With around 450 exhibitors and 14,000 industry professionals on hand, the SGIA '05 event is expected to be the most important event in screen printing and digital imaging of the year.

SGIA '05 is held in New Orleans, Louisiana, USA between September 28-October 1 at the Ernest N. Morial Convention Center. SGIA President Michael Robertson said, 'Looking ahead, successful companies will be efficient on all levels, but to reach that goal, they'll have to stay informed. SGIA '05 exhibitors will show an immense range of printing and imaging technologies, and outstanding educational opportunities will complement the massive show floor.

'In today's marketplace, printers from a wide range of industry sectors are focused on specialty imaging applications. As traditional market boundaries continue to blur, printers will have new opportunities to learn from other segments.'

The association reported that almost two-thirds of floor space had been sold following last year's show in Minneapolis, and this year will see the likes of Platinum Sponsors Avery Dennison Graphics Division North America, Océ North America, 3M and VUTEk; and Gold Sponsors Bayer Films Americas, InteliCoat Technologies, Scitex Vision America Inc. and the US Screen Printing Institute exhibiting.

SGIA '05 will feature the SGIA's industry-leading conference with more than 50 sessions led by specialty imaging's smartest, most successful people. These sessions are an opportunity to maximise what you've learned on the show floor.

Conference highlights include two Future Forums addressing technology decisions that will move your business forward. On September 28, the keynote luncheon features Joe Calloway, author of 'Becoming a Category of One: How Extraordinary Companies Transcend Commodity and Defy Comparison,' speaking on the ways you can set your business apart from the competition.

Network & Connect

Because SGIA attendees have a reputation for knowing their business - exhibitors will bring their top sales reps, engineers and executives to SGIA '05 - and that combination creates an efficient, convenient venue for investigating new opportunities.

'You find people you can talk to at SGIA - it's a lot more productive (than calling reps, arranging appointments, etc.) for getting materials into our shop and tested,' said Ken Elwell, Decoration Engineering Manager for Gemline, a textile/screen printing shop in Massachusetts.

The networking goes beyond the show floor and the seminars, with plenty of opportunities to rub elbows and have a good time - a perfect complement to your adventures in New Orleans.

Entertainment

It will not all be work at SGIA '05, as there is plenty to keep you entertained and amused over the period. The The John M. Crawford Golf Tournament gives you a day to make new friends on the links. This year's event - a scramble-style tournament with prizes at every hole - takes place at the Eastover Country Club, the 'Best Course in New Orleans,' according to Golf Digest Places to Play.

SGIA's Friday Night Dinner Party has become a must-attend on the convention week social calendar, and this year's, featuring Vince Vance & the Valiants, is no exception. Held on Friday September 30, the evening will see the Howard A. Parmele Award for lifetime achievements specialty imaging presented, and welcome the new Chairman of the SGIA Board - and enjoy dancing till midnight.

An exciting new spotlight will shine on digital imaging when DPI, the digitally-focused division of the Specialty Graphic Imaging Association, presents the first-ever 'DPI Innovator Award'.

'The competition for this honour will be stiff. Each year, the award will recognise an individual who has made a strong, significant and lasting impact on materials, equipment, technologies and/or markets for the digital imaging industry,' said Dan Marx, DPI Director of Communications & Service Development.

'It's about the ingenuity inherent in digital imaging,' said SGIA/DPI President Michael Robertson. 'New developments in digital printing ripple through the marketplace, affecting everyone in the specialty imaging arena. The DPI Innovator Award will draw attention to the many creative and innovative people who move digital imaging - and the whole industry - forward.'

While you're doing business, give your friends and family a chance to explore the city with SGIA's guided tours : 'New Orleans Medley,' includes a trip through the French Quarter and a stop at the historic Pitot House; 'Cajuns & Plantations' features a pontoon ride through the lush swamp followed by a Southern-style luncheon at Oak Alley plantation; and 'Uptown on the Avenue,' will take them through the Garden District and Uptown.

Plan Now to Attend

More than three-quarters of the industry professionals at SGIA conventions are in management; at SGIA '04 76% classified themselves as 'business management,' or 'production management.'

Their long-term goals are similar to yours: a successful career, and a profitable, well-run company. They know SGIA '05 is a crucial step on their paths to that goal.

'Companies aren't at SGIA looking for a single solution. They're looking for ways to expand,' noted Dave Murphy, 3M's Market Development Manager. Start your SGIA '05 planning at SGIA.org, where you can check hotel amenities, availabilities and rates, and book your room with a click, then get ready to get a new look at the world of specialty imaging.

Full travel and attendance information, as well as venue and exhibitor listings can be found at the official show website on www.sgia.org/sgia05.

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