As everything starts moving in full pace for PAMEX 2015, one of the greatest expos on the printing and allied machinery industries, overall excitement is palpable as the core group members recently gathered for its second meeting in New Delhi. The gathering brought out brainstorming sessions and drew roadmap for the successful hosting of the trade exhibition and the concurrent conference.
The pre-exhibition gathering for PAMEX 2015 to be held from December 09-12 at Bombay Exhibition Centre was attended by over 30 leading printers, suppliers and media persons including representatives of Cambridge Press, Dewan Offset Printers, Dhote Offset, Foil Printers, India Printing Works, Insight Communication & Print Solutions, Konica Minolta Business Solutions, Memory Repro Systems, Monotech Systems, Nippon Color, NPES, Paper Bind, Pressline India, Print & Publishing, Provin Technos, Sahil Graphics, Shalimar Offset Press, Sri Durga Polymers, Sumi Publications and The Jeyagraham Arts Crafts.
Spirit of the attendees at the august gathering was set by an eloquent welcome address by Anand Limaye, honorary general secretary of All India Federation of Master Printers (AIFMP), in which he briefly traced the history of PAMEX. He also shared the rationale of moving the event to Mumbai in its 10th edition and predicted a closer co-operation with Indian Printing, Packaging and Machinery Manufactures’ Association (IPAMA) that would benefit their respective events as well as the exhibitors and visitors of both the exhibitions – PrintPack India and PAMEX.
Opening of the meeting was marked with the release of the PAMEX Preview Newsletter (first of the three series) by AMSG Ashokan, chairman, PAMEX Organising Committee, as he presented the first copy of the newsletter to Satish Bajwa, vice president, IPAMA. Further in the follow-up session, Tushar Dhote, co-chairman of PAMEX Organising Committee presented updated details on the stall booking status and promotional campaigns successfully carried out till date. He also outlined the international conference planned on the second day of PAMEX 2015 at the exhibition venue itself before opening the forum to a freewheel discussion. The core group was overwhelmingly buoyed by the decision of shifting the exhibition venue to Mumbai.
In a moving recount of his regular participations in various editions of PAMEX, Bal Krishan Khindria, managing director, Memory Repro Systems, spoke of how the entire industry was enthused with the move. The group recommended a series of grassroot level campaigns to be carried out across Maharashtra, Goa and Gujarat to attract larger number of visitors this year. Also suggested during the meeting was a systematic campaign to be carried out by covering B-towns all over the country, especially in the South and outreaching to international visitors from Gulf, East Africa and the neighbouring countries. “Mumbai is ideally located to draw visitors from these regions and efforts should be made to get the largest pull,” suggested Anuj Mehta from Paper Bind International Pte Ltd.
“Running machinery or live demo is the life of a printing exhibition. The prime locations in the hall should be reserved for the exhibitors that commit to display live running machines and newly launched products,” opined Kishore from Monotech Systems and it was a view shared by almost all present at the gathering. It was discussed that as a corollary, tight monitoring of procedures for octroi and hassle-free movement of exhibits through the border check posts and on site handling should be ensured by the event managers.
In his closing remarks, Ashokan thanked the gathering for its contribution in providing an insight into the concerns of the industry and promised to design a promotional campaign and a conference that would take into account all the inputs received from the core group. He also expected this interaction to be an ongoing process and continue through a WhatsApp group on social media network.
