RESTON, VA – Graphic Arts Show Company (GASC) today announced that they have made more exhibit floor space available to exhibitors at its upcoming GRAPH EXPO and CONVERTING EXPO 2004, October 10-13, 2004 held in Chicago’s McCormick Place South. Based on demand for exhibit space by printing and converting machinery manufacturers, prepress software and supply companies and other exhibitors, the originally allotted space was not adequate to accommodate the increased demand, eight months prior to the show’s opening in October. Additional space has been added to the floor plan to accommodate an influx of requests for space for this thriving industry event. This is an increase over space allotted at this time for last year’s event as well. The Mailing & Fulfillment Center has been expanded to double its previous size in 2003, offering exhibitors space to highlight their newest and most popular equipment. The Wide Format Pavilion has been expanded as well, to nearly double its size in 2003, allowing for an expanded Innovation Gallery, more exhibit space, more displays than ever before. “Exhibitors made it clear that GRAPH EXPO and CONVERTING EXPO is their best marketing opportunity for domestic sales in 2004, and they have shown us that enthusiastically by securing significant space in which to participate in the event,” noted Regis J. Delmontagne, president of GASC, producers of this huge industry gathering. Exhibitors large and small have realized that the best place to find enthusiastic purchasers and informed, well-qualified leads for their sales forces is to exhibit in tradeshows, and the more professionally run and more aggressively marketed, the more likely they are to find the “right” types of attendees. According to a 2003 TrendWatch© Graphic Arts industry study, 21% of graphic communications professionals use tradeshows as the preferred place to go to gather information on equipment, gather competitive intelligence, and make buying decisions that affect the health and well-being of their businesses. That translates into a large number of buyers at GRAPH EXPO and CONVERTING EXPO that are in a position to discuss solutions with exhibitors, gather the information they need, and make a purchasing decision based on that information. As more manufacturing and supply companies in the graphic communications industry grasp the numerical advantage that tradeshows provide, floor space will continue to be at a premium. Space at GRAPH EXPO and CONVERTING EXPO is allocated on a first come, first served basis, so securing space early is critical to selecting a location that fits well with an exhibitor’s marketing plan. GRAPH EXPO and CONVERTING EXPO is produced by GASC annually, and is the largest most comprehensive tradeshow for the graphic communications industry in the Americas. More detailed information on this event can be found at www.graphexpo.com.