It could’ve been a PacPrint measured by what wasn’t there. No Heidelberg. Few offset presses. A prediction of low sales, dismal visitors numbers, a lack of ROI for exhibitors. The glass-half-empty voices had been loud. Considering the brutal start to 2013, it’s easy to see where they were coming from. Would an extravagant trade show, appearing amid the worst economic climate many in print have ever seen, be a white elephant?

[Photos: Who did we snap at PacPrint?]

As the doors opened on Tuesday 21 May, many worried that the nay-sayers would be proven right. Foot traffic was light. Exhibitors spoke in worrying tones. A lot was riding on PacPrint13; the first day did little to reassure those who had staked so much on the once-every-four-year show.

But this is not an article about failure. Because the visitors did arrive. Wednesday got busier. Thursday was busier again. On Friday, stands were mobbed by potential customers. The Melbourne Convention & Exhibition Centre hummed with an energy that has been lacking in our industry of late. Exhibitors say those who arrived were the industry’s leaders, the people who write the cheques, and that they were ready to do business.

Adrian Fleming, up until recently the managing director of Kodak Australia & New Zealand, says: “There were plenty of worried looks going around on Tuesday, but I can’t think of a trade show when day one wasn’t slow. Day one of Drupa was dead, so were days 13 and 14.”

Steve Donegal, director of strategic accounts at HP Asia Pacific, agrees. “The show got off to a pretty slow start. Day one and day two were very underwhelming. I was actually a bit concerned on the second day, but I have to say that Thursday, Friday and Saturday made up for the slow start. Our lead generation expectations were met and our business activities exceeded expectations.”

[Photos: More action from the PacPrint floor]

Even the organisers, who had spent months promoting the show and doing everything in their power to ensure its success, kept their expectations modest. Just a day before the doors opened, PacPrint president Ian Martin told ProPrint that organisers were expecting around 10,000 visitors. There was a feeling that fewer might even be acceptable, as long as those who attended were decision-makers. It must have come as a huge relief to organisers when the curtains closed on PacPrint13 and some 13,427 visitors had crossed the threshold. A decline on 2009 but a welcome bump on the worst-case scenario.

Across the dozens of exhibitors that ProPrint spoke to both during and after the show, the theme of ‘numbers down, quality up’, was consistent. Decision-makers, it seems, did show up; time-wasters did not.

Garry Muratore, Oceania regional sales manager of GMG, who was stationed on the Kayell stand, says: “The tyre kickers were missing; those people who have no intention of purchasing but want to waste your time to prove they are clever.”

Muratore points to one reason for this. “The industry has been through some tough times so the big labour force that used to be out there is no longer there. Once upon a time, the bosses would rent a minibus and send 20 people in. The guillo operator would come and ask how a plate works. He was educating himself.”

While students have always been part of the PacPrint make-up, Muratore reckons their numbers were down this year. Other vendors suggest to ProPrint that while students did show up, they were on their best behaviour, there to collect a few free posters but not waste exhibitors’ time.

Konica Minolta general manager production printing David Procter subscribes to the ‘numbers down, quality up’ view. The digital supplier’s centrally located stand was “constantly busy”, he says.

“For Konica Minolta, we are very happy with the result from PacPrint. Even though the numbers may have been down through the door, the quality of customers on the stand far exceeded that from previous shows.”

Pleasing partnership

The cross-aisle traffic with partner Kodak can only have helped both suppliers. Beyond the typical task of sales and lead-generation, the two companies had different but equally important reasons for making a strong showing at PacPrint. For Konica Minolta, like fellow digital supplier Ricoh, the exhibition was an opportunity to further bolster its reputation as a serious supplier to the graphic arts market. For Kodak, there was a need to remind the industry that not only is it still here after last year’s fall into Chapter 11, but that the printing industry remains its core focus.

Procter says: “In our customers’ minds, we have cemented ourselves as a serious player in the digital marketplace. This is our third PacPrint. At the first one we were the new boys on the block. Four years ago we were being considered by a fair few. Now we are regularly on the consideration list.”

Kodak’s Fleming says that following the dramatic collapse of the once mighty company, “we could’ve cancelled [PacPrint} and no one would have blamed us”.

“But we looked at it and said we would take the opportunity to say we are still here, we are coming back. Come September, we will be out of Chapter 11 and we will be a very graphics-focused company,” says Fleming.

The partnership between Kodak and Konica Minolta at PacPrint13 might remind people of their affiliation at PrintEx11, where the pair were joined by Heidelberg. This year was not the PacPrint of old. The absence of the industry-leading offset press manufacturer was not just a reflection of the tough market, but symbolic of wider trends of technology.

Doubters had made much of Heidelberg’s withdrawal from PacPrint and the absence of offset presses. Mutterings about the minimal litho presence – there were just two, a pair of Ryobis on the Cyber stand – continued throughout the show. But where some saw the lack of traditional machinery as a failure, others saw it as a changing of the guard. To call 2013 the ‘digital PacPrint’ would be doing digital a disservice, treating it as a novelty rather than the mature technology it truly is. Offset litho remains the dominant production process in Australia in terms of page volume, but the biggest growth is in digital.

Missing manufacturers

Some exhibitors would have seen Heidelberg’s absence as an opportunity. HP’s Donegal says: “We thought that the show would have a different complexion to 2009, on the back of a lot of  suppliers who were present in 2009 not being present in 2013. On that basis, it was absolutely right for us to invest heavily in this show because companies were looking for a more sophisticated solution and if you do not demonstrate the ability to keep your partners current, and keep them well ahead of competitors in the future, you are simply not in the game.

“Our strategy was to invest heavily at PacPrint to show strength, to provide an end-to-end solution portfolio and we believe that was a key component of the success of our show,” Donegal adds.

It’s easy to talk about a trade show in the context of offset versus digital. But that old conversation topic has become moot. One printer told ProPrint that lots of customers just don’t care any more: not only is digital’s quality becoming largely acceptable for many applications, but buyers’ quality demands are also falling.

Garry Muratore says: “I think digital has its place. We are now seeing jobs that were exclusively offset where digital is doing it quite fine. If you really wanted to take it right back, you are no longer seeing single-colour presses because a B&W digital machine does that. It is just assumed and you are starting to see that with some colour jobs.”

There was technology on the floor in Melbourne that proved just how far digital has come. The B2-format HP Indigo presses have once again moved the break-even point between conventional and digital printing. So too have Fujifilm’s larger-format inkjet production presses, the sheetfed Jetpress 720 and webfed Jetpress 540W.

In labels and packaging, HP was showing off its HP Indigo WS6600, which has cemented Indigo’s dominant place. But competitive machines were also being demonstrated by Epson, whose SurePress L-4033A fits into another niche, and Screen, which gave the worldwide launch of the Truepress Jet L350UV.

In the sign and display area, a bevy of beefy machines were out to prove that inkjet is closing in on screenprinting’s share. EFI’s Vutek devices appeared on the stands of multiple dealers, including Spicers. The two-metre wide EFI Vutek QS2Pro on the DES stand produces up to 93sqm an hour and can be switched from flatbed to roll-to-roll operation in less than two minutes.

Roland DG’s stand sat between PacPrint and co-located show, Visual Impact Image Expo. Plenty of wide-format devices crowded its booth, but the standout piece of technology was surely the 1,625mm-wide Soljet Pro4 XF-640, which can reach speeds of 102sqm per hour.

Of a different slant, but no less impressive, was the new Memjet-powered device siting on the Fuji Xerox booth. The DocuWide C842, which promises output speeds of 320sqm  per hour, had pride of place not just on the company’s stand but in the whole show – situated right by the busiest entryway. The machine was mobbed, according to Fuji Xerox. The first of its type was sold to Pegasus Print Group before the show, but from the interest seen during PacPrint, it seems highly likely many more will be making their way to shop floors in coming months.

To focus on these pieces of hardware might be missing the point, through. More than ever, suppliers are marketing the ancillary systems that surround the engine, as well as offering customers idea for market applications.

Russell Cavenagh, sales & marketing director of DES, doesn’t want to discuss machines: he wants to talk markets. “Our forte has always been managing analogue-to-digital transitions. We are seeing that in everything, from screenprinting moving to wide-format and now box cutting. We didn’t have anything analogue on our stand.”

He says that DES wanted to show customers ideas for new revenue streams. Rather than just discuss the company’s MacTac line of materials, he says he wants to talk to customers about how they can move into new areas. “MacTac is the product; this is more about thinking about that market sector.

“Do you really care how something is produced these days? People get caught up in the technology rather than what it does for the clients and the speed to market, which is what it is about these days,” says Cavenagh.

HP’s Donegal wants to turn the focus away from hardware and onto “end-to-end solutions”. He says the major appearance at PacPrint from HP and Curries “was worth the investment” because it was a chance to “not just supply a piece of technology but be seen as a complete solution provider”.

“I though visitors were not just focusing on boxes but on solutions. That was very different to the previous PacPrint.”

Printers have historically come to trade shows to inspect heavy metal. But the footprint of shows has had to change as the nature of production equipment has changed; the chugging of offset presses has been replaced by the quiet hum of digital devices. The plate-change siren on the Ryobi stand was the only audible beacon of traditional printing processes.

Software solutions

Beyond hardware, there was a spike of interest in clever software solutions; these demonstrations require little more space than a desk and computer monitor.

For EFI, PacPrint13 was about re-introducing itself as the dominant player in the MIS, front end and web-to-print space. Its crisp white stand was all about the interplay of systems, from online ordering via Digital StoreFront and newly acquired Online Print Solutions; to job management via any one of its numerous MIS products; to an output device, whether digitally via EFI Fiery or to a pre-press workflow via its close ties with the likes of Kodak Prinergy.

This focus on software goes hand in hand with the shift to digital print, where very low-run, on-demand jobs are becoming the norm. When job values are miniscule, clever systems that automate the process may be the only way to hold onto a margin.

This was the reasoning behind some of the show’s biggest software deals. Trade-only communications provider Cheque-Mates was the first company in Australia to invest in Objectif Lune’s PrintSoft Pres Enhance software, which is designed to re-engineer documents without modifying or replacing existing applications. Cheque-Mates boss Rodney Frost said it would mean faster time-to-market and a reduction in costs.

“It allows us to get jobs to market a lot quicker and to compete more effectively and have a lot more control over what we do with information distribution. For some people, it may mean we get their invoices or statements out a day earlier. It all adds up,” Frost says.

Sydney-based commercial printer Dominion became one of the first firms in Australia to invest in Chili Publish, a software tool that allows end users to edit documents online. In so doing, it puts tasks back into the hands of the customer, freeing up a printer’s resources.

It’s true that most trade show ‘sales’ are cemented weeks or months in advance. The exhibition is more about lead generation. So it must have been a relief to Screen managing director Peter Scott when new faces appeared on its stand. After all, the exhibitor made the bold move to bring not one but two extremely high-spec inkjet production machines: the aforementioned L350UV label press and the Screen Truepress Jet520.

“One thing we came away with is that there are more opportunities for high-volume inkjet that we didn’t know about. There are transactional printers we didn’t know about. You think you know everyone and there is always someone new,” he says.

But even with all this positivity, the numbers don’t always stack up. ProPrint heard one major vendor say that if given the chance, they wouldn’t have appeared. Despite having one of the busiest stands, it still seemed highly unlikely they would see a return on their investment, which was near enough to a million dollars.

For exhibitors that focus on software, it is understandable that a large-scale trade show might not necessarily be the perfect arena to display their wares. As as the focus on software increases, this will drive more changes to the model of printing trade shows.

Kodak was demonstrating Prinergy 6 and Adrian Fleming pointed out: “As more people talk about software, all you need is a monitor and a booth; it is nowhere near the footprint.”

Printing is becoming ever more computerised and automated, so the nature of the leading trade show will continue to change. Where once visitors saw steel chassis and heavy engineering, we now see beige boxes with plastic facades. Many old hands in the industry will see this as a failing; what, after all, is a trade show without enormous, marvellous machinery that can’t be seen anywhere else? But times have changed, as has technology, and trade shows must keep up to confirm their relevance.

“One of the most interesting comments I heard was that it was a quieter show,” says Konica Minolta’s David Procter. “Not quiet because of a lack of people but quiet because there wasn’t the noise of the traditional offset or the finishing, because they have been noise suppressed. Even on the busiest days, the show was quiet. That is a sign of the times.”

Vox pop #1: Peter Martin, Lotsa Printing

Why did you come to PacPrint13?

To keep abreast of the latest technology in machinery, software, systems and finishing options.

Have you attended before?

I’ve attended the past three PacPrints and past thee PrintEx. I never miss them as they are invaluable.

What did you look at specifically?

Flatbed printers; finishing equipment for a range of needs such as A4 landscape books; auto trimmers; and anything to save labour and speed up processing times.

Will you make any investments?

We bought an HP FB500 flatbed printer, punch and spiral wiro line, round corner machine and are still investigating labels and envelope printing equipment.

What’s your opinion of the show?

Excellent. The speed with which most machines are being improved and upgraded is getting quicker. The labour-saving potential means we need these shows to see where we can get benefits in our businesses.

Could you see room for improvement and how?

Personally I would like another day. We spend every day and still struggle to get to see all that is on show.

Vox pop #2: Carl Mendelle, Discus

Why did you attend PacPrint13?

We wanted to catch up with some industry people – we’re a bit starved for contact over in Perth – and to see if there was anything new.

Have you attended before?

I have attended four or five.

What did you look at specifically?

We are looking at routers to help our signage division.

What’s your opinion of the show?

Much smaller than previous years but more focused on our industry.

Can you see room for improvement?

About time it was held in Perth!

What did PacPrint13 tell you about the nature of the Australian printing industry today?

It appears from the print machinery side that there is a lot of consolidation with the larger manufacturers absorbing the smaller guys and their technology. The outcome of this is that everything is starting to look the same, including print quality, speeds and prices. In the past where you would find that one machine that suited your requirements there are several that appear to offer the same outcomes.

Vox pop #3: Sharon Sewell, Varsity Graphics

Why did you come to PacPrint13?

To visit Melbourne, to see new equipment and technology and to attend forums and workshops. Also to attend the Women in Print breakfast and catch up with other printers and suppliers.

Have you attended before?

I have attended two PacPrints and two PrintEx shows in eight years.

What did you look at specifically?

Web-to-print software, supplies for our heat press, finishing equipment, a Memjet envelope printer, production B&W and colour digital machines from Konica Minolta and Ricoh and the Océ Arizona.

Will you make any investments?

We’re very interested in the CMYKhub web-to-print service. Will more than likely be purchasing a B&W production machine from Konica and hopefully a new colour in the next year.

What’s your opinion of the show?

I found all the exhibitors very friendly and attendees were positive about the print industry.

Room for improvement?

More general networking and social events for the attendees.

Vox pop #4: Jamie Xuereb, Mediapoint

Why did you come to PacPrint13?

To see first hand the different segments of the industry and what processes or techniques from other segments we can apply to our own.

Have you attended before?

Yes, four years ago.

What did you look at specifically?

We were particularly looking to improve our workflow so an MIS is on the cards. PrintIQ really stood out to us particularly. Also we were on the lookout for future hardware upgrades to improve our capacity such as Vutek and SwissQprint.

What’s your opinion of the show?

PacPrint this time around was nothing very new. It seems like the industry is in consolidation at the moment and there aren’t many major cutting-edge improvements or advancements.

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