Our industry has been starved of proper trade shows for nearly 2 years. As far as wide format, signage and display, the last show was PrintEx, together with Visual Impact, in August 2019. Visual Impact Gold Coast fell victim to Covid in May 2020. Come September, Melbourne leads the recovery with PacPrint & Visual Impact. Plus, it's the 25th anniversary of the Melbourne Convention & Exhibition Centre - christened by PacPrint 1996!
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| PacPrint 2017 with Visual Impact was the last time the industry got together in Melbourne |
In 96 days from today’s newsletter, the Melbourne Exhibition Centre’s doors will open for PacPrint 2021, co-located with Visual Impact and the Labels & Packaging events. Australia will be one of the first countries in the world to re-boot its real-world graphics industry trade fair schedule – the USA will host Printing United in October and a FESPA is slated in Amsterdam, also in October. But September is Visual Impact & PacPrint time!
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| 2021 marks the 25th anniversary of the MCEC |
The PacPrint exhibitor floorplan is already filling up, with several of the industry’s major players already booked in or putting holds on stand areas. Many of these took advantage of the Federal government’s ‘Business Events Grant’ 50% subsidy scheme, designed to kickstart the events and business travel industries post-Covid.
The MCEC has been operating as a Covid vaccination centre and this will continue to the end of 2021, but in a sectioned-off part of the exhibition centre. PacPrint visitors can be assured of the highest Covid-prevantative environment while visiting the show.
The largest exhibitor so far is Currie Group, closely followed by Fujifilm and Konica Minolta. Spicers, Starleaton, Epson and HP also have major areas.
Exhibitors offering wide format solutions including consumables and finishing are:
Aeronaut – CNC & Routers
Alfex – Laser die-cutting
BPG Australia – Wide format media
Colour Graphic Services – Colour measurement & profiling
Currie Group – EFI wide and superwide format printers
Elizabeth Machines – welders, stitchers, finishing
Epson – Broad range of wide format printers of all types
Europoles – Fabric event displays and soft signage
Fujifilm – Wide format printers, flatbed & roll
Hexis – Consumables, films, wrap materials
Hilton Laminating – Lamination technologies
HP – Wide and superwide format printers
Konica Minolta – Wide format printers
Mimaki – Flatbed and roll wide format printers
Multicam – CNC & Routers
Mutoh – Roll, UV and hybrid wide format printers
Pozitive – All types of wide format printers inc SwissQprint
Print IQ – MIS for wide format
Roland DG – All types of wide format printers
Screen GP – Parent company of Inca Digital
Shann DPM - Consumables
Sign-to-Badge – Name bads, ID printers, UV doning, finishing
Spicers – Printers, finishing & consumables
Starleaton – Everything from start to finish
Stick On Signs - Consumables
Trotec – Laser die-cutting, routing
Velflex - Consumables
Wilenco – Flatbed applicators, laminators, printers
This list is sure to grow as PacPrint/Visual Imact draws nearer.
For exhibitors: there are still some great spaces available and the 50% Business Event Grant is still available, covering show costs, promotion, travel and accomodation.
For visitors: Mark your diaries and smartphone calenders! Melbourne is back and a great place to combine business with pleasure!
