PRINTING United Expo is gearing up for its return to Las Vegas, NV, USA, on September 10-12, 2024. Presented by the PRINTING United Alliance, this comprehensive, all-in-one show will feature a wide range of printing technologies, from labels and packaging to commercial and apparel printing.

In many ways, PRINTING United will serve as a North American version of drupa, which took place in the spring in Dusseldorf, Germany.

“I spent eight days in Germany at drupa, and a lot of those solutions coming over to our show,” explains Mark Subers, president of Exhibitions and Events, PRINTING United. “That technology is being sent directly from Germany to Las Vegas. A lot of the newer releases that we saw at drupa will be here, which is really exciting from a release perspective.”

Beyond equipment, PRINTING United has bolstered its offerings for attendees. An in-depth Knowledge Center will allow visitors to learn more about various types of printing technologies. In fact, they could brainstorm expanding into new markets and use the information and expertise in the Knowledge Center to accomplish their goals. Part of that initiative is investing in a significant media presence to showcase the latest technologies throughout the halls.

“In terms of education, we’ve probably gone a little overboard this year,” says Subers. “We’re going to have up to 50 education sessions, and we also have a lot going on on the floor. Our Knowledge Center allows people to come in, who might be interested in getting into the label market, and not only can they grab a Label & Narrow Web magazine but they can head over to your area and have a discussion with you. That’s part of our strategy. We have on-floor training and additional areas of education and keynotes. For the attendees, there are a lot of new products coming and a lot of great education. From our research team, we’re releasing a new AI study, which should be really interesting. There will be a lot to consume at the show.”

Despite taking place during the same dates as Labelexpo Americas, which will not be the case in coming years, Subers sees an opportunity for industry members to attend both and learn something new at each show.

“I have spoken to people who are coming to both events because it’s not really a long flight,” says Subers. “We know people who will spend a day at Labelexpo and then fly to PRINTING United. To reiterate, the coinciding dates were totally unintended. These events get planned out years in advance, and the one trigger was we lost out to the Aeronautics Association, where they take over every hall and bring in jets. Billionaires come in from around the world and they got in over us, and that put a lot of negative things in motion.”

As the show approaches, attendees have shared their enthusiasm for the continued growth of this event. In the last three editions of PRINTING United, the show has gone from 98th in Tradeshow Executive to a Top 30 event. When the results are announced shortly, it is expected PRINTING United will rank 28th or 29th. This growth has led to a partnership with drupa, too, as both events share similar models.

“Messe Dusseldorf North America (MDNA) recognized that we’re doing something right with our model,” notes Subers. “Printers will continue to diversify their application portfolio, and they don’t want to run to four or five different shows. We’ve certainly modeled what we’ve done off of drupa, because it’s all printing. My hope is we land on a relationship where we support each other and work together as two of the larger event organizers across the globe.

“We’ve gotten a lot of really positive feedback from people planning to attend the show,” he adds. “I think we’ve really captured the hearts and minds and everyone understands our model. Our show is the place to come to learn about many different applications.”

Both in 2024 and beyond, Subers anticipates continued expansion and growth – both in terms of attendees and offerings. “We’re always striving to improve the show,” he says. “As long as I’m running it, there’s no status quo. We want this event to be an experience. As the Alliance, our goal is to support the industry. We’re a non-profit, and that’s what we do. We want to generate the best opportunity for everybody to succeed in the future.

“For us to make the Top 25 list, we’d have to get significantly larger, but I don’t know that that’s the goal,” Subers adds. “The goal is to make sure our promise of one roof is there and all the technologies are available for visitors to see. We want to make sure we’re meeting the expectations for our attendees. And I think we’re going to continue to grow from that standpoint.”