Graph Expo 14, coming Sept. 28 – Oct. 1, 2014 to Chicago’s McCormick Place, is on a mission to prepare attendees for success in the new world of print.  A huge highlight at this year’s industry event is that almost every major industry manufacturer exhibiting now has package printing solutions, which will be featured in their Graph Expo booths—not the case just a few years ago!

Now, show visitors will not only discover an astounding array of innovative new solutions all the latest technologies and unique new applications, but will benefit this year from a highly “how to” focused experience, designed to help educate them about exactly when, why and how to expand their service offerings; new ways to boost their profits; and how to forge pathways into profitable new markets.  Validating the demand for this essential guidance and direction, registration is brisk leading up to the show.

Ideal for print pros seeking to best position their companies for future success will be the Executive Outlook Conference, the popular annual marketing and technology update event, this year themed “Print that Performs,” on Sunday, Sept. 28, from 8:00 a.m. to noon. Immediately following will be the presentation, “The Future of the American Printer,” led by RIT Professor Emeritus. Industry sage Frank Romano will lead off a full complement of more than 50 new seminar sessions in 11 specialized education tracks, including this sampling of Packaging Graphics & Printing track sessions:

Sun. Sept. 28                 

• 3-D Packaging Graphics: ABC’s of Adobe Illustrator Plug-Ins

Mon. Sept. 29

• Designing for Today’s Changing Markets – Understanding Basic Design Skills to Raise Your Bottom Line
• Packaging Brand Power: Secrets to Dazzling Customer Engagement
• Color Optimization for Package Printing
• All My Secrets Revealed: Top Tips from 20 Years of Consulting
• Short Run Digital Packaging A-to-Z: Issues & Answers 

Further enriching the attendee learning experience will be a series of free industry presentations with topics that include: “Packaging Innovation through Graphic Technologies,” “Deciphering Digital,” “Selling in a Connecting Age” and “Optimizing Customer Communications Workflows: Addressing Market Shifts and Evolving Client Requirements.” 

In lockstep with the “how to” focused exhibition set to intrigue and educate attendees, their journey begins with the cutting-edge show floor pavilions and special features that include:

• Plastic Print pavilion – a 2014 World Debut – where the exciting new worlds of Package Printing, Commercial Printing and Industrial Manufacturing converge in live demonstrations of 3D printing options and the profit-building applications they create for attendees to sell now, together with the “Ask the 3D Expert Station” sponsored by Rapid Direction;
• Future Print pavilion and “Experiential Lab,” sponsored by Flex Tech Alliance, presenting today’s hottest technologies including Printed Electronics, 3-D printing and RFID—even more related to packaging food!
• Inkjet Candy Store
• Photo IMPACT Pavilion
• BIG – The Wide Format Pavilion and ISA Wide Format Inkjet Innovation Theater, sponsored by the International Sign Association (ISA), even showing short run package printing applications on flexible and non-flexible substrates;
• The Wide Format Application Zone, a new addition to the show.
• DELIVER – The Mailing & Fulfillment Center and Deliver ROI Theater, sponsored by United States Postal Service (USPS) and Association of Marketing Service Providers (AMSP), and “Ask the Mailing Expert” station, sponsored by AMSP.

Answering the call from the ever-growing package printing segment of the graphic communications industry is the co-located CPP Expo and show floor theater to present the full breadth of converting and package printing exhibitors, technologies and offerings.

These innovative show floor hot spots join a host of popular returning favorites including: the Marketing Pavilion; News Print—the Newspaper Pavilion, The In-Plant Place, GREENspace, the cornerstones Prepress/Software: Workflow & Design and Press/Finishing sections; the Printerverse, sponsored by PrintMediaCentr; and Education Main Street, for attendees seeking well-educated, talented industry newcomers to augment their company’s workforce.

The robust education and networking throughout show week will be enhanced by dozens of co-located events – conferences, users’ groups, special events, and galas – offering a customized show-going experience for a diverse spectrum of attendees. 

Graph Expo 14 and CPP Expo attendees will gain the dual benefit of single-pass entry to both events.For additional information about Graph Expo 14 or to register, visit: www.graphexpo.com.

Graph Expo 14

 (703) 264-7200; www.graphexpo.com