Wide-Format Equipment to be Displayed at Graph Expo

RESTON, Va.—Graphic communications professionals seeking the latest wide-format imaging technologies and equipment will find them at GRAPH EXPO® 2008, all highly visible across the show floor and more densely clustered in the Wide Format Pavilion.

This year’s show will be held Oct. 26-29, in Chicago’s McCormick Place. More than 600 exhibitors, including the industry’s top wide-format manufacturers and suppliers, will showcase a full range of graphic communications equipment across 450,000 sq. ft. of exhibit space.

The Wide Format Pavilion debuted six years ago with a mere five companies in a 30 x 40-ft. space and has since become a must-see showcase for everything wide format. With three months remaining before the show, this year’s wide-format offerings have already surpassed last year’s space by 3 percent for a total of 40,050 sq. ft. of exhibit space, a trend expected to continue to show time.

“Wide-format imaging has emerged from being a specialty segment to a fully integrated, vital and growing element of both GRAPH EXPO and the graphic communications industry,” said Ralph Nappi, president of the Graphic Arts Show Company (GASC®). “And with the plethora of cutting-edge wide-format equipment and technology to be found here, the Wide Format Pavilion remains a powerful place for attendees to visit and gather new ideas for business success.”

“Mimaki USA will be displaying our products for the fourth year in the Wide Format Pavilion at GRAPH EXPO. We believe that our market development of the commercial printing space for digital wide-format printing equipment is best accomplished at GRAPH EXPO. We look forward to returning,” says Steve Urmano, Mimaki USA’s manager of marketing.

GRAPH EXPO’s show floor has evolved with the changing industry landscape. The last three to four years have seen a lot of mergers and acquisitions in the wide-format imaging area. Many necessitated parent companies taking larger booth space to accommodate their expanding product offerings. This need for larger spaces necessitated the move of some vendors out of the Wide Format Pavilion and throughout the show.

Cory Brock, director of marketing for wide-format exhibitor GandInnovations noted, “We began in the Wide Format Pavilion and that allowed us to gain a lot of exposure. It was easy for our clients to find us! We started with a 20 x 25-ft. booth in 2003 and have grown so much this year we were forced to leave the Pavilion for a 40 x 110-ft. booth on the general show floor.”

At the same time print pros have rapidly become more knowledgeable about how wide format fits into their businesses. Thus, resources previously earmarked for the Innovation Gallery and the Wide Format Theater have been redirected to other new opportunities for show goers at the Future Print show feature. Nevertheless this year’s Wide Format Pavilion remains the central gathering point and major traffic generator for both long-time and new wide-format vendors.

Since its inception, the Wide Format Pavilion has been generously supported by the trade press and specialty information providers. This year’s sponsors include; BERTL (Business Equipment Research & Test Laboratories), The Big Picture, Digital Output, Fabric Graphics, a publication of Industrial Fabrics Association International and FLAAR, a non-profit educational and research organization.

GRAPH EXPO’s Wide Format Pavilion is just one of several showcases and events planned for the show. Other highlights include exhibits featuring the latest trends in digital inkjet printing, the XPS Land Showcase, the new Future Print featuring RFID and Printed Electronics, and a new Print Buyers Forum designed specifically for today’s advanced buyer. In addition, the 13th edition of the EXECUTIVE OUTLOOK® Conference, held on October 25, the day before GRAPH EXPO opens, will allow graphic communications professionals to learn about the technology, markets, economics and critical issues affecting the industry today and into the future.

Complete information about the Wide Format Pavilion and registration for GRAPH EXPO 2008 are available online at: www.graphexpo.com