The Independent Print Industries Association (IPIA) has launched its Autumn Conference – which will seek to tackle critical trends affecting the UK print industry. It takes place on September 1st at the Manufacturing Technology Centre (MTC), Coventry. The theme of the event will be ‘Print in Balance - Supporting People and our Planet’.
Offering high-quality networking opportunities – with sumptuous food and refreshments throughout – the conference will address two key trends that are fundamental to the long-term growth of the UK print industry.
Firstly, how businesses can increase their environmental sustainability, ahead of significant changes to legislation in the next few years and rapidly changing print purchasing priorities. And secondly, how to ensure they are protecting the productivity and health of their teams through implementing well-being practices at work.
There will also be a fantastic supplier expo running concurrently at the event, showing all the latest media and technology – enabling delegates to understand how they can increase their competitiveness by enriching the creative scope of their products and services. In attendance will be Antalis, BCR Associates, Canon, Duplo, Fujifilm, HP, Imprint MIS, Konica Minolta, printIQ, Tharstern, Vivid, Worksthing, Xerox and Xmpie. The collective support of these sponsors is indispensable, making the Conference affordable and a much higher quality of experience for delegates.
Sustainability explored
“It’s becoming ever more critical that print businesses and our entire supply chain understand what it really means to be sustainable,” says Brendan Perring, General Manager of the IPIA. He adds: “The conference will seek to educate delegates and provide tangible tools to help them make informed decisions about how to reduce their carbon footprint, get ahead of impending Government legislation and affect positive change within their organisation.”
Proposed Government legislation, cultural changes and the significant shift in corporate social responsibility priorities being shown by brands will all have an impact. The result will be print buyers that increasingly require print service providers to demonstrate their sustainability credentials – and that of their products or services when tendering for business. This in turn will drive PSPs to require their material and technology suppliers to do the same.
“It will become a key defining factor that will ultimately affect the competitiveness of businesses in our sector. Our conference seeks to guide delegates on decisions about sustainability that not only protect natural resources, but also make good business sense,” offers Brendan.
The importance of well-being
Another important topic on the conference agenda will be how to maximise well-being at work. The Covid-19 pandemic triggered a real cultural shift in how people see their work/life balance and what motivates them and influences their productivity. Another critical trend is how recruitment is also being significantly influenced, with the best talent increasingly weighing up a range of criteria in regards to their quality of life, not just how much they will get paid.
Speakers will advise on how to create a healthy environment where workplace stress is reduced, productivity is increased, and employees feel valued and supported.
“The conference talks will help educate delegates in how to improve the well-being and happiness of their teams, because a happy team is a more productive team,” says Brendan.
Grow your business
In common with previous IPIA events, the conference will also provide high quality networking opportunities throughout the day in between the talks – where print buyers, suppliers, manufacturers, and technology developers can mix and build new business prospects.
The IPIA’s Autumn Conference starts at 09.00 for early-bird networking, before the Conference programme starts at 10.00 and concludes at 17.00. The full line-up of speakers, who are experts in their respective fields, will be announced in due course.
Tickets starts from £66*, including all food and refreshments, and can be booked at: ipia.org.uk/ac
* Ticket price for IPIA/BAPC members. For non-members ticket price is £95.00
