Organisers of SignLink Live have revealed that floorspace for this year’s inaugural edition of the show is now at a premium, with the show set to sell out months in advance of its debut this October.
SignLink Live 2017 will take place alongside sister event The Print Show at the International Centre in Telford from October 11th to 13th. The show has been designed to specifically cater for the needs of the sign-making industry—with wide-format-focused stands to instead be located next door at The Print Show.
Industry anticipation is high ahead of the inaugural edition of SignLink Live, with many members of the market keen to experience the value of an event that solely focuses on sign-making practices. This focus has been reflected in the exhibitor list, which features some of the leading names from the sign-making market.
Chris Davies, event director for SignLink Live and The Print Show, said: “We set out with the intention of creating an event that offers real value to sign-makers in the UK. Unlike other events in the UK, SignLink Live will only focus on the technologies and techniques of sign-making, with no mention of wide-format print.
“We felt it was important to separate the two, as a lot of sign-makers do not offer wide-format print in a big way and would not be interested in seeing what they had on show. However, the beauty of SignLink Live is that is it located next to the UK’s leading print event in The Print Show, so for those visitors that want to see both sign-making and wife-format print kit, they can pass between the events, completely free-of-charge.”
While the organising team has placed a key emphasis on securing high quality exhibitors, an ongoing commitment to delivering a show of real value has also lead to the creation of several special areas. Each of these will allow visitors to gain further insight into major industry issues.
The Swap Shop will pay tribute to intricate art of vinyl wrapping. Be it a decoration on a high-powered motor-sports car, wrapping a mountain bike, or even wrapping the tables of a new coffee shop to go with its marketing theme, this area of the show will allow visitors learn more about the time and effort that goes into a quality wrap job using colour change or special effects films.
Elsewhere, with SignLink Live dedicated to educating and inspiring its visitors in regards to new business diversification avenues outside wide-format print kit, ‘The Profit Factory’ will serve as a key feature at the inaugural event. In its first year, The Profit Factory will provide four ‘shops’—T-Shirt Towers, Enterprise Engraving, Promo Print Alley and The Curiosity Shop—that will give visitors insight into businesses in a box that require a low capital investment, but are capable of producing high-margin products and services.
Neon has been a staple part of the sign industry for many years and organisers of SignLink Live are keen to pay tribute to this innovative technology with the ‘For The Love of Neon’ area run by Neon Workshops. The section is dedicated to this iconic sign-making discipline, raising awareness of its current practitioners, and of its continued value to the UK sign-making industry.
Responding to trends is critical to the success of any business, be it sign-making or elsewhere. And with customers demanding environmentally-friendly work, ‘Green Horizons’ will be run by Zeta Specialist lighting and will be dedicated to sign solutions that have low environmental impact. Whether it is signs made from recycled material, using ultra-low power consumption LEDs or incorporating solar powered energy sources into a billboard or totem sign, Green Horizons will have to covered.
In addition, following the success of similar features at sister event The Print Show, SignLink Live will feature ‘Business Seminar Theatres’ and ‘Training Theatre’ areas at the debut event this year.
The Business Seminar Theatre will play host to a range of experts that will provide key insights into how sign-making professionals can strengthen their current business and look to its future. The speakers will also focus on the importance of diversification and help visitors to understand their product is not just a built-up letter, flex face sign, or way-finding totem, but a way of translating a customer’s objectives into physical communication with their target market.
Meanwhile, The Training Theatre promises to demonstrate the latest in the ever-increasing sophistication of computer packages that have transformed the industry. From Adobe Indesign, to CAD/CAM systems, and a range of MIS software, there is a wide selection of packages to choose from that could improve a sign-maker’s efficiency or output quality.
As another show of commitment to the industry, not only will SignLink Live be completely free to attend, but visitors will also benefit from free parking at one of the UK’s best exhibition venues.
The International Centre is located in the heart of Telford—known locally as the ‘Birthplace of Industry’—near to an array of brand new shops, restaurants, bars and entertainment facilities, including an IMAX cinema. And as an added bonus for visitors this year, all attendees will be able to enjoy a free lunch at the International Centre.
European Sign Federation