More than 1,500 digital print professionals gathered at the sold-out Dscoop Asia 2013 conference, the fourth annual Dscoop conference for the Asia Pacific region, that ran May 12-13 in Beijing, China.

In addition to the more than 30 educational sessions throughout the two-day event, the conference featured 33 Partners in the Solutions Showcase, in-depth business-focused workshops and pre-event visits to print service provider sites to get an insider’s look at how print service providers in China are creating business opportunities using HP Indigo and IHPS digital presses and front end solutions.

Chris Petro, Dscoop global chairman, discussed Dscoop University and the Dscoop Print Directory, two new member global initiatives designed as high-value resources to help Dscoop members succeed in today’s changing print market. The programs were first introduced to Dscoop members

“It is truly exciting news that Dscoop is raising the bar, by offering even more value to its Asia Pacific community, via two new initiatives; making available, unparalleled and relevant domain know-how through Dscoop University and secondly, the opportunity to maximize business from brand owners and designers worldwide,”says Gido van Praag, Vice President Graphic Solutions Business, HP Asia Pacific and Japan.

Dscoop University, powered by HP, is a community-driven training program for print service providers. The program has a single objective: build printers‟ knowledge to drive business growth. The curriculum will span multiple market segments and functional tracks that include marketing, sales, operations and technology-specific topics.

To further spur incremental business activity and growth, the Dscoop Print Directory will be launched as a web-based tool for brand owners and designers. This tool is designed to provide users with a quick way to research and connect with digital print service providers. The Directory will provide more than just contact information; it will also offer qualitative information about each participating print service provider‟s capabilities. Any brand owner or designer can now efficiently source services according to their specific requirements.

The Dscoop Print Directory will be publicly viewable by any site visitor. Visitors will be able to search or browse according to print service provider name, location, print technology or capability, and other selection criteria.