Well, it's all over. Printgeek has left the building. And despite the clear suggestion that one might like said corporate tie of previous posts, no-one has come forth with the goods. What stricken times we live in.

One of Printgeek's new best friends at the show were the Trelleborg gang. Who knows whether Printgeek would have made it through each day were it not for the professional coffee machine they had there. 

So it seems only fair to highlight something they had on their that was actually related to blankets. The company has found an interesting niche to prolong the life of the blankets, having appointed an Italian designer to work his magic and come up with a range of new products, such as bags, wallets and purses. Ingenious. The company is already in the process of appointing an Italian distributor, and looking at other potential products using different blankets, such as metal-backed products, or combining them with other materials for different effects.

 

From Ipex 2010

From Ipex 2010

 Every day we stroll the halls looking for interesting things to snap on the printgeek camera for our spot the stand section in the daily.

Tomorrow's edition is going to be a tie special, as many of the big manufacturers have issued special edition ties. But do you know whose is whose?

 

From Ipex 2010

From Ipex 2010

From Ipex 2010

From Ipex 2010

From Ipex 2010

It's not all work work work (well actually it is), but Komori has injected a little childlike fun into proceedings with its Lego-like building block toys. Literally a press kit, you can build your own Lithrone in a matter of minutes. I just wish someone could do the same for the IpexDaily.

 

From Ipex 2010

From Ipex 2010

From Ipex 2010

... and who would work in a place like this... Welcome to the IpexDaily office. The beating heart of the daily paper that is produced live at the show. Pulling 12 hour shifts, the pace is frantic pretty much from the start to the day's end.

We are pitched literally nose to nose with the Komori press turning them out each day. It's very rewarding to see the pages flying out, even moreso to seeing the visitors on the terrace are reading the things in the sun.

From Ipex 2010

Yes, Printgeek has been suited and booted, shaking the hands of the best of the industry. The highlight of course was Haymarket chairman Lord Heseltine receiving Kodak's award as Print Ambassador Lifetime Achievement. And long may Haymarket continue in that tradition. It certainly did that evening with a drinks reception in the luxurious environs of the Hotel du Vin. And I've just come off the stand after spending a pleasant lunch hour with none other than our regular forum contributors - so anyone passing with a camera could perhaps have revealed the identity of such monikers as Edna Bag. Pics follow (but Edna your secret is safe)

 

From Ipex 2010

From Ipex 2010

From Ipex 2010

From Ipex 2010

All the demo print at Sakurai's Ipex stand is being done on behalf of The Guide Dogs for the Blind Association. And to prove it they brought along a few of the pups. Aaaaah

From Ipex 2010

From Ipex 2010

From Ipex 2010

 Printgeek snuck into the official Ipex launch, during which the Ipex Champions were presented with their awards - a warm and human event after traipsing through mile upon mile of machinery.

From Ipex 2010

From Ipex 2010

From Ipex 2010

From Ipex 2010

From Ipex 2010

From Ipex 2010

 So much going on in the halls as ever. More pics below.

From Ipex 2010

From Ipex 2010

From Ipex 2010

From Ipex 2010

From Ipex 2010

The countdown clock is ticking - feverish activity in the halls as exhibitors prepare for the show doors to swing open tomorrow. It's all very exciting and the show is looking great.

Don't forget you can also follow us on Twitter we are @printweek.

Printgeek has arrived. The first thing to note is the PrintWeek office is shaping up nicely. We're just around the corner from Komori where the IpexDaily is being printed. All the other stands are looking pretty much nearing completion. Printgeek particularly liked Agfa's cut-out crowd that is being set up outside the halls. Printgeek crept around with a camera (thanks, Kodak) - a selection of our finest shots below...

From Ipex 2010

From Ipex 2010

From Ipex 2010

From Ipex 2010

From Ipex 2010

While you're waiting for me to kick off Ipex coverage in earnest, don't forget our other Ipex bloggings, from the likes of Jo Francis.

Ipex countdown

House of Print hits brick wall

 There's a lot riding on year's Ipex, so I'll be trawling the halls, scouting out the latest disruptive technologies to revolutionise your business, or just the funny stuff I see. See you in May!

While ambling around on day two of TPE, printgeek was impressed to see the demo in front of Canon's stand – a huge printed photograph which covered the best part of the floor around its main stand entrance – stretching a massive 20m long and 1.5m wide.

Printgeek managed to find out some interesting facts about this quite clever piece of almost interactive advertising for its new large-format printers.

The photograph – a panoramic view of a beautiful green forest – was printed on ordinary 190gsm standard photo glossy paper, which is quite a testament to its durability and strength as hundreds of people (quite a few of them clad in stilettos) have been treading on it for the best part of two days.

A Canon product spokesman told printgeek that the company was very proud of its end-to-end range – a picture taken with a Canon digital SLR, a photograph printed on Canon glossy paper using a shiny new Canon 12-colour iPF9000s, which was in pride of place at its main display.

Impressive stuff.

Especially when printgeek heard rumours that the stand had caused quite a stir when first put down on the floor… apparently it took a fair amount of persuading to convince the health and safety execs to allow it for fear of visitors falling over.

But the coaxing obviously paid off – Canon got their way, and in doing so, managed to create quite a visual treat for TPE visitors this year.

From printgeek

From printgeek

 

HumanEyes was on hand at Total Print! Expo to showcase its crowd-stopping range of lenticular software applications.

 

The centrepiece of the stand is a vibrant backlit display graphic for a well-known vodka brand (Absolut) printed litho directly onto the lens substrate.

 

Ivor Dixon, managing director of Positive Focus, which distributes the software in the UK, said: “We’re essentially taking technology that’s 150 years old and bringing it into the modern age”.

 

The litho option isn’t the only one available for those interested in tapping into the added-value display market. Graphics can be printed directly onto paper then cold laminated onto a pre-manufactured lens.

 

Check out the flash movie and attached pictures for the HumanEyes3D process involved in creating an image for a well-known superhero.

 

printgeek has bought an Oyster card and is all geared up for this year's inaugural Total Print! Expo. If you know of anything particularly interesting or geeky going on at the show then printgeek wants to know about it, photograph it and blog it. To tip off printgeek, send an email to printgeek@printweek.com.