TORONTO—Print World 2010 wrapped up Monday in Toronto and the final day saw colourful “sold” signs popping up on equipment across the show floor like tulips in spring.

“The show was fantastic for us,” said Michael Steele, partner and sales director of distributor Sydney Stone in Toronto. “It was the most we’ve ever sold off the show floor in signed orders. It far exceeds anything we’ve done before. The show was very well attended with very good quality leads. We’re still closing deals as we speak.”

Sold signs also sprouted in the booths of Agfa, Dixie Reproductions, KBR Graphics, Konica Minolta, NuStream Graphic, Océ, Robert E. Thistle, Scancorp, TEC Lighting, Total Solutions, 3deltaE, Zund and many others.

“Attendance was better than we expected,” said Tony Karg, senior director of business development and marketing for Fujifilm Canada, one of the show’s major exhibitors.

“The leads were exceptional, twice as many as expected,” said George Shaw of Total Solutions, which sold two $50,000 pieces of short-run label equipment.

Print World was the largest print event in Canada this year and with its focus on “the world of shorter-run printing” also attracted an international contingent. China’s largest sheetfed press manufacturer, Hans Gronhi Graphic Technologies, unveiled its new 20” x 26” GH6664B four-colour sheetfed press for the first time anywhere in the world outside China. Hans Gronhi also showed its GH525 14” x 20” five-colour press for the first time in North America.

The strong Canadian attendance was enhanced with visitors from the U.S. and 15 other countries including Italy, India, Colombia and Mexico.

Print World’s expanded conference program drew hundreds of attendees for keynotes, seminars, and panel discussions, including a standing-room only crowd for How to Win the “War on Print,” featuring Domtar CEO John Williams, Transcontinental Printing president Brian Reid, The Globe and Mail’s VP operations Perry Nixdorf, and Frank Romano. Romano, professor emeritus at Rochester Institute of Technology and one of the print industry’s most prolific and recognizable experts, also delivered a keynote address sponsored by manroland, and spent all three days at the show.

The show also featured the UpLinX Print Software Theatre, a new Case Study Theatre featuring presentations from successful printers, and Design City, a special zone for graphic designers with the most exhibitors yet.

“We’re very pleased with the turn-out and the success that our exhibitors enjoyed at Print World,” said show manager Sandy Donald. “Our staff worked hard with our partners to make this an event for the benefit of entire print industry. I’d like to thank everyone who participated and plans are already well under way for the next show in 2012.” 

The next Print World takes place Nov. 17-19, 2012 at the Direct Energy Centre in Toronto. The show is produced by North Island Graphics Media, which also produces the award-winning Graphic Monthly Canada magazine, the Graphic Monthly Estimators’ and Buyers’ Guide, PrintCan.com, PrintCan Express and Design Edge Canada.