Gent (Belgium), – The recently concluded EskoWorld 2010 worldwide conference, held from April 18-21, 2010 at the Marriott Tampa Waterside Hotel and Marina, was a great success, according to customers attending the event. EskoWorld brings together customers, EskoArtwork industry partners, and product and support specialists into an environment that encourages the exchange of ideas and product knowledge. EskoArtwork industry partners are on-hand to provide answers to questions on how solutions involving their products can be extended and integrated. The organization of the event and preparation of relevant content was a collaborative process between EskoArtwork and the EskoArtwork Users Group International (EUGI) leadership.

EskoWorld saw good growth from last year, demonstrating EskoArtwork customer loyalty and an indication of an optimistic economic climate. Attendees came from many different market segments: packaging and graphic arts companies such as converters, commercial printers, publishers, sign and display firms, to packaging designers and brand owners. Users also came from around the world, including Australia, Japan, China, India and South American countries.

"EskoWorld was extremely well attended with nearly 10% growth and over 250 customers. Our objective was, as always, very simple: to listen to and inform our customers and provide a forum where they could intermingle with our staff and each other. The Partner Zone was very well received, offering users a great opportunity to interact with other vendors and learn how to get full value from EskoArtwork solutions. It was very successful," says Mark Quinlan, President EskoArtwork North America. "In particular, people were excited about the new Automation Engine. It will provide significant value to-and take costs from-their businesses."

A diverse series of presentations
EskoArtwork arranged for a broad spectrum of speakers with presenters from multiple brand owners as well as leading partners, such as Hewlett Packard and Bobst. Harry Epstein, VP Innovation at HAVI Global Solutions, delivered the keynote. EskoWorld offered more than 75 different sessions, organized under a number of solution tracks covering a wide range of topics, including digital flexo; commercial printing prepress; packaging prepress; structural design and short run production; 3D design applications; brand management software; and packaging digital print.

In Roadmap sessions, visitors were asked for their input by submitting product feature request forms, which were prioritized by voting at the end of each session. Meanwhile, structured operator training sessions increased the practical knowledge level of certain applications at operator level. Attendees had a chance to explore the new software in "hands-on" sessions held in the well-equipped "lab" room.

EskoWorld's Partner Zone was sponsored by a broad number of supporting packaging technologies, including those from DuPont, AICOMP Consulting, Bobst, Flint Group, HP, Dr. Lauterbach and Partner, Prism, Pantone, Dassault Systèmes, SunChemical and Strata. In the Partner Zone, visitors viewed product exhibits and talked with EskoArtwork partners to determine how their solutions could work together.

Winners of the Packaging Challenge Award, a competition challenging entrants to design the packaging for EskoArtwork Suite 10, were announced during EskoWorld. Hand-produced comps, compliments of NY-based InWork Inc, were displayed at the Partner Zone.

Attendee feedback: Tremendous value and high praise
'The best event ever' was a frequently heard comment from EskoWorld attendees.

"EskoWorld 2010 was a very positive event. We wanted technical information, and that's exactly what we got," says Scott Collett, Electronic Prepress Technician at Prime Package & Label in St. Louis, MO. "We wanted to plan around EskoArtwork's software updates so, for us, the product roadmaps were very helpful, as was the Software Lab. The HD Flexo and color management presentations were technically oriented and well explained. And the dinners and entertainment made it easier to network with others."

"If I had to rate EskoWorld from 1-10, I'd give it a 25," remarks Gary Harry, Senior Designer, Advanced Design & Packaging. "The EskoArtwork people were very helpful and went above and beyond answering any questions we had. As ArtiosCAD users, the sessions for the new ArtiosCAD 7.6 were very informative-as were the tips and tricks. We were very impressed with 3D Designer."

"I loved EskoWorld. It was really informative and it inspired us to focus and get prepared for the newest software innovations-and get the most of the software we own. It's great to attend an event where everyone does what you do. I made great contacts and learned about different kinds of product workflows I never considered," comments Steve Parr, Prepress Supervisor, Matthews Brand Solutions Americas. "I was very interested in Automation Engine 10, and was able to focus on roadmap and training sessions. In the Partner Zone I was impressed with the live demonstration of the Kongsberg table, and proofing with the new Epson WT7900 printer."

"EskoWorld is one of the most important events on our calendar. It provides us a wonderful opportunity to learn more about the evolving needs of our customers while, concurrently, getting their feedback on our development plans," explains Simon James, EskoArtwork Vice President, Marketing. "This year we were also fortunate enough to have many of our brand owner customers provide us with insight into their processes and requirements-an invaluable opportunity for our company as well as our converting and trade shop customers and other members of the supply chain to put matters into perspective."

EskoArtwork is already making plans for the next EskoWorld 2011, which will be held in the spring of 2011 (to be announced).