Plans for a newspaper pavilion at next October’s Graph Expo in Chicago have the support of major press manufacturers including Goss and manroland. Organisers the Graphic Arts Show Company have announced News Print, a special interest pavilion dedicated exclusively to the newspaper publishing industry. It promises equipment, products, services and networking opportunities for newspaper publishers and printers, plus educational seminars tailored to their needs integrated with a new show floor feature. The event takes place from October 3-6 in Chicago's McCormick Place South. Goss, which stayed away from this year’s Nexpo replacement mediaXchange event, is among heavy-metal makers backing the GASC initiative. President and chief executive Jochen Meissner points to converging production requirements and business models for newspaper and commercial printing: “Printers and publishers will appreciate having a single annual show where they can explore a more complete range of technologies, and we are pleased that Graph Expo has moved in this direction.” Vince Lapinski, manroland’s North American chief executive also supports the timing and need for this special show floor section. “Progressive newspapers have been working with us toward more commercial work recently,” he says. “Graph Expo will give newspaper managers an opportunity to consider a wide range of graphic arts offerings from software to manroland commercial presses. The whole atmosphere of this show is about solutions and innovative product development … there's just more energy on the floor. “manroland sees this as perfect timing to integrate the two print communities into one venue."

 GASC says News Print will feature live running equipment demonstrations and plenty of opportunities for attendees to “see, touch and explore” products including hybrid production equipment, digital and offset presses. CTP, production workflows, UV and heatset technology, postpress and mailroom equipment, and
consumables will also be catered for. Integrated with the product offerings will be new profit-boosting offerings and ideas, such as web-based approaches, creative direct mail programmes, digital asset management and cost-effective workflow solutions, cost reduction ideas, and personalised content and messaging to increase response rates. Details of the seminars and educational sessions specific to newspapers will be released in June.