In many ways, Ipex 2014 had been written off almost before it had even started. The high-profile withdrawals, the mutterings among many in the trade press – many of whom were writing its obituary as they walked through the doors on the first day – meant that the show was up against it from the start.

Yet Ipex remained a solid show for those who were looking to do business. A healthy international audience made the journey – 46 percent of all visitors came from outside the UK(almost 11,000) – and there was enough new technology on the show floor to ensure an event with plenty to see, despite its reduced size and footfall.

The KM1 launch was the obvious highlight at the show, giving visitors a more in-depth look atKonica Minolta's foray into commercial printing, while the Top Gun rendition by the demonstration team (soon to be immortalised in video) was a bonus for those that had chosen to stick around for the final day. Elsewhere, Lumejet introduced its S200 RGB photonic engine that prints at 4,000dpi, making it suitable for high-quality lay-flat books. Fujifilm, meanwhile, impressed with its on-site 'production house', creating magazines, packaging, labels and the Ipex Daily on its Jet Press 720, 540W and Graphium engines.

Beyond the big releases, workflow companies were prominent: Chili Publish cemented itself amongst the larger players while others, such as W3P and Catfish, saw plenty of traffic. Meanwhile, many of the finishing houses reported strong sales throughout the show, with IFSbreaking ￡1 million at the show and Duplo recording more sales per diem than in 2010.

"Attending Ipex was a decision that really paid off for Duplo," says Sarah Crumpler, UK marketing manager. "Although the quantity of people through the doors was significantly reduced from 2010, the quality was maintained.

"Ipex is a great event for us to interact with customers looking for new ideas and investment opportunities when increasing automation in their post-press and bringing a wider range of finishing in-house."

What Ipex proved was that, for those willing to take risks, the expenditure was well worth the reward. Scodix's stand, where output was prioritised over machinery, brought to the fore an important trend – print buyers are becoming more interested in the finished product, rather than the means used to create it.

EFI was never far from the news at the show, with 'Gecht-Landa II' the highlight of the World Print Summit. While nothing new was announced, it proved an entertaining affair and probably gives Landa another year of breathing space before people start questioning when manifestations of the much-lauded nanotechnology will hit the market. Guy Gecht, meanwhile, cemented himself as one of the leading voices in the industry with his thoughts on how to secure the future of print.

Exhibitions will always be condemned for making changes, but more dangerous for Ipex would have been to stagnate in the current climate. Indeed, many of its gambles paid off: the masterclasses were largely well attended, the World Print Summit at times overflowed andCross Media Production proved that such co-location can bring a more diverse audience to the show.

The Future Innovations area was a brilliant idea limited only by its size. For Printed Electronics, one of the exhibitors in this zone, Ipex proved to be a space for cross-sector conversation, reflective of a desire roadly felt within the industry.

"Ipex turned out to be a fantastic show as we need to be able to show our unique printing capability to the 'printing masses'," says Leon Gicquel, senior electronics design engineer at Printed Electronics. "Our usual expeditions allow us to connect with other printed electronicscompanies; at Ipex, on the other hand, we can connect with the people in the print industry and show them how they can improve their products by adding electronics into their existing print lines.

"Traditional print shows are new to us and we hope to maintain this relationship as we were well received the attendees. I hope we will have even more impressive demonstrations to show visitors next time."

Ipex made a lot of positive changes for 2014, which has allowed it to emerge on the other side as a leaner, more agile exhibition. Two influences will shape its future – the first being whether or not drupa can sustain itself as 'the' behemoth trade show. The second, more important aspect, will be Ipex's own decisions.

The show has power back in its hands realistically for the first time since 2012. Its decision to stick to a four-year schedule is a conservative choice that does not necessarily reflect the growing trend within the industry, where exhibitors are looking for smaller, more frequent opportunities to speak to customers; nor does it reflect manufacturing cycles, which have evolved past the four-year tradition of yore.

An emboldened Ipex should consider an ambitious future; perhaps a yearly show largely dedicated to innovation within the print industry. It has already introduced many of the elements it would need to achieve this – printed electronics, business education, cross-media marketing and even 3D printing. Waiting four years to capitalise on this potential seems a wasted opportunity to redefine what a trade show now means in an industry looking to reinvigorate itself.