It's a stalwart of the UK scene and, having been around for more than a quarter of a century, it shows little sign of slowing down. Known as an excellent networking event with plenty of product launches, Sign and Digital UK remains a must-attend exhibition for manufacturers and suppliers in the British sign and display sector. With last year's guests including representatives from universities, fashion labels, automotive companies and even theme parks, it is an excellent opportunity for print houses to source new business.

Many of the big players are using the event to introduce their latest products to the UK and Irish markets for the first time. HP will bring its newly launched Latex 300 series and Designjet Z6600 and Z6800 to the show, showcased at the Perfect Colours stand. The former model aims to renew the company's assault on solvent printing with a cheaper ink offering than previous models, thus making price a differentiator for the first time. The new Designjets bring greater output speed with reduced ink usage.

Also demonstrating a latex model at Sign and Digital is show first-timer Ricoh, which will début its L1400 series with the company's Uninterrupted Ink Supply System (UISS) for unattended printing. Both the 1.3 and 1.6m models will be displayed, as well as its MarcomCentral software suite.

Announced on the same day as HP, Epson's T-series will also be given a first UK outing at the show. Using Epson's PrecisionCoreTFP print-heads with UltraChrome XD aqueous inks, the updated range features better image processing and an enhanced black ink for technical output. Summa, meanwhile, will release its DC5sx thermal transfer printer and cutter at a stand shared with UK distributor ArtSystems.

Hybrid Services will play host to Mimaki's local launch of the JFX200-2513, which was first seen at Viscom last year. A 2.4 x 1.2m flat-bed for rigid sheet printing, the UV-curable engine uses the company's own Circulation Technology to eliminate sediment build-up. YPS will also be demonstrating a range of Mimaki products at the show, as well as offering the latest MAPS firmware for existing users.

Another major part of the Sign and Digital is the workshop and seminar space. Boasting a Business Theatre and the sign-makers' workshop, as well as educational theatres dedicated to Adobe, Corel and SignLab, the supporting schedule offers a combination of business development advice and practical tips for sign-makers and graphics specialists.

"The most important ingredient of Sign and Digital UK is ensuring that it is at the forefront of development in the industry," comments Rudi Blackett, event director at Sign and Digital UK. "We have increased the number of hands-on demonstration areas [and] advice clinics, and really tried to involve exhibitors and visitors in these features."

The Business Theatre, which runs for all three days of the show, gives visitors the chance to hear manufacturers' visions of the future of the sector. HP's workshops will explore digital printing of wall graphics, while Mimaki EMEA will present seminars on soft signage and how digital print can be used to create vehicle graphics. Agfa Graphics and i-Sub will combine forces to discuss the importance of workflow, while the British Sign and Graphics Association will look at how changing legislation will affect small businesses and what they need to do to adapt to the new rules.

The sign-makers' workshop has been curated by Paul Hughes, owner of Western Signs and Printing, and features both introductory and advanced sessions covering vinyl application, vehicle graphics and signboard construction.

The other workshops allow three of the major players in sign and display software the chance to show how to make the most of their respective products. CADLink will host introductory sessions for SignLab's print-and-cut productivity tools and its Visual Production Manager RIP during its morning sessions, while the afternoon will focus on how its software can be used with Roland VersaWorks and Mimaki RasterLink RIP software.

Corel will provide educational sessions at its theatre, detailing the new features of its CorelDraw Graphics Suite X7, including a seminar dedicated to its Color Styles function, as well as case studies on DecoNetwork and Wilcom DecoStudio. Adobe will focus on its Creative Cloud software, running sessions on Illustrator, InDesign, Photoshop and Bridge. It will also run a workshop on the tools within Adobe software that can be used to ensure correct colour management. Routinely the highlights of the show, the manufacturer talks promise to be genuinely useful tools for businesses looking to boost their productivity.

"Visitors need to know that the show will benefit them and expect this, so we have focused it very much on business growth," suggests Blackett. "New revenue streams and new markets are very evident at the show and suppliers are more than willing to offer advice on how to maximise the opportunities these offer."

For the UK sign and display market, it is an important date for the diary; for visitors from abroad, the show provides an insight into the British market as well as the opportunity to see many of the latest manufacturer releases first-hand. Free to attend and conveniently located in Birmingham, Sign and Digital looks set to deliver a strong exhibition this time around.