Exhibitors
Dan Muenzer, president TLMI: “It really is a wonderful networking and knowledge sharing opportunity for our members, and we treat it as such. The show’s important because it really is the only place, it is the place, to share technology and processes as an industry. It’s the label industry coming together to figure out where are we going, what’s next and how are you doing. I love this show, our members love this show.”
Reto Simmen, chief business officer, Mouvent: “Labelexpo US is really focusing on our customers, so it is a very good platform for us to show our products, our new cluster technology, to educate our potential customers, and start to market our technology in the US. I truly think the show is important as it attracts a lot of the industry players, and it is very concentrated on the specific market which I like personally, so we get really good contacts. The focus is very determined and good. It’s really a very focused show, you are very well served if you have time to show and exhibit your products.”
Federico D’Annunzio, strategic product marketing director, Bobst: “The Chicago / US market is developing towards a digital perception of the workflow, and our machines are perfectly fit for this new development in the US market. We think that in the future our technologies will be adapted to the evolution of the market. We’re flexo and digital at the same time. But if you are in this market you want to understand what is going to happen in the future, so if you don’t want to stay behind, you must come to Labelexpo US.”
Juan da Silva, director of sales for the Latin American region, AVT: “It (the Automation Arena) has created a lot of interest from the customer side, where they can see from the beginning to the end the whole process and how everything interconnects and the benefit of each of the technologies, each of the products that are being offered.”
Guillaume Clement, president for Narrow Web, Flint Group: "I think there is great momentum at this show. The industry is doing well, and visitors are looking for the next step, what’s coming, what more can Flint Group deliver. Label Expo is the platform where we can explain our innovations to our customers. This year we had the largest booth ever for Flint Group in North America, where we combined all of our businesses and our offerings in inks, coatings, plates and digital equipment. This combined footprint fully demonstrates we are 100% committed to the label industry.
"There is no doubt that it’s an important investment indeed; to make sure we continue to demonstrate our leadership in the industry, that we welcome our customers to the show, and accommodate deep conversations about their needs and our capabilities to serve them. We cannot stand still, and for Flint Group, there is no doubt we will continue to invest and be in Chicago every other year. And for other suppliers to the industry, even if you have a small booth, it’s a fantastic way to engage with your customers and show what’s in your pipeline for the future. I would recommend it.”
Tina Hart, vice president of marketing, Avery Dennison: "Avery Dennison looks at Labelexpo as an opportunity to continue to stay connected to the industry and our customers. It’s the conversations and connections that come out of Labelexpo that spur many of the ideas and innovations that make Avery Dennison industry pioneers. Labelexpo is the largest gathering for our industry and it gives us all a chance to share the new things we’ve been working on as well as look forward to where the industry is going and how we can collaborate together."
Keate Despain, vice president, marketing, Phoseon Technology: “From the industry perspective it’s a place where a lot of the leadership come in and drive their messages in the market, for Phoseon it’s all about the benefits of UV LED. At Labelexpo, we are able to have access to the people to influence messaging in our direction in the industry mind, to get that word out directly to those key influencers, to this industry.”
Marine Faucher, marketing and communications manager, Phoseon Technology: “The flexographic market is definitely a market that we are trying to push towards UV LED and we are currently working on one big campaign for retrofitting, and Labelexpo was the perfect place also to push our message about retrofitting to UV LED. We really want to be able to show our customers and potential customers what it is. It’s a good way to be able to discuss and have all this interaction between the ink manufacturers, the substrate manufacturers, and everybody involved.”
Geert De Proost, director solutions marketing, Esko: “We exhibit at Labelexpo pretty much every year, and consider it a major event for our company. Obviously, we do a lot of business with the label industry, and it’s always a show we look forward to. The quality of the conference is very good—not just in the way it’s organized, but in the quality of people who come to the show. They attend for very specific business reasons. So, as a result, we see people who come to seriously explore what’s happening in the industry. We don’t get the masses, but decision makers who make serious business enquiries with us. We will continue to play an active role at Labelexpo in Chicago.
“If you truly want to innovate and help those in the industry, it’s important to come with a message that not only connects with businesses. You also have to show tangible technology. People come to Labelexpo to see it happening, in practice, on the show floor. Make it happen, make it real, concrete, and tangible – especially when it’s software.”
Juan da Silva, director of sales for the Latin American region, AVT: “(our objective was) to close some deals, which we actually did, so that was very good, it made it worth bringing all the people, all the technology and the equipment and show it. Customers got what they wanted. So we also got a pay-off from it.
Michael Ring, vice president digital solutions and general manager of Smartfire and Labelfire, Gallus: “If you’re talking about label converters, I think this is a good venue for them to see the latest in technology in a concentrated time and location.”
Chris Brooks, vice president, Label Group Heidelberg USA: "We've all been very happy with the quality and quantity of customers that came to the booth. Getting the message out about the integration, the benefits that both companies bring to each other, and also the new technology that we're demonstrating on the booth, it's been quite an eye-opener for many of the customers that stopped in."
Joe Dovi, COO, UniNet: "This show provided an excellent opportunity to meet new, possible future clients and prospects from all across the world who visited our stand to learn more about our innovative technologies. UniNet certainly achieved the goal of increasing awareness of its product offerings in the label printing industry and we are certainly looking forward to Label Expo Europe 2019.”
John McKay, president and FLAG founder, Flexo Label Advantage Group LLC: "Preparation for exhibiting in a Labelexpo show is always crazy, with so many details leading up to opening day. You are really not sure if you’ve forgotten an important piece and certainly don't know if the effort and cost will be worth the effort. Well, this year turned out to be tremendous! Our booth was so busy, there was hardly time to keep up with all the activity. We signed-up nine new label converters, which brings us to a total of 89 members. Most humbling for me was the number of FLAG Members who came to visit with us at the booth, several who helped in talking with potential converters about membership in our group."
Carlos Saya, global marketing manager, tesa Twinlock: “Labelexpo was a great success. This was the first time that we exhibited under the new umbrella in the US. The feedback we received from customers as well as prospects was great. They really see the benefit of having tesa as the only supplier for all their plate mounting needs, either tape or self-adhesive sleeve!”
Jazmin Siancas, marketing and event manager, Harper Corporation of America: “Several visitors from around the world stopped by the Harper booth to view demonstrations of its latest technology, ask questions, and get more information about how their businesses could benefit. Harper Corporation of America is proud to have been part of such a successful event and looks forward to future opportunities to share it products and insight”
Paul Bergé, president, Axicon USA: “We have been exhibiting at Labelexpo Americas since 2004 with steadily growing success. 2018 was for us the best show ever. Customers and prospects know where to find us and count on seeing us. We are expanding our business with Tarsus next year when we venture into South America with the Label Summit in Medellín, Colombia.”
Ralph Giammarco, vice president, S-One Labels & Packaging: “As our first time exhibiting at Labelexpo Americas, we were thrilled at the energetic atmosphere and the enthusiastic response we received at the show. It was a great opportunity to deliver our message to the many narrow web printers we met and introduce them to our flexible packaging offerings, as well as primers and specialty coatings to help their customers enhance and elevate their brands. We hope everyone enjoyed meeting the Boyland Sauce Co. brand owner, as well as the hot sauce! We feel fortunate to have been part of such a successful show – and we’re looking forward to Brussels next year!”
Ole Christian Agergaard, CEO, Agergaard Graphic Supplies GmbH: “Labelexpo Americas was a very good show for us. 2018 is our first year as exhibitor at the Americas edition of Labelexpo and we are very happy with the number of visitors that came to our booth to learn more about our end seal and doctor blade solutions. We were positively surprised by the high percentage of discussions we had with prospective clients from the Latin American Region. The quality of leads we take home is promising, we are optimistic to get some good business out of it. We have already rebooked our booth for 2020.”
Victoria Frost, marketing executive, Fix-a-Form International Ltd: “Labelexpo 2018 was a resounding success for Fix-a-Form International, with a good number of visitors to our booth, showing genuine business interest in our machinery ranges. The Labelexpo support team were very helpful, prior to and during the show, especially the operations team. It is obviously a highly regarded trade show which is very well attended in the industry. We look forward to exhibiting again in 2020!”
Mike Bacon, director digital finishing, Grafotronic Inc: “The 2018 edition of Labelexpo Chicago was the best US show ever for Grafotronic. The number and the quality of our leads were fantastic, and even better was that we actually closed some deals at the stand."
Taylor Buckthorpe, director of sales, Colordyne: “This year, we saw many new products that generated a lot of excitement, and our 2800 Series Mini Laser Pro was proudly among them. The industry is responding to customer needs and we are all experiencing the positive effects of new technology. Not only did we talk to more attendees this year, but there were more people buying and more productive, proactive conversations.”
Paul Teachout, VP sales and marketing, Nilpeter USA: “Labelexpo Americas 2018 was another great event for the Nilpeter family. With three new Nilpeter presses making their North American debut, we were met with much excitement. We have experienced a noticeable shift in the audience with all the mergers and acquisition-activity in North America. This has driven key decision makers to now come to the booth with a team of stakeholders. The opportunity to share our next generation solutions with such a captive audience continues to bring rewards. We had a great show and we are very much looking forward to the next Labelexpo Americas in 2020!“
Conference speakers and master class participants
“The show gets bigger every year, the equipment that is shown is more sophisticated, it runs faster, it makes better products, it produces less waste in the process, it’s more automated, it’s easier for your operators to learn to use the equipment, and easier for them to get great results. So the improvements that happen each year are noticeable and appreciated.
“You’ve got to come to the show to see it, and you learn things that you didn’t expect to learn, because you just saw them because you were here. The connections with people are probably just as important, if not more important, and that’s one of the things that I get the greatest benefit and joy, quite frankly, is seeing old friends, and making new ones. It’s a wonderful industry, it’s a very collegial industry and I think that the people in the industry really enjoy coming together and seeing one another, and this is a great event for that.
“I wouldn’t think of missing this event. And even if I had no plans to purchase anything, I’m going to learn way more than it cost me in time and money to get here, and stay here, it’s a very high return on investment for me and my company.”
(On the Automation Arena) “It’s a great proof of what’s possible, with machine design and software, and inter-connectivity of all of those bits to take an order, right from your computer and translated into finished product, shipping out the door with a minimal amount of human intervention.”
Kristin Yerecic Scott, marketing director, Yerecic Labels: “Labelexpo is so important to attend every year, it’s where you’re going to get all the industry trends, you’re going to be able to see all your suppliers and your manufacturers all in one place, so it’s important in that way.
(On the Ecovillage) “We are in a print industry that has wasteful effects in the environment, consumers care about that, brand owners care about that, and it’s the right thing to do for us to also care about it. So seeing the Ecovillage is wonderful also.
“Between the education sessions and walking the floor, something that our team has said is, it’s good to see that we’re on the right track. We feel like we’re on top of the innovation, what they’re talking about, things we’re considering, the automation is always great to see how can we improve efficiencies and help pass it on to our customers.
“My message to anybody who has not come to the show really is, you need to come to the show. This is the place in the US that you are going to see everything in labeling, in packaging and innovation. It’s so important to be on top of it, because if you’re not, you’re going to be left behind.”
Sandy Petersen, owner, Digital Label Solutions: “Another enjoyable panel session hosted by Labelexpo. I learn so much from fellow panelists and audience members in every session.”
Brenda Daming, corporate human resource manager, WS Packaging Group: “I was honored to be asked to participate as a member of the discussion panel on the topic of Workforce Development during the LabelExpo 2018. The other panel members and moderator were interesting, knowledgeable and engaging. The event was so well organized. I enjoyed it very much and hope to be invited back again in the future.”
Deborah Corn, Print Media Centr: “I was honored to host a session on “creating one stop print shops” at Labelexpo Americas. The speakers selflessly shared a roadmap to success with attendees, and offered expert, and equally transparent advice, during Q&A. That level of trust and truth is indicative of the strength of the community the show attracts and engages with.”
Visitors
General Manager, Multicolor, Canada: “There’s so many things to see, and everything is there, you can touch the presses, you can play with them, you can try them, the technical team is here to answer all the questions we have. We just bought a new press, to see it in action here before we got there, it’s been a highlight. We knew what we wanted to buy, but for me, the experience to see it in action was great.”
Matthew Gardner, production manager, MGM labels and tags: “Even if we’re not looking for equipment, it’s a chance to network and maybe you see a piece of equipment that makes your job easier, or you meet people that are in the same business, and help each other out. So it’s great networking. It’s a chance to find products that you don’t even know about and meet new people.”
Kim Beswick, general manager, Memjet: “Definitely felt like people were here to buy, to choose, figure out what technology they want. Better than just looking, so it felt like it was sort of a decision-making show this time, and that was great to see. It is a place where I can come and connect, with almost everybody in our community of partners. It’s the place to be in the label industry, and so this is a great place to come, it’s a destination for people who are in labeling and need labeling technologies. I think just the focus on labeling makes this unique.
“I’ve been to packaging shows, and labeling is a piece of it, but this is the show for labeling and it makes it valuable, and specific. I think if you’re looking for labeling technologies, this is definitely the place to go. I’m in no doubt. You’ll see it all, and there’s a lot of different entry points between digital and analogue, everything’s here, and if you’re ready to make a decision, this is where you need to come and shop.”
