Bragging Rights

Well, we (IBIS) signed up for and attended our very first Inkjet Summit as a sponsor last week. Having been somewhat skeptical over the years, I was literally blown away by the level of organization at the event. We’re all veterans of trade shows. From Graph Expo, to drupa, to Graphics of the Americas, and beyond, we’ve been part of the bazaar-like atmosphere of graphics trade shows since early in our careers.

The Inkjet Summit is not a trade show. It’s more like a big house party where you’re eager to meet and mix with the guests because they share all of your interests, and ... they are interesting. It’s an incredibly well-organized venue, down to the last detail. In two-and-a-half whirlwind days, you get the chance to absorb the latest developments in inkjet technology, as well as meet with firms who are considering making an inkjet investment. Along the way, you’re rubbing shoulders with other attendees and sponsors, and learning about the latest and greatest in both digital print and finishing systems.

You can attend any number of small case study groups that cover direct mail, transactional printing, in-plant, publishing, and the book segment. You learn where these sectors are going, as well as some of the best practices applied in each segment. So you can literally soak all of that information in, from 7 a.m. until late at night. It can be a little exhausting.

So, why did I title this small piece “bragging rights?” Well, when we attended the awards dinner on Wednesday, it turned out that we (IBIS) had been nominated for the best case study in the publishing segment. We didn’t WIN, mind you, but we got a nomination, in company with some of the biggest industry vendors. It was a great way to end our first Inkjet Summit, and all of that pre-summit prep work had paid off.

One thing is for sure. We’ll be back in 2018!