Orgill In-plant Heading to Expo for New Technology

PRINTING United Expo is a great place for in-plants to scope out new equipment, keep up with industry trends, and become familiar with the latest printing technologies. For Joseph Kaelin, print shop manager at Orgill Inc., this year’s Expo offers an opportunity to reconnect with the industry while researching equipment that could help his operation replace aging devices and expand its capabilities.

Joseph Kaelin

“It had been seven years since I've been to a print show, and I need to get caught back up on existing technology and touch base with the old network, so to speak," Kaelin says. "It has always been a great event to see new tech, visit old friends, and make new ones.”

Orgill, founded in 1847 and headquartered in Collierville, Tennessee, is the world’s largest independently owned hardware distributor. With annual sales exceeding $3.7 billion, the company serves more than 13,000 retail locations across the United States, every Canadian province and territory, and customers in 50 additional countries.

Orgill’s print shop is currently looking to replace some existing equipment while also exploring technologies that could bring new capabilities in-house. At the Expo, Kaelin is particularly interested in seeing wide-format flatbed UV and latex printers, flatbed cutting systems, apparel and merchandise printing technologies, and front-end automation software.

The breadth of equipment on the show floor will allow him to see multiple technologies and vendors in one location. It will also provide something that a visit to an individual manufacturer’s demo center cannot: the ability to gather candid feedback from printers who have already used the equipment in everyday production environments.

“The opportunity to talk with folks who are also looking, or have experience with the equipment in real-world applications and having the audience to compare and contrast in real time" is valuable, he says. "It allows for the opportunity to go beyond just the canned demo.”

Previous Expo visits have provided Kaelin with new vendor leads, process improvement ideas, equipment recommendations, and potential sales opportunities. They have also introduced him to technologies he had not originally planned to investigate. At one previous Expo, apparel and fabric printing caught his attention, demonstrating the value of exploring beyond a predetermined equipment list.

Networking is another important part of the experience. Conversations with other printers give Kaelin a forum for comparing real-world results and learning how peers have addressed similar equipment, vendor, training, and staffing challenges.

“The possibilities are endless if you come with a game plan and are ready to explore what is being offered,” he says.

Produced annually by PRINTING United Alliance, PRINTING United Expo brings together the global printing community for equipment demonstrations, product launches, education, and networking. The 2026 Expo will take place Sept. 23–25 at the Las Vegas Convention Center. Register here.