Signs of the Times - June 2015 - 94

Graphics Central Pavilion Highlights
ASI Chicago Show
B y Wa d e S w o r m s t e d t

he ASI Chicago Show, highlighted by the Graphics
Central Pavilion presented by ST Media Group Intl.
(ST's parent company), will be held July 14-16, 2015 at
McCormick Place. Another highlight will be a threehour educational session about large-format digital
printing presented by Darek Johnson, ST's senior technology editor and analyst (see sidebar). Darek will
speak on Tuesday, July 14, the education day that
precedes the two-day tradehow. Football fans will be
thrilled to hear Denver Bronco quarterback Peyton
Manning deliver the free keynote address on July 16
at 8:30 am.
More than 4,000 distributors are expected to visit
more than 700 exhibiting suppliers. The education
component includes more than 50 new sessions. In
the morning of the day that Darek speaks, Screen
Printing columnist and 35-year industry veteran
Terry Combs will present "Screen Printing 101: How
to Start (or Improve) Your Own T-Shirt Business."
Screen Printing is a sister magazine to ST.
On Wednesday and Thursday, the exhibit days of
the show, the Graphics Central Pavilion will feature
suppliers of signmaking, textile and product decoration,
and large-format printing products, alongside a theater
that will run free educational seminars daily. Four
sessions will be presented on July 15 between 11:00

The following exhibitors at the ASI Chicago show
also have ads in the issue:
Company

Booth
Number

ER2 Image Group See ad on p.117

776

Gemini Inc. See ads on pp.9, 25

575

Orbus Exhibit & Display Group
See ads on p.63

528

and 2:30, and three more will occur on July 16 between
11:00 and 1:45. Speakers will include Combs, Greg
Gaardbo of Shockwaves Promotional Apparel, Dave
Gehrich of Atlas Screen Supply, Dave McClaskey
of S&K Manufacturing, and Aaron Montgomery of
Coastal Business Supplies on topics including:
* Creative special effects for apparel
* Discharge printing - without the problems
* 30 niche markets where you can make more money
* Finding customers through social media
* Expanding your business with dye sublimation
* Understanding the major garment-decoration techniques

Several other free sessions will be presented. A half-hour
session at 8:15 on the Education Day, July 14, is entitled,
"How to get the most out of your tradeshow experience."
A networking lunch that same day from noon to 1:30,
includes an "ask the experts anything" presentation.
Prior to the opening of the exhibit hall
at 10:00 on July 15, an 8:30-9:45 session,
A real-world view of large-format digital printing
"The Joe Show Live," will present hot
new products. Later that day on the show
Darek Johnson, ST's senior technology editor and analyst, will
floor, a free, double happy hour will last
present "A Real-World View of Large-Format Digital Printing"
from 3:00-5:00, followed by the Celebrate
from 1:30-4:30 on Tuesday, July 14 during the ASI show. The forChicago reception from 5:00-6:00.
mer sign designer will provide practical advice to sign companies,
The Education Day on July 14 is divided
print shops, promotional-product decorators and distributors,
into tracks. Signmakers relatively new to
and others who are thinking of getting into large-format digital
promotional products might be especially
printing. Designed for beginners and those who have recently
interested in the "Get Started!" track, which
entered the industry, the three-hour, interactive session will
includes seven sessions. That track concomprise practical information and discussions on:
tinues into the second day (which is also
* Why become involved in large-format digital printing, with an
the first day of the exhibit hall being open)
overview of the market, cost and controls, markets and client
with two other late-afternoon sessions.
sources.
Other tracks are entitled Get Selling,
* Understanding the technology, including how to understand
Get Noticed, Get your Company on the
the digital language.
Fast Track, Get Designing, Get Decorating,
* Creating and processing the image, covering image types and
ST's Graphics Central, and Get Schooled
image-editing software and processes, RIPs, color basics, and
in ESP (ASI's search-engine website).
light sources.
Power sessions are presented on the final
* Selecting an inkjet printer, with overviews of machine types,
two days. July 15 will feature 11 of them,
print quality and print permanence.
with four more on the final day.
* Consumables, speciﬁcally inks and media (including textiles).
As for ticketed events, the Gala Cele* Other digital-print choices for print service providers (PSPs),
bration will be held at Buddy Guy's Legends
including small-format and promotional-item printing.
blues club from 6:30-9:30 on July 15. ■

94 SIGNS OF THE TIMES June 2015

Signs of the Times - June 2015

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