Converter's Guide to PRINT® 05/ConvertingSM 05

Here's how to find what you want at this huge printing/converting show.

By Managing Editor Melissa Larson -- Converting Magazine, 8/1/2005

The year's biggest printing exposition, PRINT® 05 and CONVERTING^SM 05, takes place next month (Sept. 9–15) at Chicago's McCormick Place. In addition to pulling out the comfy shoes and packing a bag, savvy converters need to do a bit of extra preparation to maximize the effectiveness of their time at the show. PRINT® 05 organizers Graphic Arts Show Co. (GASC), Reston, VA, have elected not to place converting exhibitors in their own single-location pavilion—instead, exhibitors of converting machinery, equipment, accessories, materials, services and supplies are scattered throughout both McCormick Place's South Building and North Building Level 1.

This actually makes sense given the number of exhibitors this year who plan to exhibit products intended for both the commercial and packaging markets. So, don't get mad—get organized, by making a plan in advance, complete with an exhibitor list by booth number and aisle, and while you're at it, a rundown of the converting-related seminars culled from the broader seminar list (See "Check out the Converting/Packaging Seminars," p. 46).

We've started you out with a list of familiar converting exhibitors who are waiting to greet you at PRINT® 05. To personalize your list even further, the show's web site, www.Print05.com, has a feature called "My Tradeshow Planner," that guides you through choosing your own list of preferred exhibitors to visit, and will even organize them by aisle, then store it online for you.

You may be surprised at the number of converting exhibitors at PRINT® 05 and CONVERTING^SM 05. Here's our own preliminary and highly unscientific list, in booth-number order, accurate as of press time:

104 Polymag Tek Inc.
108 Valco Cincinnati
142 Doyle Systems
151 Schober USA, Inc.
153 Foil Stamping & Embossing Association (FSEA)
208 Stratis Plastic Pallets
212 Brandtjen & Kluge, Inc.
241 Spartanics
249 SIMCO Industrial Static Control
365 Converting Hotline
439 INX International Ink Co.
464 Flexographic Technical Association (FTA)
465 Bernal, Inc.
668 AIMCAL
800 Bobst Group USA, Inc.
811 Sun Chemical Corp.
828 Koerber PaperLink NA
838 Goodstrong Machinery Co., Ltd.
857 JETRION
857 Flint Ink
1200 Heidelberg Druckmaschinen
1245 MAN Roland, Inc.
1262 Komori
1679 Harris & Bruno International
1888 Martin Automatic, Inc.
2395 Eckart America L.P.
2492 Keene Technology, Inc.
2792 Industrial Knife Co.
2879 Videojet Technologies, Inc.
3528 eltromat electronics, Inc.
3546 MEGTEC SYSTEMS
3854 NPES/GASC
3888 Banner Engineering
3960 Prime UV Systems
4000 Kodak Graphic Communicatons Group
4041 Domino Amjet, Inc.
4045 KBA North America
4828 Husson, Inc.
4981 Standard Paper Box Machine Co., Inc.
5016 Max Daetwyler Corp.
5219 Drupa 2008/Messe Dusseldorf NA
5381 Titan SRL
5450 ACIMGA-GRAFITALIA/CONVERFLEX 2006
5577 Kocher + Bech USA
5626 Banner American Products, Inc.
5635 Boise Paper
5650 Converting Magazine
5650 Graphic Arts Blue Book
5650 Graphic Arts Monthly
6002 CIP4 Organization
6041 The Print Council
6100 Screen (USA)
6112 Presstek, Inc.
6124 HELIOS Software GmbH
6136 GMG Americas
6144 Group Logic
6319 GretagMacbeth
6333 Pantone, Inc.
6707 Creo
6735 Dalim Software
6742 Xeikon Americas, Inc.
6751 Artwork Systems
6765 Datalogics, Inc.
7233 Esko-Graphics
7256 Markzware
7507 Kodak Polychrome Graphics
7518 X-Rite
7527 Fujifilm Sericol USA Inc.
7559 Agfa
8307 Enovation Graphic Systems
8335 Onyx Graphics
8700 OEC Graphics-Chicago
10032 IPEX 2006
10034 LasX Industries, Inc.
10037 Independent Machinery, Inc.
10063 MacDermid Printing Solutions
12000 Ghent PDF Workgroup
14069 ILF Technologies
14088 Handschy Industries, Inc.
15083 Bielomatik-Jagenberg, Inc.
16049 Kongskilde Industries
16079 Precision AirConvey Corp.
17037 Componex
19003 Meech Static Eliminators USA

While you're working your booth map and roaming the aisles, we'd be pleased to greet you at booth #5650 and hear your reaction to the show. Let us know if you're finding new and innovative products that will help you back at your home operation.

PRINT® 05 and CONVERTINGSM 05 At-A-Glance

DATES: September 9–15, 2005

HOURS: Friday through Wednesday: 10 a.m–5 p.m.; Thursday: 10 a.m.–2 p.m.

SIZE: Over 750,000 sq ft of exhibit space

NUMBER OF EXHIBITORS: Nearly 800

NUMBER OF ATTENDEES: 70,000

WEBSITE: www.PRINT05.com

PRICE: $30 in advance or $45 after August 5, which includes show floor admission for all 7 days, plus FREE exhibitor presentations

CONTACT: Graphic Arts Show Co., Inc., 1899 Preston White Drive, Reston, VA 20191-4367, 703/264-7200, fax: 703/620-9187, e-mail: info@gasc.org

VISIT OUR BOOTH: # 5650, Reed Business Information (includes Converting, Graphic Arts Blue Book, Graphic Arts Monthly, and Packaging Digest)

Check Out the Converting/Packaging Seminars

PRINT® 05's educational sessions run the gamut from general business to specific segments of the printing industries. Here is a short synopsis of the sessions within the Converting/Packaging track:

Session 7: Trends in Converting and Package Printing

Friday, Sept. 9, 2:15–4 p.m.: Yolanda Simonsis

The converting and package-printing markets are changing rapidly. Discover how converters and printers are facing and solving new challenges.

Session 13: Color Control of Flexo-Printed Film

Saturday, Sept. 10, 8:15–10 a.m.: Bill Pope, R.I.T.

This session will review the relevant trends in color printing for flexible film, and relevant technologies for controlling and optimizing color.

Session 22: State of Printing and Converting in the U.S.

Saturday, Sept. 10 (Lunch Session), 12:15–1:45 p.m.: Frank Romano, R.I. T.

Give them 90 minutes and they'll give you lunch and the state of the printing/converting industry, including both the numbers and the meaning behind them.

Session 32: Innovation & Trends in Foil Stamping & Embossing

Sunday, Sept. 11, 10:15 a.m.–Noon: Jeff Peterson, FSEA

This program will provide up-to-date information on the newest innovations in foil-stamping machinery, dies and foils, as well as insight on the landscape for foil stamping and embossing, and the entire graphic-finishing industry.

Session 42: Improve Your Printing of Folding Cartons

Monday, Sept. 12, 8:15–10:00 a.m.: Ray Prince, PIA/GATF

Attend this session by the industry's leading technical consultant, who has helped dozens of converters rise above the competition, and get golden advice that will help you improve too.

Session 59: The Package Printing Industry—What the Numbers Show

Tuesday, Sept. 13, 8:15–10:00 a.m.: John Zarwan

Some commercial printers print packaging. By diversifying, they've been able to sustain growth—because package printing has no electronic competitor. This session will provide an overview of the package printing market and its various segments.

Session 65: Digital Printing for Packaging

Tuesday, Sept. 13, 10:15 a.m.–Noon: Frank Romano, R.I.T.

Consumer product companies are spending billions to get products to consumers. Short runs, versioning, and global branding through digital package printing show how technology is coming to the rescue.

Session 70: A Fresh Perspective on Package Printing

Tuesday, Sept. 13, 2:15–4:00 p.m.: John P. Windle and Dave Costa, State Street Consultants, Inc.

Session will present an overview of the market, where it is and where it will be in the next five years. Presenters will assess how trends will create opportunities for existing participants and new entrants into the packaging market.

Session 81: The Flexo Market— The Profits Nobody Wanted

Wednesday, Sept. 14, 10:15 a.m.–Noon: Frank Romano, R.I.T.

Today flexo goes beyond tags, labels and flexible packaging. This seminar offers opportunities for printers to understand new markets, and is designed for anyone who has seen their business reduced to commodity price competition.

Just Decided to Go? Book Fast

If you've made the last-minute decision to come to Chicago for some or all of PRINT® 05 and CONVERTING^SM 05, better hurry—affordable, well-located hotel rooms can be hard to find during a large international trade show in the Windy City.

Point your browser to the show's web site, www.Print05.com, and click on the "Hotels and Travel" button. By the time you're holding this issue in your hands, it may be difficult to book rooms through the show's housing bureau using the online booking feature. You may have better luck calling the housing office directly, or contacting your chosen hotel directly.

By the middle of August, exhibitor blocks of rooms will have been released and should be available for attendees—or you can try hotels that lie outside of the show hotel group. As Chicago natives often tell visitors, it's not that you can't find a room—it's finding a room you can afford that's the challenge. Good luck!