This year’s Graph Expo marked a pronounced paradigm shift as exhibitors and attendees alike positioned themselves for the onslaught of digital manufacturing opportunities.  The transformation of the Chicago show – necessitated by changing markets and a challenging economy – resulted in an industry tradeshow more consumed with digital technology than ever before.

Muller Martini’s booth reflected this shift toward digital with the presence of its Scalable SigmaLine digital book manufacturing system whose zero makeready capabilities were demonstrated throughout the show.  In addition to receiving enthusiastic attention in the booth, SigmaLine was also awarded a prestigious “Must See ‘Em” award.  The award, selected by an international panel of 19 leading industry consultants, analysts, educators and trade magazine editors, recognizes a technology that will impact virtually all types of printers.

Werner Naegeli, President of Muller Martini, told journalists at the show that he saw opportunities for his company within the changing print marketplace.  “This is an exciting year for Graph Expo,” he said, noting that it has taken on a multidisciplinary character with the addition of the Newspaper Pavilion.  And Mr. Naegeli commented that the rise of digital technologies had changed the tone of the show, adding “We are surrounded here by digital people and that’s great for us.  It stands to reason that the more digital production there is, the greater the demand will be for the kinds of binding and finishing solutions in which Muller Martini specializes.”

Carrington Herbert, Muller Martini’s National Sales Director, observed, “We haven’t seen this much excitement and enthusiasm in our booth in quite some time.  It’s apparent that today there are clear and compelling reasons for printers and binderies to offer their clients a digital manufacturing alternative.  And it’s this realization that’s prompting many of our customers to rethink their equipment buying plans.”

Muller Martini was also the recipient of three “Worth a Look” accolades, which are products identified as compelling but of importance to a more limited audience.  Selected from more than 2,000 products were:
- Variable Sleeve Offset Printing (VSOP) Press whose unique sleeve technology allows print    sizes to be changed manually without having to remove entire inserts.
- ASIR 3, Muller’s proprietary signature recognition technology that ensures that the correct signature is loaded in the correct sequence.
- Primera E110, the 11,000 cph mid-range saddle stitcher that delivers the best price/performance ratio in its class.

In addition, for the first time, Muller Martini also hosted two well-received educational seminars during Graph Expo.  “Digital Print and Finishing: Why your future depends on it” and “Becoming a Player in Photo Books:  What you need to know” attracted over 200 attendees and generated highly favorable feedback.  Muller was joined by a prestigious panel of industry experts which included representatives from Océ North America, Eastman Kodak, Hewlett Packard, Pearson Education, Thomson Shore, GP2, Xerox, Bridgeport National Bindery, ColorCentric, MyPublisher and Consolidated Graphics Corp.

As Graph Expo concluded, Muller enjoyed some bottom-line benefits as well.  Two of its Orbit Three Knife Trimmers – boasting an amazing 3 minute makeready – were sold on the show floor, as were various SigmaLine technology.  And although the industry continues to face both market and customer challenges, the positive buzz generated at Graph Expo bodes well for printers, finishers and manufacturers alike.