For wide-format shops, PRINTING United has a lot to offer. You’ll likely spend time with all of the usual vendors in the Sign & Graphics neighborhood. That said, however, it is in your best interest to branch out and explore what else the show has to offer — whether that is new technologies you hadn’t considered, new applications you never thought you could produce, or new ideas on how to use your current equipment to produce new products.
1. Look for automation solutions.
Time is money. Reducing turn around times and eliminating touch points can not only help shops exceed customer expectations, it can also reduce costs.
As you walk around PRINTING United, consider everything from software integrations, to new hardware and equipment that could be used to help streamline your operation. The show is filled with solutions to problems you might not have even stopped to consider, so go in with an open mind, ready to be amazed by what you find.
2. Don’t forget your finishing.
At trade shows, everyone wants to see the images coming off the latest presses. But don’t forget — every single one of those jobs has to be finished in some way, too. And finishing has evolved as much as the print side of the business.
Make a point of visiting all of the finishing vendors around the PRINTING United show floor, from cutters and routers, to binders, to coaters, to everything else you can think of. Take the time to learn about the latest innovations, ask questions, and consider how it might be possible to open up entirely new market segments with the addition of finishing equipment.