PRINTING United Expo 2021: Moving Forward Together

PRINTING United Alliance, producers of PRINTING United Expo — the leading global printing industry event of the year — has re-confirmed that the October 6-8, 2021 in-person Expo will take place in Orlando as planned.

The PRINTING United Expo teams continue to keep in close, constant communication with the Orange County Convention Center (OCCC), local governmental and health authorities, and other local venues as necessary, to make the very best decisions as it pertains to health and safety measures for the in-person event.

The Alliance has also worked closely with attendees, exhibitors, and the industry at large to gauge their commitment to the Expo, interest, and willingness to travel — including health and safety measures they feel most comfortable with — in order to establish best practices. They will also continue to engage with all stakeholders and plan to poll the attendee audience up until the show.

The results of the recent conversations with exhibitors and attendees have yielded the same direction: the show must go on.

“PRINTING United Expo is on and the industry is excited,” says Mark J. Subers, president, PRINTING United. “Our team continues to have non-stop conversations with attendees and exhibitors and they have been very clear that the show needs to go on and it needs to be safe, both factors which we are working tirelessly on executing. We are dedicated to the industry’s success and safety, as we are all in this journey together. The enthusiasm is through the roof and we couldn’t be happier to have the partnership and support of industry leaders from across the industry. We’re all in and moving forward!”

Some key feedback from these conversations and polls include:

• PRINTING United Expo 2021 will be the only significant event of its kind in the world where new technology waiting to be launched can be shown and seen since 2019.
• 90% of those polled are already vaccinated and another 3% plan to be vaccinated.
• 60% of those attending are ready to purchase equipment in the next 12 months.

The top 3 reasons influencing those to attend are:

1. The ability to view the latest print technology;
2. Having a cross-section of the industry together in one place; and
3. Reconnecting with customers and industry colleagues.

Health and Safety Measures for All Attendees and Exhibitors

The PRINTING United Expo venue, Orange County Convention Center (OCCC), is the first venue to announce that all full-time, part-time and temporary OCCC employees are required to be fully vaccinated, unless otherwise exempt due to medical, religious, or covered reason by September 30, 2021. The OCCC was also one of the first convention centers to receive the Global Biorisk Advisory Council (GBAC) STAR accreditation on outbreak prevention, response, and recovery. Recognized as the gold standard of safe venues, the OCCC is one of the largest venues in the nation to receive the GBAC STAR accreditation.

As a division of the International Sanitary Supply Association (ISSA), GBAC STAR is an industry accreditation that provides third-party validation to ensure the implementation of rigorous protocols in response to biorisk situations. Focused on ensuring a clean, safe, and healthy environment, the program establishes requirements to assist venues by providing best practices, protocols, and procedures to control risks associated with the COVID-19 virus.

Additionally, the following health and safety measures will be in place for PRINTING United Expo at this point in time:

1. For the safety of all attendees, masks will be required inside the building during all public events run/sponsored by PRINTING United Expo. For more details on this policy and its application, please click here.
2. In addition to OCCC staff, all PRINTING United Expo employees at the event will be fully vaccinated by the start of the event.
3. We strongly recommend those planning to attend/exhibit at the Expo please be fully vaccinated. While we respect everyone’s personal choice in this matter, and we will not ask for proof of vaccination, for your safety and the safety of all, we prefer you please not attend if you are unvaccinated.
4. We ask that if you aren’t feeling well to please remain home.
5. Sanitization stations will be available throughout the venue.
6. Frequent hand-washing is encouraged.
7. Social distancing is also encouraged whenever possible.

Keep in mind, as this is a fluid situation, all health and safety information may be updated at any time leading up to the event. Please review the 2021 Health and Safety Statement on printingunited.com for the most up-to-date information.

Orange County Convention Center (OCCC) / Events Success

The OCCC has hosted more than 100 face-to-face events since the beginning of the COVID-19 pandemic. The OCCC has been used as a benchmark for events around the country given its detailed Recovery and Resiliency Guidelines, GBAC Star reaccreditation, pioneering collaboration with Orlando Health, and its detailed planning efforts with each event.

OCCC has demonstrated that events can be held safely in this new era of health and safety protocols. No other convention center has hosted this number of events with a widely released strategy involving the County, Florida Department of Health, and local healthcare system — this model is unique to the OCCC and is the key to hosting large scale events. The OCCC Meeting Safely site is an excellent resource for anyone wishing to learn more about the center’s health and safety policies and success: www.occc.net/meetingsafely.