At the halfway point of the Print Efficiently event in Hemel Hempstead, visitor numbers are up and the conclusion of orders for both key partners added to the confidence.
Hosts Apex had brought in senior Ryobi staff for the signing of the order for the first LED equipped press for the UK, while IFS sold the first of its automated pharmaceutical folders to Berforts to enable the company to a growing volume of pharmaceutical leaflets in house.
The draw has been the Ryobi five-colour LED-UV B2 press in the showroom which has been running demonstrations during the show. Further in-depth demonstrations for specific customers are planned for this week, with Apex confident that it will secure a second order before the end of the event. Around 80% of those indicating their intention to visit have ticked the litho box, compared to 50% last year.
The new generation curing technology has rekindled interest in the litho process, marked also by the high response to a mailing sent by Print Efficiently partner CyanX about the Eltosch retro fit system.
A number of high profile printers have been through the doors. Berforts managing director Gerald White completed the deal for the AF-406T6F fully automated buckle folder, only recently arrived from Japan. IFS joint managing director Bryan Godwyn says: “We were delighted that Gerald chose to see the new folder in action at the show and then decide to buy it there and then. Gerald is confident the Horizon folder will meet his operational needs and we know it will prove to be a valuable addition too.”
Horizon’s new RD-4055 rotary die cutter, slitter/creaser also attracted attention with the first batch of UK machines sold subject to testing. The device uses a flexible rotary die, costing a fraction of flatbed die to add value to printed sheets. The Horizon equipment will remain in the Apex showroom after the event closes, at least for a short time while IFS completes a move from Perivale to new premises “an 8 iron away” from Apex.
The showroom will be ready by the end of the year, but IFS hopes to have completed the move by the end of this month. It has meant leaving a part of west London that has been home for almost 50 years, but where parking has become an increasing problem and the site is disproportionately large as the size of print equipment has reduced and the IFS business has been reshaped.
As well as Apex, near neighbours will include FFEI, Epson, MGI and Colourbyte. The second half of the Print Efficiently event starts on Tuesday next week. This week Duplo’s London Calling event at Canary Wharf takes centre stage over two days (15-16 October). It has had a record number of visitors registering to attend, an indication that printers are confident enough to begin again to invest.
Opening day of Print Efficiently 2014 was busier than last year. The draw has been the Ryobi five-colour LED-UV B2 press in the showroom which has been running demonstrations during the show.
