With the UK economy widely expected to have emerged from recession in the last quarter, the new year has begun with signs of optimism with the manufacturing sector at its most buoyant since November 2007, according to official figures. 

In the print sector too, there is reason to look forward to year of recovery with both Ipex and a General Election on the horizon.

George Clarke, Heidelberg UK's managing director and president of Ipex 2010, said he was optimistic that there would be an upturn in the next few months, but added that overcapacity and reduced advertising, as well as marketing spend, also posed threats to some companies' survival.

He said: "There is opportunity out there. Firstly, there is Ipex, which will hold clues on how to remain competitive and gain an edge as the upturn comes. Then there is the election."

This year's Ipex is expected to be a key date in many printers' and suppliers' 2010 calendar, with Clarke calling the May show a "critical" event and one that would help print companies research forthcoming technological advances.

Paul Manning, account director at Printflow, added that the show offered visitors the technical insight as to where the industry is heading, while Linney Group's Miles Linney said Ipex would be "great" for refocusing plans and exploring new opportunities.

The BPIF will this year be promoting its Dotgain initiative encouraging printers to evolve from "being specialists in ink on paper into broad-based integrated marketing solutions providers" that can offer multichannel communications solutions.

BPIF corporate affairs director Andy Brown said: "Many printers now lead the way in offering cross-media services and are profiting as a consequence. There is scope for many more to join them."

Tim Lance, sales director at Slough-based X1, agreed and said the industry must market itself as a "communications industry".

To read more industry predictions, visit printweek.com/predictions