FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
April 2004

SGIA ’04 Convention & Expo/DPI Conference: Now the Industry’s Barometer of Growth and Market Share

FAIRFAX, VA -- With all economic indicators pointing to growth, the world’s largest annual Convention & Exposition for specialty graphics, screen printing and digital imaging is expected to have a major impact on the industry’s growth and continued success.

The SGIA ‘04/DPI Conference-Minneapolis takes place October 6-9 at the Minneapolis Convention Center in downtown Minneapolis, Minnesota, USA.

Upwards of 450 exhibiting companies and 12,500 industry professionals are expected to attend and participate in this technology-driven imaging arena, where production options are emphasized within a convenient, time-sensitive format.

“Competition for print jobs has increased,” emphasizes SGIA President & CEO Mike Robertson. “And, while the business of printing has become more complex, the pace has quickened—leaving less time to evaluate options and maximize opportunities.”

Yet profitable printers are using whatever technology helps them meet the needs of their clients. Digital imaging, screen printing and other technologies are all employed.

And therein lies a major value of the SGIA ’04 Expo and DPI Conference:

“At SGIA ’04, you’ll see industry suppliers that are moving in step with the industry, suppliers who are prepared to help printers embrace change and position themselves strategically for the future,” says Robertson. “SGIA ’04 exhibitors realize the marketplace is changing quickly and they’re committed to being involved, to being part of your future.”

One such example is the number of screen printing equipment manufacturers that are either adding digital capabilities to their product lines or partnering with digital suppliers to coordinate a complete imaging solution.

On the production side, more and more garment decorators are expanding their businesses by employing new imaging technologies. Margins are tight on garments, and expanding product offerings by using narrow-format digital imaging technologies can provide added revenue streams.

For printers and suppliers alike, this is a time to strengthen alliances and take full advantage of what technology has to offer. Substantial upgrades to existing equipment, tax advantages and a stable economy expected in an election year are real bonuses.

“There’s just too much happening in the marketplace to sit on the sidelines,” stresses Robertson. “In today’s business environment, printers absolutely need the input and interaction that only the SGIA Exposition can provide.”

Making Change Happen at SGIA ‘04
Agreements with several trade publishers are helping the Association to develop the most targeted educational program possible, while suppliers are already actively shaping the industry’s scope and capabilities.

Future Forums on cross-platform color management and narrow-format digital imaging, for example, will focus on the immediate potential for specialty graphics.

Major support for SGIA’s Convention & Exposition comes from Platinum Sponsors 3M (St. Paul, MN), VUTEk (Meredith, NH) and Avery Dennison (Painesville, OH), along with Gold Sponsors GBC Industrial & Print Finishing Group (Addison, IL), InteliCoat Technologies (S. Hadley, MA), Scitex Vision America Inc. (Marietta, GA) and The U.S. Screen Printing Institute (Tempe, AZ).

The SGIA ‘04/DPI Conference keynote address features Barry Wishner, founder and CEO of DMC, A $50 million-plus management and consulting firm. His topic: “The Power to Execute Change … How Leaders Make Things Happen.”

Wishner will be speaking with industry members to get a clear picture of the imaging industry as it stands today. He’ll then incorporate that information into a discussion of how to make change happen—i.e., how to move your specialty imaging business forward. Learn more about Barry Wishner by visiting his web site: www.wishner.com.

Motown & Magic Add to the Show
Featuring Steve Millar’s Motown Review, the music of Motown will be the theme for an extraordinary Friday Night Dinner Party. The show will be punctuated by the magical humor (and humorous magic) of Tim Gabrielson, along with dancing until midnight.

SGIA ’04 sponsorships help underwrite this event, so take advantage of the low-cost ticket that includes drinks, dinner, dynamic entertainment and dancing.

Rated the “funnest city in America” (Cranium Inc., October 2003) and a top business travel destination (New York Times, May 2003), Minneapolis is rolling out the red carpet for SGIA ’04 attendees who can take advantage of special discounts at restaurants clubs, bars and hotels, and everything else the city has to offer.

“In today’s competitive market, keeping a client can be more challenging than ever,” Roberston concludes. “The key is providing additional, appropriate services … which you can do by incorporating new technologies.”

Incorporating new technologies, expanding one’s production capabilities to encompass new markets and materials, and understanding how this whole enterprise is “greater than the sum of its parts” can best be understood and accomplished at the SGIA ’04 Conference & Exposition, complemented by the annual DPI Conference. That’s where these myriad factors will coalesce and converge.

More complete information about the SGIA ’04/DPI Conference-Minneapolis is available online at SGIA.org. Questions should be directed to the Convention Department at Association headquarters.

SGIA- Specialty Graphic Imaging Association
Fairfax, VA
Phone: 888.385.3588
E-Mail: convention@sgia.org
Website URL: www.sgia.org