PRINTING United Comes to Orlando October 22–24

Since its launch in 2019, the PRINTING United Expo has become the go-to event for the printing industry, encompassing as it does all the disparate “silos” of print today—commercial print, display graphics, labels and packaging, textiles and apparel, and more. So for print businesses looking to diversity their offerings and develop strategies for doing so, three days in Orlando, Fla., next month could reap great rewards.

Coming to the Orange County Convention Center October 22–24, the PRINTING United Expo not only offers visitors a one million sq. ft. exhibit hall with more than 680 exhibitors from across the printing spectrum, but also a variety of special events and features, some of them old favorites from past Expos and some new ones debuting this year.

Artificial intelligence (AI) is the industry’s subject du jour, and the Expo is offering a new feature this year to help attendees either get up to speed on AI use in the printing industry, or take their AI savvy to the next level. The PRINTING AI Pavilion, located in Booth 4255, is the central hub for exploring how AI is transforming the printing and packaging industry. It will feature real-world applications, the latest developments from the industry’s AI pioneers, and live SME talks. Attendees can visit exhibitors’ kiosks and explore educational materials. “We’ve never done anything like that before,” said Mark Subers, President of Exhibitions and Events, PRINTING United Alliance. “[The show floor] is a million square feet—how do you find people that are offering AI solutions? We’re going to give them a central hub so people can meet there, see what’s happening, and then go out and meet the other exhibitors. We’ve got a theater area set up that will be offering some sessions all around AI.” Attendees can also check out the “AI Wall,” a visual guide to all the AI-centric technologies on display throughout the Expo.

Another new feature this year is called Spill the Ink, a drop-in discussion zone that eschews formal presentations and instead fosters real-time, candid conversations among peers and thought leaders. Participants in the Spill the Ink discussions are drawn from a new program the PRINTING United Alliance has been piloting called PRINTING United All-Stars. “We’ve invited people who are just really passionate about the printing industry,” said Chris Curran, Group President, Media & Events, PRINTING United Alliance. “It doesn’t really matter where they come from in the industry. If they want to help evangelize conversations in the community and the business-building that happens at the Expo, we’ve invited them to be champions, if you will. At Spill the Ink, those All-Stars are going to have an opportunity to lead some of the conversations so everyday there will be sessions in this one particular area on the show floor with round tables where people can get together.” There will be a morning session and an afternoon session, the latter with a happy hour.

Another new feature that Curran is excited about is the inaugural G7/G7+ Exchange, taking place on October 21, the day before the show officially opens. Designed more as a community event, the G7/G7+ Exchange is where print professionals come together to learn about color quality, management, and consistency, as well as take a deep dive into the G7 methodology. “The theme is ‘United By Color’ because color is a universal language,” said Curran. “Now that we’ve grown the Expo and continue to grow the Expo into all these different vertical segments of printing, it’s important to find some universal things that go through each of those platforms.” As a testament to this feature’s popularity, it sold out more than a month in advance.

Returning this year are the Hands-On Training Zones, such as the Apparel Zone, where attendees can explore screen printing, dye sublimation, cut-and-sew, embroidering, heat-applied graphics, and other textile printing technologies, and the PDAA (Professional Decal Applicators Alliance) Installer Zone, where aspiring vehicle wrappers can learn tips and tricks for applying graphics to doors and windows, as well as difficult surfaces and materials. There are even daily wrapping competitions, which are always a top draw.

October 23 is Student Day, a recurring Expo event cosponsored by the Print and Graphics Scholarship Foundation (PGSF), designed just for students, offering them an opportunity to get an up-close and personal look at the latest equipment and technology. Participants in Student Day get a free Expo pass, education sessions, guided show floor tours, hands-on access to live demos, and the chance to connect with top industry professionals.

The Women in Print Alliance (WPA) is an organization dedicated to attracting, advancing, and advocating for women in the printing industry—and women at all levels of the printing industry, be it those who have achieved C-suite status, women just starting out in their careers, or anyone anywhere in between. “It’s not just women in sales, and not just women in operations,” said Lisbeth Lyons Black, Director of the WPA. “We have women members who are in HR, for example.” This year’s Expo marks a milestone for the Women in Print Alliance. August 2025 saw the one-year anniversary of the WPA offering its formal paid membership program. The WPA has actually been around for many years, having been started as a grassroots-driven, volunteer-led organization. “A handful of women who are really committed and passionate about the idea that there needed to be a community-building and workforce development initiative centered around attracting, advancing and advocating for more women in the industry,” said Black. “And a few years ago, the PRINTING United Alliance took on that project and sponsored it, built the infrastructure, and hired a director, which is me.” They have since rolled it as a formal program, with paid membership starting as of August 2024. At this year’s Expo, the WPA will be hosting its own networking events and offering other resources.

(Watch my video interview with Lisbeth Lyons Black here.)