How the revamped Northprint hopes to draw the crowds to Harrogate this May.
Northprint is now North Print and Pack, having been rebranded and relaunched as such by Informa Exhibitions last summer. The 2013 show may be staying in its Harrogate heartland but will Betty’s Tearooms be a bigger draw than the show, which has shown signs of flagging but claims to have been reinvigorated in its new guise.
At a glance
Where: Harrogate International Centre
When: 14 - 16 May 2013
Times: 14 and 15 May, 10am - 5pm
16 May, 10am - 4pm
Cost: Free, but pre-register online to save time at
http://www.printandpack.co.uk
At the time of the rebrand announcement last August organiser Trevor Crawford said the 2013 event would deliver more content, products and advice to help printers develop their business into new areas. “The 2011 show demonstrated that Northprint is a very important industry showcase for the the UK print community. A key finding of our research was that visitors want to see Northprint grow, in size and breadth of coverage, and we will be working to do just that,” he said.
So will it deliver? The event has been extended to embrace packaging – hence the name change – but Informa says the diversity of exhibitors will ensure that every area of the commercial print industry is represented. But don’t expect wide-format specifically to get much of a look in; this is really a chance for you to see what else could perhaps dovetail with your service offering in that sector. And apart from equipment, software and consumables vendors you can expect to see the likes of Fastsigns exhibiting and marketing its new co-branding programme that allows independent print business owners to add a Fastsigns centre within that existing business.
Watch out too for companies like Learn2print, now one of the largest nationally recognised print training providers and perhaps worth talking to in regards to apprenticeships and NVQ's as well as tailor made training.
And then there’s the education aspect of the show itself, which has this year ramped up its programme of seminars and discussions, mainly via The Knowledge Centre. This comprises three free theatres carrying presentations from the likes of Tesco and Twinings plus panel discussions and case studies put together to help your develop your technical as well as business skills.
Within The Knowledge Centre you will find:
The New Printing Landscape
The New Packaging Theatre
The Printers’ Profit Zone
The full programme of talks is on the show website (http://www.printandpack.co.uk) but to give you a flavour…
The New Printing Landscape offering includes a talk by PODi director Tony Hodgson entitled ‘How Digital Print is Revolutionising Consumer Behaviour - What are you doing to be a part of it?’; ‘The Impact of New Technologies on the Print Industry’?by Peter Lancaster, owner of Documobi and W2P; and ‘Lack of Finance and Government Support = Lack of Innovation and Disparity - Advice on Enabling your Business’ with speakers including BPIF chief exec. Kathy Woodward and Jonathan Bennett, commercial director of Close Brothers Asset Finance. All of the above are scheduled for the opening day of the show – there’s a different programme on each of the subsequent days and the same goes for the New Packaging Theatre and Printers’ Profit Zone.
The Knowledge Centre is also open 10.30 - 11.00am on Tuesday 14 May for the S’print speed-networking event. Divided to focus on commercial and packaging printers respectively, it gives participants five minutes per contact to exchange details and expertise to bolster your contacts list.