PACPRINT 2021
View from the top:
Sue Threlfo
Sue Threlfo, who is heading up this year’s PacPrint board, explains this milestone event in Visual Connections’ first ‘View from the Top’ column
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acPrint 2021 is not only likely to be the first postCOVID industry expo to be held anywhere in the world, it will be the first with a woman at the helm. In less than five months, the doors of the Melbourne Convention & Exhibition Centre will open to the print, sign, display and packaging industries for PacPrint and its co-located shows, the Visual Impact Expo and the Label & Packaging Expo. PacPrint has been a feature of the regional industry calendar for more than 50 years, with the first show under that name held in 1970. This year, however, the show takes on even more significance, as the first opportunity in just on two years for industry businesses and suppliers to come together under one roof. For Sue Threlfo, general manager of production and industrial printing for Konica Minolta, who is also heading up this year’s PacPrint Board as chair, that fact makes this potentially the most important show ever held, with local businesses not only relishing the opportunity to be ‘first with the latest’, but also celebrating the comparatively successful response to the pandemic which has placed them in this enviable position. “We’re obviously in close contact with both suppliers and industry businesses and I think it’s fair to say that there’s a high level of excitement on both sides about the opportunity to come together, in-person, to exchange ideas,” Threlfo said. “While virtual events have been great to bridge the gap during COVID, we all realise that Zoom calls and online meetings are just not the same as being together – I think we’re all craving that face-to-face experience, and that’s what PacPrint, together with Visual Impact and the Label & Packaging Expo, is set to deliver.” The co-location, she said, is vital for an industry where businesses rarely specialise in just one form of print production, and where suppliers provide solutions across many applications. “The broader event provides an opportunity for exhibitors to showcase their full range of market solutions, and for industry businesses to explore new ideas in related fields,” she said. “Change is nothing new in our industry; businesses are always looking for ways to diversify their offering and the chance to see a wide range of ideas and solutions, all under the one roof, ensures they have access to the information and connections they need –
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not just to decide on new directions for their business, but to equip themselves to meet constantly changing market demands and create profitable new revenue streams.” The pandemic, according to Threlfo, has accelerated that transformation for many businesses, with the show’s ‘Review. Rebuild. Reconnect.’ theme a nod to how PacPrint can help address the unique challenges of this era. “COVID has been a time of reflection for many businesses and, now that we’re emerging from what we hope will be the worst of the situation, it’s an ideal time to review what’s worked, what hasn’t worked, and what direction business owners want to head in this new era,” she said. “There’s also no question that many businesses will need to rebuild. Of course, all businesses are different and some have been impacted far more than others. PacPrint will present a range of solutions and learnings which will help businesses rebuild where that’s viable, and explore new opportunities to meet the needs of their own customers in a post-pandemic era.” According to Threlfo, reconnecting is perhaps the most exciting aspect on offer at the show, with opportunities not only to meet on the show floor, but also at a range of seminars, workshops and industry events. “The popular PacPrint Forum Series of seminars, panels and workshops will be back for 2021, and we’re looking forward to the HP Awards for Excellence on the Tuesday night, presented by the ASGA and FESPA Australia, and to the industry’s ‘night of nights’ at the National Print Awards on Thursday 30 September,” she said. “A late night at the show on the Wednesday is designed to give even more people – particularly those involved in small family businesses – the chance to meet with both suppliers and their industry peers.” PacPrint 2021, Visual Impact and the Label & Packaging Expo will be held at the MCEC from Tuesday, 28 September through until Friday, 1 October. More information, and a link to register, can be found at www. pacprint.com.au, while suppliers interested in joining the more than 50 companies which have already booked space should contact the Visual Connections events team at exhibitions@visualconnections.org.au.
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