digital & Screen Printing Community

Specialty Graphic Imaging Association (SGIA) is the trade association of choice for professionals in the industrial, graphic, garment, textile, electronics, packaging and commercial printing communities looking to grow their business into new market segments through the incorporation of the latest printing technologies. SGIA membership comprises these diverse segments, all of which are moving rapidly towards digital adoption. As long-time champions of digital technologies and techniques, SGIA is the community of peers you are looking for to help navigate the challenges of this process. Additionally, the SGIA Expo is the largest trade show for print technology in North America. “Whatever the medium, whatever the message, print is indispensable. Join the community — SGIA.”

NAPCO Media

NAPCO Media is a business-to-business media company serving the printing & packaging, publishing, marketing, retail & non-profit, promotional products and consumer technology industries. Its mission is to build community between its audience and clients through integrated media programs, video services, events, marketing services, custom content and e-learning.