Labelexpo Americas demonstrates industry optimism

Labelexpo Americas welcomed 12,761 attendees to the show held in Chicago on September 14-16, a five percent increase from the 2008 event. Nearly 400 local and international suppliers demonstrated their latest developments, and by the end of the show 83 percent of exhibition space had been rebooked for Labelexpo Americas 2012.

A tangible mood of optimism prevailed throughout the event, demonstrating the resilience and recovery of the industry after the recent stormy economic climate. This was reflected not only in the increased number of visitors, but by the quantity of machines bought during the show: Nilpeter and Mark Andy sold 18 presses a piece, while Xeikon and MPS sold 11 machines each.

The event was also marked by a significant presence of converters from Latin America, demonstrating the increasing growth and purchasing power of the region.

To help attendees and exhibitors stay up to date throughout the show, Labelexpo Americas launched a free phone application, sponsored by HP. Attendees were instantly able to access the latest exhibitor list, conference program, speaker biographies and feature area information while on the show floor.

The event’s technology workshops, a new feature, attracted particular interest from visitors. A dedicated area in hall F saw presses from Nilpeter, EFI Jetrion, HP and Xeikon running the same label job, allowing attendees to compare print quality and performance between different conventional and digital printing processes.

As in previous years, Labelexpo Americas hosted a conference organized in collaboration with TLMI. Sessions included focuses on digital technology and the state of the North American market, while a panel of industry magazine editors discussed the industry’s recovery. A luncheon on the second day, which saw CEOs of leading North American converters discussing the industry and their businesses, was attended by 150 people.

Industry expert Mike Fairley ran a ‘How to’ Digital Label Printing Masterclass, during which visitors heard from a series of presenters about how to make the most of digital technology in pre-press, printing and finishing, while also looking at the changing role of management, sales and marketing in a digital environment.

The Label Industry Global Awards took place on the first night of the show, with almost 500 people attending the award ceremony on the Spirit of Chicago, Navy Pier. The following winners were announced:

R. Stanton Avery Lifetime Achievement Award: Terry Fulwiler, CEO, WS Packaging Group

Label Industry Award for Continuous Innovation: Omet

Label Industry Award for New Innovation: DG Roland

Converter Award for Sustainability/Environmental Responsibility: Paragon Label

Roger Pellow, Labelexpo managing director, said: ‘We are very pleased with the event’s results. Labelexpo Americas attracted high-quality visitors who were willing to invest in new technologies, as evidenced by the sales orders made at the show. The launch of our new technology workshops was a great success and is a feature that we will roll out across our upcoming shows due to popular demand. The show unveiled a lot of innovative technology, and I look forward to seeing the industry continue to thrive in the future.’ 

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