My Kind of Town

So, I took a bit of a “break” from the world of blogging. One year isn't TOO bad, right ... right?

I was simply waiting for the perfect moment to return and now it's here.

Not too long ago I did a bit of figurative spring cleaning, sorting through various topics tucked away in my brain. In the end, I was left with two piles: “Oh no you didn't” and “Winning” (I know, I know ... does anyone even care about Charlie Sheen anymore? Still, I couldn't resist). What topic was at the top of the “Winning” pile? The 2011 Print Solutions Conference and Expo, of course.

Last year, Print Services & Distribution Association (PSDA) made a strategic move when it chose to work with professional association management firm SmithBucklin. And just last week, the new management welcomed members of the print industry to Navy Pier in Chicago for the PSDA's annual show. The Print Professional staff was there for a first-hand account of the three-day event.

At 8:05 a.m. (EST), I left overcast Philadelphia for overcast Chicago on the first day of the exhibition. It was great to catch up with some old friends, but I certainly noticed some new faces as I walked the show floor. A good sign for the industry? I'd say so.

Another positive? A steady flow of attendee traffic throughout the afternoon. Booths were busy and exhibitors took different approaches to spark interest. For example, Datatel Resources Corporation displayed a larger-than-life jumbo roll. Prodigital Printing invited people to take a seat (literally ... on a lawn chair) and discuss the latest hot topics. Wilmer offered attendees what some call the “nectar of the gods”―coffee (I didn't take any, but I certainly didn't pass up the opportunity to see some of the company's equipment in action). FormStore Incorporated displayed many colorful samples of digital print. CE Printed Products held demonstrations on a neat, up-and-coming technology called AR (Augmented Reality) codes (to see some of CE's video shown in Chicago, click here). The list goes on. One thing I did notice everywhere (from mailers to t-shirts to cookie wrappers)―QR codes. I won't go into too much detail because―shameless plug alert―Print Professional Associate Senior Editor Melissa Busch is currently working on a story about this technology that should be out in our June issue.