More than a year in advance, and at a time when most of the printing, publishing and converting industry is closely focused on the upcoming PRINT 05 & CONVERTING 05, exhibitors have nonetheless already reserved over 150,000 square feet of booth space for GRAPH EXPO and CONVERTING EXPO 2006. Typically, booth sales for the major national show of any year get their first big push in the on-site sales office at the previous year's show. Thus, the Graphic Arts Show Company (GASC) anticipates lively exhibitor interest in the '06 show while on site during the '05 event at McCormick Place. “It is highly unusual to have such a strong pace of exhibit space sales for a future show even before the current year's event has taken place, particularly when the current year brings a show as commanding as PRINT 05 & CONVERTING 05,” says GASC President Regis J. Delmontagne. Still, as of early August, 105 companies had booked over 150,000 net square feet of display space for GRAPH EXPO and CONVERTING EXPO 2006. These early signups, Delmontagne noted, do not include many of the companies that have traditionally taken the largest booth spaces in past shows. “We take this early interest as a clear indication that the 2006 show will be highly successful,” Delmontagne says. GRAPH EXPO and CONVERTING EXPO 2006 will be held on October 15 - 18, 2006 in McCormick Place, Chicago, IL.