The GAPP Print Expo

Establishing a trade show requires a number of factors to fall into alignment. There has to be a need from the industry, both from the exhibitors side and from the visitors side, the show has to be timed according to a convenient and appropriate industry cycle, it needs to be industry specific, but without being so exclusive as to prevent ancillary and peripheral sectors.

To fill this need within the broader printing industry, The GAPP Magazine has once again teamed up with Specialised Exhibitions Montgomery to stage The GAPP Print Expo 2019, to provide visitors with the specific information on how they can leverage the power of print to evolve into the packaging arena. The GAPP Print Expo will be co-located as part of the Propak Africa exhibition talking place at Nasrec from 12 – 15 March 2019.

Sven Smit, Exhibition Director at Specialised Exhibitions Montgomery commented, ‘We wanted to see if there was an opportunity to create a more inclusive exhibition for the print sector which would allow exhibitors and visitors to come together to discuss the latest trends and developments in this sector of the industry. It is for this reason that we have entered into a collaborative agreement with Sentient Publishing – publisher of The GAPP Magazine. Through this agreement we will be able to leverage the market-specific knowledge of The GAPP Brand to create a revitalised show in The GAPP Print Expo.’

Vikesh Roopchand, Publisher of The GAPP Magazine added, ‘We have a dedicated database of the companies involved in the printing industry throughout South and Southern Africa, as well as the markets of East Africa. Our aim is to provide these potential visitors with the necessary information to convince them to visit the show in order to see the latest solutions available in the market and to discover the trends which will influence their businesses in the coming months and years.’

The GAPP Print Expo 2019 will be much more than merely a trade show. A number of initiatives have been put in place to assist visitors to the show to find not only the solutions which they would like to see, but also to obtain industry information. The event is launching the first free-to-attend Seminars for this show across all topics and sectors making critical information available to a broader cross-section of visitors.

The visitor experience at The GAPP Print Expo will be greatly enhanced through the addition of initiatives designed to facilitate the process in every way, starting with the process of registering through to finding parking and locating exhibitors. Specialised Exhibitions Montgomery is harnessing the power of Social Media to keep visitors informed. In addition, a dedicated App will allow visitors to plan their visit or specifically locate exhibits which are of particular interest. Product Matchlink is a system which links visitors with specific interests to those exhibitors who provide those solutions.

While finding exhibitors is of importance to visitors, attracting visitors and more importantly the right visitors is the main aim of exhibitors. Specialised Exhibitions Montgomery in conjunction with The GAPP Magazine will be specifically targeting visitors from the printing sector to attend the show. This will be done through the pages of the magazine, as well as using its online presence and its own social media platforms.

The GAPP Print Expo will be located in Hall 7 at Nasrec with ProLabel for the label printing sector and co-located alongside Propak and ProPlas for the packaging and plastics related industries.

Propak Africa, along with its co-located shows, is the biggest exhibition serving the larger print, packaging and food processing industry in Africa. Taking place every three years, Propak Africa has been running since 1984 when it was launched as PackProcess. It was renamed ProPak in 1998.

Gary Corin, Managing Director of Specialised Exhibitions Montgomery stated, ‘Propak Africa as a group of shows has been a hugely successful event for a number of years. This is due to the fact that it is timed to meet the needs of the industry it serves and attracts the right exhibitors and visitors. The 2016 event attracted 11 000 visitors and is on record as having attracted visitors with buying power and influence.

‘The exhibition in 2016 also had the highest rebooking record in the history of the show with 40 per cent of exhibitors booking for the 2019 event during the 2016 show. In fact, one of the exhibitors had already signed up for the 2019 show before the start of the 2016 exhibition.’

The aim of the combined shows is to elevate the role each sector plays in the success and relevance of the printing and packaging industry. This requires a concerted effort on the part of all players. Potential visitors need to express areas of interest, exhibitors need to provide working solutions and, organisers need to provide the right environment and aligned services to bring visitors and exhibitors together.

Gary concluded, ‘Experience in the exhibitions segment has shown that the most successful shows are those which rely on shared activity by the exhibitors and the organisers to meet the needs of visitors. It is not possible for individual companies to do it single-handedly. If all the partners in the show work together, The GAPP Print Expo and Propak Africa as a whole will be a highly successful event which benefits the printing and packaging industry.’

As the largest exhibition in Africa for the printing, packaging and signage industry the show will feature the very latest technologies in all sectors combined with access to information on the latest trends and developments from around the world and how they can be expected to impact the local market.

The GAPP Print Expo happens every three years and the 2019 event promises to be an all-encompassing exhibition for packaging printers and for conventional printers wanting to expand their horizons.

Exhibitors can book their stand space at The GAPP Print Expo now by contacting Sentient Publishing on 011 475 5095 or e-mail: sales@sentientpublishing.co.za. Visitors must diarise the dates 12 – 15 March and make sure you attend.