Broadford & Maloney's spring PRINT® 05/Converting 05 press event, called Media Days, gave the commercial and package printing press and consultant communities a sneak peak at plans for the Sept. 9–15 show at Chicago's McCormick Place. Media Days, held May 2–3 at the Hilton O'Hare in Chicago, was organized by the Greenwich, CT-based public relations firm to offer some major PRINT® 05 exhibitors the chance to both present their overall corporate strategies and preview their new-product offerings for the show. Among the presenters were:

• Mitsubishi Lithographic Presses
• Xerox
• Kodak Graphic Communications Group
• Jetrion LLC
• Printable Technologies
• Baldwin Technology.

One highlight of the two-day session was a presentation by David Poulos, director of communication for PRINT® 05 organizer, Graphic Arts Show Co. (Reston, VA). Poulos brought journalists and consultants up-to-date on the square-footage, pre-registration and other relevant statistics of this massive printing exhibition. About 80,000 people will attend, to view nearly 800 company exhibits totaling 750,000 net sq ft of display space, according to GASC.

Of special interest to converters who are planning to attend the show, however, is the fact that the show will not feature a Converting "Pavilion" as such. Rather, converting-related exhibits will be interspersed with commercial-print exhibits, following a so-called "Drupa" model. Converting attendees will have to pull out their directories and make use of aisle signage and other methods of zeroing in on the converting-related exhibitors they wish to visit. The show Website (www.PRINT05.com) allows visitors to save exhibitors to a personal "Tradeshow Planner" and print it out in floor-plan order, for instance.

According to a study recently released by PRIMIR, the Print Industries Market Information and Research organization, and included in pre-show information being distributed by GASC, there appears to be a convergence in the commercial, package printing and converting sectors, offering increased opportunities for printers.

"One key finding of the study is that the line between commercial work and package printing is becoming less defined, and that commercial printers are starting to offer package printing in greater numbers than ever before. Of package printers surveyed, when asked to describe themselves, 43 percent of those who do tag and label work consider themselves to be commercial printers. Additionally, 24 percent of those who print rigid packaging and 8 percent of those doing folding carton work consider themselves commercial printers," says the PRIMIR statement.

Comments Regis Delmontagne, president of NPES, "The results of this study offer validation for those commercial printers with the foresight to investigate and invest in package printing. It provides insights into where the work is going, how it is being produced and with what equipment."

Also during the two-day event, Martin Maloney of Broadford & Maloney, who serves as the executive director of The Print Council, presented an update on the group's activities. Maloney announced that eight PR firms have joined in a pro bono alliance to support the organization's communications activities.

More about the PR firms involved and their executive contacts, and a listing of all industry members of the group, can be found on the Web at www.ThePrintCouncil.org. The group will have a booth, staffed by volunteer industry members, at PRINT® 05.