Strategies behind Ipex decisions

- Leading industry suppliers have pulled out of Ipex 2014 as they focus on strategies in emerging markets.

 

- Ipex 2014 returning to London at ExCeL after 30-plus years

 

Leading industry suppliers have pulled out of Ipex 2014 as they focus on their strategies in emerging markets.

 

HP and Agfa have both confirmed that they will not attend the next installment of Ipex, with Benny Landa’s presence at the show also said to be under consideration.

 

Ronen Zioni, HP’s market development director for Graphics Solutions in the EMEA region, told Package Print Worldwide there are two reasons behind its decision to miss the show.

 

‘The first is strategic,’ he said. ‘We’ve decided to move resources into more focused areas that address application- or country-specific needs.

 

‘These present better opportunities to engage and develop deeper relationships with our customers, as well as allowing us to target specific vertical markets.

 

‘Second, we want to put more resources into our customers’ business development through programs such as Dscoop.’

 

He added: ‘We want to put a focus on customer business development, and supporting Dscoop is a strategic decision for HP.’

 

A spokesman at Agfa Graphics said it too is looking to refocus its resources on market-specific events. This includes fast-growing, emerging markets like China, South-east Asia and Latin America, as well as new target customer segments like industrial inkjet printing, which require a “different communication and promotion strategy”.

 

‘Local exhibitions, in Europe as well as in other regions, will remain the platform of choice for targeting emerging new technologies or specific industry segments in the field of newspapers, sign and display and industrial printing applications.

 

‘Going forward, we will carefully review every tradeshow that Agfa Graphics participates in.’

 

The news of HP and Agfa’s decision regarding Ipex follows closely on the heels of Drupa, another quadrennial international printing show in Europe.

 

The Agfa spokesman added: ‘Our view is that the European industry is not in need of a major international tradeshow every two years.

 

‘Better targeted, more personalized and efficient communication and promotion initiatives that allow our customers to better understand our solutions to their challenges and opportunities is what our industry needs.

 

‘Tradeshows still have value, but alternative events that are targeted to technology, segments or regions will be explored.’

 

Zioni said: ‘Drupa was good and I’m sure Ipex will be good too, but we have to make strategic decisions based on what has just been and what is coming in the future.'

 

Despite the loss of HP and Agfa, Trevor Crawford, director of the print group at Ipex organizer Informa Group, remained bullish for the next leg of the show.

 

He said the show is still some 18 months away, and 2014 is ahead of previous editions at this point in the show's cycle.

 

‘All exhibitors spend a lot of time and effort in attending shows. There are many different themes at the show, and it is down to individual exhibitors to decide if being at a show fits in with their long-term strategic goals.

 

‘Being at the show gives you the opportunity to present in front of people, let them touch and feel your products, and provides an international platform for launches.’

 

Xeikon and Canon will be at Ipex 2014, and both said the show delivers various opportunities.

 

Filip Weymans, Xeikon’s director of marketing and business development for labels and packaging, said: ‘The last edition brought a substantial amount of business coming from various sections of the market: commercial printer, label, carton and document.’

 

Mark Lawn, Europe and UK marketing director of professional print solutions at Canon Europe, said: ‘The level of excitement and optimism about the future of the industry that always comes out of Ipex makes it a vital fixture for the print industry.

 

‘It is a very important event, both for Canon and for the print community as a whole. Not only does Ipex offer customers the unique opportunity to see all the key industry suppliers in one place at one time, but it also really drives our industry forward and provides it with incredible focus and energy.

 

‘Certainly for Canon it provides us with an excellent opportunity to deepen our customer relationships, and it always delivers an excellent return on investment for us. With it being a “home” event for Canon UK, we’re looking forward to having the opportunity to help visitors from the rest of the world to see the bigger picture and identify new opportunities to take their businesses forward.’

 

Ipex 2014 will see the show return to London at ExCeL, which Crawford said will help organizers achieve the overall aim of growing the show as it provides easy access to a community of designers and associated professionals who may not have traveled to Birmingham to attend the show previously.

 

Lamination machinery manufacturer Autobond managing director John Gilmore said: ‘Ipex is the biggest English-speaking printing and packaging machinery show in the world, and English is the business language of the world, so I believe returning the show after 35-odd years to London, the world’s number one city, was a masterstroke by the organizers.

 

‘A London-based Ipex at the ExCeL will attract even more English-speaking international visitors to our shores. We are looking forward to many, many visitors and orders.’

 

Read more on Ipex here

See the PPW event diary here