The New Year is a time for resolutions, diet fads, exercise regimes and – apparently – engraving. Trophex returns for its 2014 edition on January 19th - 20th with a two-day event dedicated to trophies, awards and personalisation at the NEC in Birmingham.

Having begun life 28 years ago as a hotel-based show, Trophex has since become a fully-fledged trade event and an annual fixture at the NEC for 18 years. Bringing together engravers, suppliers, manufacturers and experts from various sectors, the show aims to provide a comprehensive insight into the engraving and sign-making sectors, as well as related industries.

"Following on from the success of this year's show, Trophex 2014 has increased in size," comments Colin Gallimore, publisher of Trophy and Engraving News and Eurotrophex magazine, which form part of event organiser Hill Media. "With more exhibitors than before and most of the major awards, engraving and personalisation companies booked for the exhibition, we are expecting next year's event to be more popular than ever."

The 2014 iteration of the show brings with it a wave of new features, chief among them the introduction of an Industry Awareness Zone, which will see various speakers from across the sign-making and awards industry offer advice as to how to innovate and incorporate technology, software and even social media to improve competitiveness.

Among the speakers will be Suzanne Smith from Corel, explaining how to make the best use of CorelDraw's graphics suite, while Simon Wilcox, head of marketing at Sawgrass Europe, will consider the use of digital decoration in trophy and engraving. Hybrid Services's national sales manager John De la Roche will present a talk on how digital printing workflow can be added to a sign-making and engraving business, while Output's editor-in-chief James Matthews-Paul looks at how a business can be grown through social media.

Also new for 2014 is the Knowledge Centre, a specialist space providing visitors with the chance to chat to the experts speaking at the Industry Awareness Zone, who will be available to offer one-to-one advice, answer technical questions and offer advice related to their talks.

Returning at the show will be the Trophex Awards, which receive their own area within the show for the first time, showcasing competitors' entries. Visitors will be able to cast their votes, with award winners announced during the lunchtime period on the second day of the show.

There are 13 categories at this year's awards, including 'Most Original', 'Best Innovation' and 'Best Service'. Winners last year included Transworld Trophies, which picked up the 'Best Engravable Product' award, and Mimaki distributor Hybrid Services, which received the 'Most Pioneering Piece of Machinery' accolade for its UJF-3042HG.

John de la Roche, national sales manager for Hybrid Services, believes that Trophex is a significant event in the company's calendar: "The show presents an excellent opportunity for companies to understand what the industry offers and to understand the latest technologies that are available. For us, it is an opportunity to promote Mimaki's range of products geared towards the personalisation and trophy industry, while supporting a number of resellers who are exhibiting at the show.

"One of our suppliers, i-Sub Digital, will be using the event to launch its Digi-Foil system with a Mimaki UJF-series flat-bed UV-LED printer at its core. It's designed to enable short-run foil blocking, so is ideal for the awards sector, as well as packaging, proofing, high-end gifts and promotional items too."

The show takes place on a Sunday and Monday, with the first day intended to give business owners - who might not be able to spare a working day away from the company - a chance to visit the show. Entry to the show and car parking is free, although visitors will need to register if they wish to attend the seminars held in the Industry Awareness Zone.

"We hope that the new innovations taking place at Trophex 2014 will help to enhance visitor experience, offering a valuable insight into new technologies and techniques while helping visitors to extract the potential for profit from their business," suggests Gallimore. "Trophex 2014 will be used to launch new catalogues, products and the latest technology for the awards and recognition industry. Put simply, Trophex will enable visitors to kick-start the year and maximise their business potential."

With exhibitors specialising in fields as diverse as lasers, heat transfer presses, signage, sublimation equipment and crystal and glass engraving, the show's scope falls far wider - and the possibilities for business expansion far greater - than simply engraving and awards. A staple in the events calendar for the sector for almost 30 years, Trophex shows no sign of slowing down just yet.