Exhibitors have booked more than 400,000 square feet of display space at this year's GRAPH EXPO and CONVERTING EXPO, assuring that this will be the largest national graphic communications and converting exhibition since 2000. The show takes place in McCormick Place South, Chicago, IL, October 15-18. The 2004 show exceeded both the 2002 and 2003 editions, which staged approximately 374,000 and 355,000 square feet of exhibits respectively. Ralph Nappi, president of the Graphic Arts Show Company, which manages GRAPH EXPO and CONVERTING EXPO, says the show's growth in 2006 is striking for two principal reasons. First, GRAPH EXPO and CONVERTING EXPO continues to “buck the trend” affecting trade shows in the graphic arts arena and capital equipment shows in particular. “While many shows struggle to maintain their size, and most are shrinking, equipment and service providers in the graphic arts industry find that GRAPH EXPO and CONVERTING EXPO provides a great return on their marketing investment,” Nappi says. “Some large shows have even disappeared, yet GRAPH EXPO and CONVERTING EXPO continues to thrive.” Second, Nappi adds, “the total space occupied by the largest exhibitors at GRAPH EXPO and CONVERTING EXPO has actually decreased, which means this growth is broad and embraces our entire show floor, not just a few large booths.” Among the factors contributing to the growth of GRAPH EXPO and CONVERTING EXPO has been the success of such recently launched special-interest features as the Wide Format Pavilion and the Mailing & Fulfillment Center. For 2006, each of these special exhibit areas will achieve its largest size to date at a GRAPH EXPO and CONVERTING EXPO.