SOUTHBOROUGH, MA (Aug. 1, 2003) — Interest is growing in the 2003 Northeast Graphics trade show as more than a dozen exhibitors have already signed contracts, and several nationally-known suppliers and vendors have indicated they will join the show in the coming weeks and months. Meanwhile, a growing mix of seminars and programs gives Northeast Graphics a comprehensive line-up of training and information programs for show attendees. The show will be held Nov. 20-22 at the Worcester Centrum Centre, in Worcester, Mass., the geographic center of New England’s $11 billion commercial printing and graphic communications marketplace. Among the vendors who will participate in the three-day show are Brown Packaging, Wexler Packaging Products, Graphic Imaginations, Matheson Higgins/Congress Press, Kimoto Tech, Inc., Island Clean Air, MeadWestvaco, Printing Equipment Guide, Prographic, Zapco Inc., Star Bindery – J.L. McIntosh, Sheppard Envelope, PrintCafe, DeBourke, Southworth and ProLitho. “Historically, most vendors have not made their final decision regarding our show until late August, September and even later,” said Joe Venti, trade show manager for the show’s sponsor and host, Printing Industries of New England. “All in all, we’re going to deliver a well-represented floor of vendors and suppliers to those who frequent our show. Without Northeast Graphics, the folks who make up the heart and soul of New England’s $11 billion printing and graphic arts industry would have to travel halfway across the country to see a similar show.” Seminars and Guest Speakers Several well-known industry speakers will lead seminars over the three days. Frank Romano, the Roger K. Fawcett Distinguished Professor at Rochester Institute of Technology’s School of Print Media, College of Imaging Arts and Sciences, will lead separate seminars about industry trends and designing for digital printing. In “Industry Trends,” Romano will describe where the printing industry is headed over the next five years, how the industry is being transformed by a demand for smaller quantities delivered to clients more quickly, and the impact of more automation to all phases of the workflow. Other key points to be covered include how printers can better connect with customers; the burgeoning demand for quality color work; the importance of a smart workflow; the advantage of a computer to plate workflow on the press and off, and more. In “Designing for Digital Printing,” Romano will discuss how digital presses do not reproduce intricate color designs and illustrations the same way that a conventional offset litho press or a direct-image offset press will reproduce them. “In some cases they will be better and in some cases not so better,” he said. “Digital printing is a different technology. However, if you are doing a variable-data job, you can’t print it any other way. If you want one book at a time, digital printing is the only way. Printers need ongoing education about how they can benefit from digital technology.” Other key points to be covered in this seminar are the difference between ink and toner, the levels of personalization, how to deal with gradients, and linking text and images into pages. Gary Stang returns to lead two intriguing seminars for sales reps and their managers with “Five Training Topics You Must Teach Your Salespeople,” and “Increased Sales From Your Sales Force, Guaranteed!” Stang, a perennial favorite at past trade shows in New England, spent more than 20 years in senior sales and marketing positions at two of the nation’s top commercial printing companies before launching his own sales consultancy firm for commercial printing companies. In “Five Training Topics,” Stang will show how to get appointments with good prospects; how to make that appointment effective; the real role and importance of price; the art of asking questions; and keys to opening new accounts. In “Increased Sales” he will discuss the importance of a strategic business plan, proven sales strategies, how individual sales plans keep reps focused and on track, how and why to eliminate the “independent contractor” mentality, the real reasons reps fail, and the essential tools any company must provide its sales force. Margie Gallo Dana, a Boston-based consultant who works to bridge the two-way knowledge gap between printers and print buyers, will lead “Timely Insights for Selling to Today’s Buyer,” and “How to Differentiate Yourself in the Marketplace from the Buyer’s Viewpoint.” In the first seminar, Dana will offer tips for sales people about how to win the buyer’s trust. Beyond a fair price, buyers are looking for quality work and commitment to service. In the latter, Dana will explain to print company owners and top executives why they must make their firms different to the print buying public, and she’ll offer examples how to do that. Bruce Tietz, a nationally known technical consultant with Graphic Arts Technical Foundation, the research and technical half of the Printing Industries of America trade association, leads “Reducing Waste,” and “Lightening Makeready.” In “Reducing Waste,” Tietz will explain how better control over all aspects of the production process helps cut down waste. He’ll teach printers what must be done to reduce bad sheets, shorten makeready times, improve quality and increase productivity. In “Lightening Makeready,” Tietz will describe the systematic SMED approach to transforming the way a company conducts makereadies and manage customer OKs. Attendees will learn about tools and techniques that can be put to use. Tietz will discuss the common process influences during makereadies and how to overcome them, the secrets to accelerating production throughput, and the pitfalls to avoid when implementing quick makeready in your plant. Ron Ellis, a regular presenter at PINE, will lead “OS X Basics of the Operating System and How to Migrate from OS 9,” and “Acrobat Workflows,” a look at the improvements of Adobe’s Acrobat 6.0 and how prepress technicians can implement these improvements into the daily workflow. “Surveys from past years have told us that attendees want a mix of information,” said Beth White, director of education at PINE. “We’ve aimed for the most important areas to help print and graphic communications companies stay current with the times. “Between improved sales techniques, technology topics where printers can realize immediate savings, and workflow advances, we’re putting topics on the seminar schedule that have the broadest appeal to our attendees.” The three seminar tracks; sales, technology and an even split between environmental topics and executive level seminars, will run all day Thursday and Friday. Start times are 9 a.m., 12:30 p.m., and 3 p.m. Three seminars (one from each track) will run concurrently. Each seminar costs $50. Attendance for a full day of seminars costs $125. A full schedule of the seminars is available on the Northeast Graphics web site at www.pine.org/NEG/NEG_home.htm. Once on the home page, click on “Seminars.” PINE, the sponsor of Northeast Graphics, is the largest trade association in New England to serve the commercial printing and graphic arts industries. It provides a range of services to help its 450 members operate profitably.