Industry Convergence Drives End of SGIA Show and the Birth of PRINTING United

Suppose you’d just put on a trade show for the Sign and Display industries in ‘showtown’ Las Vegas, USA and it was a sell-out – needing a wait-list for exhibitors to get onto the floor. Over 25,000 visitors flock to it, it is a resounding hit with many sales conducted and new products released. You’d want to do it all again next year, surely?

Not the Speciality Graphics Industry Association of the USA (not to be confused with our SGIAA). The blockbuster show that ended on Sunday was the last one as the SGIA. Instead, in Dallas, TX, from October 23-25, 2019, will be the PRINTING United show, still run by the SGIA but with the help of NAPCO Media – publishers of Printing Impressions and other trade titles. The SGIA has already purchased the Graphics of the Americas show – first reported here last week.

PRINTING United already has a floorplan up on its website and, while the majority of stands are regular SGIA exhibitors, one of the six halls is very offset/commercial with Heidelberg, Müller Martini, Screen and RMGT already listed on sizeable stands. It’s fair to assume this might represent the GOA effect.