Cactus Imaging general manager operations Keith Ferrell has been announced as a keynote speaker at next year’s Asia Print Expo in Bangkok where he will host a seminar on diversification in the printing business and examine emerging trends.
The expo, which runs from 21 to 23 February, is free for all visitors and in addition to exhibitions offers a series of seminars covering screen, digital and textile printing as well as discussions about environmental issues and sustainability.
There will be simultaneous translators in English and Thai on hand at each seminar.
Ferrel’s seminar will be held on Friday 22 February where he will use his years of experience at Cactus Imaging to help other print service providers consider how they can go about diversifying, why it is necessary and the importance of being more than one dimensional.
“Those days (of being one dimensional) are long gone and for you to compete and spread your risk you need to diversify and that comes in many areas whether it’s finishings or whether it’s printing or substrates or inks," Ferrel told ProPrint.
“Technology doesn’t stop and you either go with it and adapt and take advantage of what’s on offer and diversify your business or you stay still and unfortunately a lot of people stay still and where do they end up….broke."
“That’s really the angle I’m coming at. I’m not preaching and saying this is what you’ve got to do. A lot of it is based on what we have done and what we are doing in the future.”
Ferrel says he will also be a keynote speaker at FESPA’s European expo in Messe Munich in May but he’s still working on his theme for that one.
Also speaking on 22 February is Dmitry Sarbaev, managing director at Fluxmall DTG Vietnam, who will host a session on how to start a successful direct-to-garment printing (DTG) business and discuss the essential questions that need to be asked when a print service provider is putting together a business plan.
Graeme Richardson-Locke, Technical Support Manager at FESPA, will present a daily seminar on colour management, which will look at the main benefits of implementing an ICC based colour managed workflow, where to begin with colour management and ISO standards and the road to certification.
Additional seminars during the week will cover signage and the corrugated industry in southeast Asia, as well as business-focused seminars and workshops.
Sean Holt, executive director at FESPA, will also hold a daily Print Census session at the expo where visitors can learn about current and future industry trends. Holt will also share the outcomes of last year’s FESPA Print Census looking in particular at issues and trends shaping the print industry.
He will also look at the next Print Census exploring how and why the research forms the backbone of strategic business planning and spotting emerging trends to help businesses grow.
Roz Guarnori, Exhibitions Director at FESPA, says "Our conferences are an important part of any FESPA event. The seminars at our past events in Asia have proven extremely popular with the regional audience of printers and sign-makers, who are continually looking to increase their technical and commercial knowledge. With seminars presented by both local and international speakers, visitors will get a feel for both local and global trends in the industry."
Comment below to have your say on this story.
If you have a news story or tip-off, get in touch at editorial@sprinter.com.au.
Sign up to the Sprinter newsletter