The event was set up by the trade association as part of its ongoing efforts to drive growth for the UK print industry and foster collaboration in its supply chain.
It was held at the Marco Pierre White restaurant, on the top floor of The Cube Hotel, which offered skyline views of Birmingham to guests – a cross-section of printers, print buyers, suppliers, designers, marketing agencies, and technology developers.
The event was bookended with networking drinks while guests moved tables after each course during lunch to maximise their networking opportunities.
The day also featured an address from IPIA chair Alasdair Browne who, drawing on his experience as managing director of Abbot Print, shared his thoughts on where attendees could find new opportunities for business growth, emphasising the power of connection and networking.
“Whether it's online or face to face, stronger connections make stronger businesses. But there’s something uniquely valuable about being all in the same room,” he said.
Speaking to Printweek at the event, Brendan Perring, general manager at the IPIA, said: “We outgrew the previous venue – we started off with a target of about 60 guests at the old venue when we first were there and then it grew over three years.
“Last time we had 100 guests and it was tight, so we moved to Marco Pierre White just because it was a much bigger venue and people could spread out, and today we’ve had 125 guests, around 40% of whom have never been to this event before.
“As Alasdair said earlier, the value of being able to meet face to face, and of being able to chat to peers, print businesses, suppliers, technology developers, trade bodies, all in one room in a day, and for people to share their pain and all their joys, is really valuable.
“Everyone who’s new that I’ve been speaking to has been saying how welcome they feel, how relaxed they feel it is, and just how valuable they feel the conversations they’re able to have are.”
He added: “The core reason we do these events is twofold. One is that, even today, the cohesion of our industry is not very good, and events like this are specifically built to try and improve that cohesion, to even get competitors – whether they’re suppliers or printers – to talk to each other, bring down barriers and find ways to work together.
“Because ultimately, if we can get our industry talking to each other more – finding solutions to problems and building partnerships – then our industry is strengthened.
“And then the second core reason is it is our attempt at an economic kick-starter for the sector, because all of those conversations that come out of today, all those new ideas, everything that’s been formed, genuinely creates a small amount of economic impetus and momentum for the next three or four months for the sector.”
Sponsors of the Annual Networking Lunch included Antalis, Compass, Duplo, eProductivity Software, Fujifilm, Imprint MIS, Konica Minolta, Ricoh, and Xerox.
After the lunchtime event, many guests attended post-event drinks at the nearby Gas Street Social bar.
The association’s annual Autumn Conference will take place on 28 August at The Manufacturing Technology Centre in Coventry. The Recognising Excellence Expo and Gala will follow at the Crowne Plaza in Stratford-upon-Avon on 3 December.
