The exhibition is set to be the biggest digital event ever, occurring ten years after the first FESPA Digital at the same location in 2006. The European Sign Expo will be 250 percent bigger than its first outing in 2013, while the newly created FESPA Textile, taking over from FESPA Fabric, will now be spread across two halls.

The European Sign Expo's staggering growth as it enters its fourth year is in part down to the need for visitors and exhibitors to come up with new and innovative solutions for customers. Divisional director of FESPA Roz McGuinness says: "The visiting and exhibiting community has been able to exploit the opportunities for print and non-print sign makers, and coming to an exhibition which allows them to source their printed and non-printed supplies means it’s a much more cohesive opportunity for them."

The European Sign Expo will also welcome a host of new exhibitors this year, including sign installation specialist Ike, LED products manufacturer HitechLED, visual communications firm Wouters, and Artiteq, producer of picture and signage hanging systems.

Speaking about what else to look forward to at ESE this year, McGuinness continues: "We’ve got interactive sign writing workshops where people can learn about handwritten signage, and also just the breadth of exhibitors that we’ve got in ESE, which has expanded through halls 2 and 3 this year, so a large portion of the showcase is going to be devoted to all things related to non-printed signage."

This year’s FESPA event will cover 42,000sq m and boasts more than 450 exhibitors, with the growth of signage applications, textile, and industrial print certain to be apparent throughout the event. At the FESPA Global Summit in November, organisers revealed that 90 percent of exhibitors will not be at drupa, taking place in May/June of this year.

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