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2008 has already seen drupa in Dusseldorf and Graph Expo in Chicago. Print World opened in Toronto last week. And although drupa proved to be an excellent show (albeit very expensive for those spending U.S. dollars), expectations have been dampened for subsequent shows.

However on Nov. 14, All in Print China 2008 opened in Shanghai to a printing industry that is both different and similar to the one we see in the United States. Jointly staged by the Printing Technology Association of China (an umbrella trade association that mirrors a combination of our PIA, NAPL, FTA, SGIA, and other end-user groups), the China Academy of Printing Technology (a governmental organization that looks like a combination of our GATF, and other research and teaching groups), and Messe Düsseldorf (the promoter that stages the drupa exhibition), All in Print China was the forum for nearly 700 manufacturers and importers of printing machinery and related products, from more than 20 countries. At nearly 743,000 square feet, the exhibition boasted more exhibitors, and occupied nearly twice the space, of the Graph Expo that closed in Chicago in October.

China is the site of a much larger printing exhibition than we enjoy in the United States for any number of reasons. Perhaps most important is the fact that the Chinese economy—and thus the industries which comprise it—are managed by the Chinese government. And the Chinese government has long regarded the printing industry as key in the goal of transitioning their people from an agrarian economy to a consumption-oriented one much like ours.

Another factor producing a large and vibrant printing industry is the fact that the Chinese population numbers well over twice that of the United States, and a broad array of packaged consumer products is necessary to support so many people. And a large manufacturing base in the country—much of it export oriented—which requires packaging materials, operator manuals, and other material adds to the mix as well.

The first All in Print China, held in 2003, was a resounding success, despite the SARS epidemic plaguing China at the time. Subsequent shows—in 2005 in Beijing, and 2006 in Shanghai—led up to the current 2008 exhibition, and each All in Print China has been more successful than its predecessor.

In many respects, All in Print China looks remarkably like an industry trade show anywhere in the world. Giants such as Heidelberg, KBA, Hewlett-Packard, EFI, and Kodak all have large booths commensurate with their stature in the industry. But other, less familiar suppliers are on the scene as well. Zhongde, Hong Jing, Dinga, HGPM, and Beiren are just a few of the manufacturers which cannot be found at U.S. shows (at least, not yet), but were at All in Print China 2008.

All Together Now

In the United States, we have lots of specialized shows, focused on screen printing, flexography, or other specific processes, as well as those dealing with niches such as print on demand. But All in Print China, like drupa, puts all processes and markets under one roof—or, more precisely, under the roofs of the six separate buildings which comprise the Shanghai exhibition center.

At the show, T-shirt silk screen printers mingle with label printers, publication printers, and commercial printers. But, like Graph Expo, All in Print China aggregates special interest products together to help focus interest on newer technologies. This year in Shanghai, the show featured areas emphasizing CTP technology, direct mail, flexo, automation, and ink. In addition, competitions leading up to the show produce winners in several production categories, most notably digital printing, all of which are showcased in connection with the exhibition.

Building the Business

Actual attendance figures are still not available, but All in Print China 2008 was expected to attract some 60,000 trade attendees, in addition to exhibitors and press. Driving the success of the show, in addition to the sheer numbers of Chinese who need printed products, is a printing industry fostered by the Chinese government as part of the current five-year plan—the eleventh in a series—which runs until 2010.

Recognizing the importance of print to any economy—and particularly to an economy that is ever more consumer-driven—the Chinese authorities have focused the development of their printing industry in three geographic areas:

• The Pearl River Delta, serving Guangdong, Hong Kong, Shenzhen, and Macao.
• The Yanzi River Delta, serving Shanghai, Jiangsu, Zhejiang, Fujiang, and Taiwan.
• The Bohai Region, serving Hebei, Liaoning, Beijing, and Tianjin.

These areas are the most industrialized, the richest, and the most heavily populated, all of which reinforces local print production.

Government data for 2006, the most recent year available, show Chinese printing industry sales at 380 billion Yuan, or $55.7 billion at current conversion rates. Because Chinese government statistics do not correlate well with those published by the U.S. Department of Commerce, comparisons are difficult, but is it safe to say that the Chinese printing industry is significantly smaller than that in the United States. Still, the Chinese printing industry enjoys a growth rate exceeding 10 percent annually, while that in the United States is declining. This fact makes the market especially attractive to equipment suppliers such as those exhibiting at All in Print China 2008.

It is significant to note that packaging is the most robust portion of the industry, in keeping with both the growth in consumer buying power, and the manufacturing base in the country.