Calling all label, carton and corrugated converters! Shopping for the newest electronic prepress hardware or software? Eyeing another sheetfed offset press for your package-printing operation? Come see the latest technology up close and personal at PRINT® 01.

Running Sept. 6-13 at Chicago's McCormick Place Complex, the quadrennial commercial-printing trade show also offers a wealth of converting machinery, equipment, supplies and services. The growing interconnection of packaging and printing will be a major theme of the show and its associated education programs, says organizer Graphic Arts Show Co., Reston, Va. Converting displays at PRINT will total more than 120,000 net sq ft.

"We've long believed that the specialties of packaging and high-quality color printing would grow steadily together," says GASC president Regis J. Delmontagne. "Our goal in planning PRINT's show floors has been to make it easy for converters to see closely related processes and tools in as 'side-by-side' a manner as possible."

Leading vendors serving the folding-carton, label and other package-printing segments are represented at PRINT 01. The roster includes MBO America, Körber Paperlink North America and Jagenberg with more than 5,000 sq ft of display space each. Booths of more than 1,000 sq ft each are being mounted by Brausse Group, Longford Equipment, Bobst Group, Moll Group, Rollem, Bielomatic and American Intl. Machinery, among others. These displays encompass categories from box- and carton-production systems to coating, diecutting, hot-stamping and process-control systems.

Converting displays have been increasingly prominent at GASC events since the mid-1990s. This strategy was guided by two major market trends: First, that quality printing is a key competitive advantage in the packaging industry; and second, that many experienced commercial printers now view package printing as a major potential growth area. The ongoing development of new digital workflows also means that printing and converting increasingly share tools throughout the graphic design and electronic prepress processes. (See the feature article entitled "Software drives today's electronic prepress," p. 50).

At PRINT 01, a special packaging and converting track in the seminar program will offer visitors nine targeted converting seminars, outlining key trends in every specialty from gravure to foil stamping. In addition, attendees can choose among related seminars on finishing technologies, production operations, and sales and business management topics.

But PRINT 01 is, of course, about printing in all its forms and applications. McCormick's South Hall will be filled with presses, pressroom systems, finishing and converting products—the largest single hall ever devoted to printing. Across the Grand Concourse, both levels in the North Hall offer additional press systems along with the year's largest exhibition of digital prepress technologies.

The show's largest single exhibitor will be Heidelberg America, with approximately 100,000 sq ft. Xerox is second with nearly 50,000 sq ft. Top 10 exhibitors include MAN Roland, Komori, Creo-Scitex, Indigo America, KBA Planeta, Muller Martini, Mitsubishi Lithographic Presses and Agfa.

But GASC stresses that this list of Big Guys tells only part of the story. "PRINT is also the premier venue this year for startups, new market entries, and small companies seeking to reach large markets with new ideas," Delmontagne says. Often these smaller, less familiar exhibitors offer some of the most exciting discoveries for PRINT attendees, he adds.

Coming about 16 months after Drupa 2000, PRINT will present market-ready products that have evolved from technological demonstrations and prototypes seen at the German show. PRINT also comes at a time when adoption of digital workflows is spreading rapidly throughout the printing and converting industries.

Among the major themes of PRINT's exhibits will be:

• New presses and pressroom systems that combine high quality with extensive automation to boost productivity. These embrace sheetfed and web offset, flexography, gravure, and other technologies.
• Digital workflows that unite all steps and processes in print design and production into one data flow.
• Digital printing, in both toner-based variable data (VDP) and direct-imaging configurations, is being successfully adopted.

Helping to sort out these trends, as well as pointing out opportunities, is the full-day Executive Outlook® conference on Sept. 5, the day before the show opens. The theme, "Profits Through Technology—A PRINT Odyssey," offers both general sessions and breakouts designed to help participants approach the huge show halls more effectively.

This year's PRINT is expected to attract visitors from more than 100 countries. Formal delegations are expected to include the economic powers of Europe, including Russia and the Ukraine; Asia-Pacific, including China, India, Japan and Korea; and Latin America, including Argentina, Brazil and Chile.

Six special events have been planned for international attendees:

• The Official Intl. Print Conference Opening on Thursday, Sept. 6
• Asia-Pacific Day, Sept. 7
• Latin American Day, Sept. 8
• Canadian Day, Sept. 9
• European Day, Sept. 10
• Middle East and African Day, Sept. 11.

Each event features a conference program with presentations of market conditions and trends in the focus region.

The exhibit floor will be equally international in flavor. The German Pavilion is among the show's largest displays. Other international organizations staging displays include Abigraf, the Brazilian Graphic Industry Assn.; ACIMGA, the Italian Converting Machinery Mfrs. Assn.: AMEC-ENVASGRAF, the Spanish Packaging and Printing Mchy. Mfrs. Assn.; ANIDIGRAF, Mexico's graphic-arts industry association; and the Japan Printing Mchy. Mfrs. Assn.

PRINT will also feature a Canadian Pavilion organized by Canadian Printer.

"In its international scope and comprehensiveness, PRINT is the show of 2001," Delmontagne says. He adds, however, that advance planning is essential to ensure a successful show visit.

Not only will the exhibition itself require significant time to explore, but both hotel and air travel will be more difficult to book as the event draws nearer.

For more information and to register for PRINT: 703/264-7200, fax: 703/620-9187, e-mail: info@gasc.org, www.gasc.org