By Editor Morten B. Reitoft

Think Smart FactoryThink Smart Factory 2019 has closed, and many of the attendees and exhibitors are on their ways home. Many countries have been represented at Think Smart Factory. Printers from all over the world decided to come to this new event to experience the opportunities that workflow and automation offer. The event has been organized really good, and not only did things work on the show-floor but also events for visitors have been handled to excellence. The first night an international party was organized for visitors from outside. Nice location, good food, and a chance to network with friends, partners, and prospects.

Yesterday there was an event at the famous Kyoto Railway Museum. An amazing place, and here the crowd was asked if they believe there is a need for a next Think Smart Factory. The crowd was overwhelmingly positive. I today also made an interview with General Manager Yoji "Joe" Otsuka from SCREEN, and he also confirmed their interest in future events like Think Smart Factory. 

An ever-recurring question to me is why the user events seem so popular over the more conventional tradeshows? Of course, tradeshows are way bigger, but they are also more expensive to participate in if you want to achieve what Think Smart Factory did. The footprint of an event like this would equal a full hall at most convention centres, and therefore the price would be astronomical companies should be able to deliver the same. So the purpose of the shows is different. Where tradeshows attract a broad range of printing companies, the user events are more specific. With tradeshows, you probably meet more 'new' customers than you'll do at user events - however, the thing that I believe the tradeshow organizers should consider is the duration of the shows. Of course, both PRINTING United, PRINT®19, LabelExpo, and now also Think Smart Factory only lasted for 3-4 days, and that can be an excuse for not having operating equipment on the floor. Still, to be genuinely inspiring and to see what's possible today is, this is simply something I believe more exhibitors should speculate over. 

I have been at so many shows the past year, that only a few really stand out as unique as Think Smart Factory. And there are many reasons. One reason is, obviously, the presentations of end-to-end solutions, cross-vendor, all tied together with smart workflow solutions, but maybe even more important is the fact that this is an important part of the industry. We can not all make important decisions around a screen, at a meeting table at some convention centre, etc. Printers don't have the opportunity to see end-to-end solutions in many places. Though the demo/experience centres, especially in America, are quite amazing, and also offer great facilities to show end-to-end solutions, they obviously focus on their own deliveries.

We got the opportunity to participate at Think Smart Factory, and I am personally very thankful for that opportunity. It's been great, I have met a lot of nice people, and I am full of optimism and energy on behalf of the printing industry. Hope to see you again, at some time!