PRINT CHINA 2015: International Media Week

In order to enhance the promotion effect and update the latest progress and exhibitors preview, PRINT CHINA organisers arranged the PRINT CHINA 2015 International Media Week from December 09-11, 2014 in Dongguan Exhibition International Hotel. Through a series of reports, guests’ presentations, media interviews, interactive discussion as well as related field trips, media from home and abroad got a comprehensive understanding of PRINT CHINA 2015. Here is a brief report by SK Khurana, editor, Print & Publishing. This media week was attended by government officials, about 40 overseas and domestic printing association leaders, exhibition committee leaders and representatives of exhibitors. Apart from them various international printing, packaging and publishing media from five continents, printing media from Hong Kong, Macau and Taiwan regions as well as domestic printing media and mass media were present to the media week, which included journalists from overseas media (21), domestic media (27) and mass media (15). Among the representatives of exhibitors ten companies updated the audience as to what they are going to show during PRINT CHINA 2015.

The media week was declared open with the welcome speech delivered by Xu Jianguo, chairman of Printing and Printing Equipment Industries Association of China (PEIAC). And later Cai Waici, special adviser of China Machinery Industry Federation (CMIF) and Huang Ling, inspector of Guangdong Press, Publication, Radio, Film and Television Bureau talked about the impact and importance of ongoing development of the printing and packaging industry. Zhang Jianmin, secretary-general of Digital and Network Printing Sub-association of PEIAC talked about China’s Printing Market in 2013; Sun Tiebing, executive vice general manager of Print China Show Company Limited (PCSC) talked on the progress of PRINT CHINA 2015 and Li Chen, secretary general of China Print Awards updated on China Print Awards.

During the international media week, invitees discussed the topics covering China’s economic situation, industrial policies, exhibition preparation, service information, exhibitors’ plans, etc. The discussion was something like updating the media so as to disseminate the information all over. Following remained the synopsis of the discussion:

Six major highlights

Climbing new heights: Global printing enterprises offer their great support to PRINT CHINA. Up to August 30, 2014, more than 620 companies had submitted online applications, occupying about 1,20,000 sq m area. In order to meet exhibitor’s demands and maximize exhibition effects, Guangdong Modern International Center will be offering newly build Zone F of Hall 3, with 22,500 sq m exhibition area. With this, the total exhibition area will reach to over 1,40,000 sq m. And with these developments

PRINT CHINA 2015 will be world’s largest and most influential comprehensive exhibition of printing and packaging industry in 2015.

Active participation of industrial enterprises: PRINT CHINA 2015 has successfully attracted numerous leading domestic and overseas exhibitors. In digital and prepress sector: HP, Canon, Konica Minolta, FujiXerox, Fujifilm, Founder and Epson have confirmed to participate. In printing equipment sector: Heidelberg, KBA, Komori, manroland, Hans-Gronhi, Dinga (RYOBI-MHI), Beiren Group, Goss and Zhongde Group have confirmed to participate in this show. In packaging and post press sector: BOBST, Masterwork, MBO, Kao Asia (Kolbus), Steinemann, YOCO, Wilson, Horauf, Hohner, JMD, Shengtu, Lanbao, Zenbo, Guowei, Guowang and other wellknown enterprises will display their exhibits.

In flexo, gravure and label printing sector: Aerospace-Huayang, Brotech, KING LABEL, Zhongshan Fuzhou, Donghang, Sangde, Weigang, Cerutti and more companies have registered to participate in PRINT CHINA 2015. In equipment and consumable sector: Agfa, Lucky Huaguan, Amsky, CGS, Konita, Siegwerk, Tokyo Ink and Kingswood have applied for participation. With these industry leaders, it is firmly believed that PRINT CHINA will gather cutting-edge printing technology and products in the world to showcase the latest development in printing technology for visitors.

Magnificent presence with overseas pavilions: With PRINT CHINA 2015 more and more internationalised, overseas industrial associations and organisations actively organise their national and regional pavilions to participate in this show. Germany pavilion, South Korea pavilion, India pavilion and Chinese Taiwan pavilion have confirmed their participation. In addition, the pavilions from UK, Italy and other countries are in the negotiation process.

Concurrent value-added activities: A series of key events will be held concurrently, including the 3rd International Forum for the Development of Printing Technology (Forum PT 2015), the 5th China Print Awards Ceremony, the 5th Member Meeting of Asia Print, the Secretary General Meeting of Global Print, Opening Budget and so on. Meanwhile dozens of forums and technology exchange activities will be held, covering digital, green, standardisation, packaging, label, inkjet and other areas.

Show days extension creating more business opportunities: The organising committee decided to extend the exhibition period of PRINT CHINA 2015 from five days to six days, to provide sufficient time for exhibitors and professional buyers for business negotiations and technical exchanges. Such extension also makes PRINT CHINA more align with the organising style of other international printing exhibitions.

Establishing trade matching platform: With the purpose of providing more business opportunities for exhibitors and overseas buyers, the organising committee decides to bring trade matching services for exhibitors and overseas buyers. Also, this service is applied to the exhibitors intending to contact overseas industrial associations or talk to overseas buyers onsite. The organisers will actively arrange matching meeting for exhibitors, providing value-added services and increasing trade activities at the exhibition.

Great support from overseas organisations As always two largest partner alliances, Global Print and Asia Print have given the biggest support to PRINT CHINA 2015.

They facilitate their member states to help PRINT CHINA organising committee attract exhibitors and visitors to their respective countries. Global Print has been jointly initiated and founded by China, USA, Germany, France, Italy, Spain, Sweden, India and Japan in May 2008, aiming to increase information exchange and cooperation between and among all printing equipment manufacturing powers, promote the development of the printing industry towards internationalisation, and thus providing convenience for the development of global printing technology. And Asia Print was officially founded at the 7th Beijing International Printing Technology Exhibition in 2009 jointly initiated by seven founding members, including China, India, Indonesia, South Korea, Malaysia, Philippines and Pakistan. The federation holds its annual meeting in member states alternatively, discussing the matter to jointly promote the development of printing industry and print exhibition in Asia. According to the preliminary statistical data of Asia Print, as of now over 10 Asia-pacific printing and packaging associations including India, Pakistan, South Korea, Thailand, Myanmar, Cambodia, Vietnam, Malaysia, Indonesia and Philippines have started to organise buyers group to visit PRINT CHINA 2015.

THE SECOND DAY

Day two of the media week was a busy day in terms of some of the delegates visiting two prominent organizations ‘ST Company (Dongguan Shengtu Bookbinding Equipment Co Ltd)’ and ‘Shengzhen Luk Ka Creative & Cultural Center’, apart from ‘Shenzhen City view.’

Specialised in producing and selling book binding equipment for hard covers, book cases, table calendars, gift boxes, note books & diaries, files and albums, etc, ST Company (Dongguan Shengtu Book Binding Equipment Co., Ltd) is a machinery equipment manufacturer, which was founded in 1998 by Tuo Ming zhu who has years of rich experience in designing and manufacturing book binding equipment. Through their greater efforts and innovation company has become a high-tech enterprise. Covering an area of nearly 10,000 square meters their factory is located in the hub of manufacturing in China—Chang An.

They are manufacturers of machines like book spine pressing machine (ST099), stitching machine (ST440A), automatic end paper gluing machine (ST040PP), automatic hardcover machine (ST036B), automatic dragon hardcover machine (ST036B), etc. They are growing together with their valued customers and built up brand ‘ST’ for series of machines step by step, and provide a full solution for hard cover book. They are building ‘ST’ as a world class brand by global sales network. They always provide best quality service to customers from all over the world and their brand ‘ST’ is the preferred choice besides Kolbus. They are committed to make efforts for serving global book binding markets.

Accompanied by Shengzhen Luk Ka Creative & Cultural Center workmates, the press delegates paid a visit to Bi Sheng Printing Heritage Museum, the first private one among its counterparts in China and got a good understanding of origin, invention and development of printing and paper making technology by virtue of images, material objects, imitations and animations. Furthermore the press delegates were introduced to digital printing devices in the Digital Printing Center. The visit to ‘Shengzhen Luk Creative & Cultural Center’ brought the delegates almost into a dream world of print. Here when we say ‘dream world’ — it is like a museum dedicated to print where the whole history of print and paper related specially to China is on display.

Luk Ka Creative & Cultural Center also succeeded to attract nearly 50 enterprises and associations to organise events, including international high-end printing device manufacturers like Heidelberg, KBA and AZ Design, etc. After threeyear’s efforts, the center developed a sound industrial system and manages to build up the high-end Digital Printing Public Service Technology Platform, the Printing Technology Service & Training Platform, the Public Internet Service Platform and the Public Culture Service Platform, making it a multifunctional and comprehensive cultural & creative industrial park that encompasses highend printing, creative design, culture exhibition, business conference, industrial communication, e-commerce, skills training, science popularisation, tourism and pleasurable food.

Luk Ka Creative & Cultural Center stands itself out by integrating creative culture into high-end printing. The ‘Luk Ka Creative & Culture Month’ held by the center attracted more spotlights for the ongoing tenth ‘Creative December’ Event of Shenzhen.

Located in Henggang town, Longgang district, Shenzhen, the center is over 10,000 sq m in floor space and 30,000 sq m building area, And functional zones like Printing Culture Museum, Chinese Ancient and Modern Printing & Calligraphy Hall. Green Printing Hall, Digital Printing Center and Printing Exchange Center were established.

Focused on ‘culture’ and ‘creativity’ and implemented by printing, the aims to become both Creative & Cultural base and Patriotism & Science Popularisation Base which integrates creative design, digital printing, R&D, duplication and trade of simulated work of arts, green printing and devices transaction, talent-training, academic exchange and e-commerce.

With these kinds of initiatives like organising ‘International Media Week’, ‘PRINT CHINA 2015 shall be the landmark in printing industry. The display profile varying from prepress to print; print to post press; packaging to converting is bound to benefit printing fraternity specially of developing countries in a much broader perspective. Delegates from such countries planning to visit PRINT CHINA 2015 shall be a welcome step.