The lighter-than-usual traffic around the stands at the Melbourne Showgrounds was perhaps due to a number of factors aside from the current economic crisis: a previous show had been held in Sydney as recently as October last year and PacPrint09 is just around the corner.
Connect Enterprises rolled out some of its range of Roland DG eco-sol printers, which extends from the 760 right through to the 2.5m format, as well as its Roland CAMM-1 PRO vinyl cutters for applications such as signs, vehicle graphics and retail displays. The company also showcased the Roland LEC 300 Versa UV, claimed to be the world’s first UV inkjet printer/cutter.
Mimaki’s new JV33-160 BS and the JV5 printer were on show at the Bi-Wize stand, complete with new Mimaki ink packs.
Epson’s eco-solvent GS6000 took pride of place at the iMedia stand.
Richard Dodd, regional marketing manager of Corel Australia, was a highlight of the seminar programme, explaining the features of the new CorelDRAW X4 20th anniversary edition, which went on sale at the show in a package that included the Wacom drawing tablet.
The seminars also featured presentations from sign tutor Ain Moldre on meeting the challenge of the current slow business cycle, Avery Dennison’s business development manager Jordan Leach on finding a company’s point of difference, and a look at SubliJet, Rotech, and ArTainium inks by Edan McDougall.
A growing number of non-print technologies, including LED displays, were also on show. 3M’s eye-catching Vikuiti rear-projection display film technology – in the form of ‘Viki’, a virtual woman projected onto a formfit display – provided a timely warning to wide-format printers that ink-on-substrate might not be the staple display solution forever.
Lord Ivy, an organisation of special-event artists who paint and display at visually-themed expos, was also on hand to add some panache to the event.
During the show, a silent auction was held in aid of the Victorian bushfire appeal.
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