FEPSA plans to open its doors for the first FESPA Global Print Expo and European Sign Expo shows since 2019
A long-awaited reunion
Founded in 1962, FESPA is the global federation of national Associations for the screen printing, digital printing, and textile printing community. The association is set to bring the industry together in one of the first European events since the ‘C’ word first hit in December 2019.
Since then, globally we have endured various lockdowns, cancelled and postponed events, and some serious uncertainty in many industries and sectors. However, showing true resilience and grit, the industry has weathered the storm as best as possible. Some sectors such as retail, hospitality, and events saw business drop overnight whilst others including home décor, personalised print, and wall and floor graphics boomed.
Now, FESPA is preparing to open its doors to the Global Print Expo 2021 in Amsterdam’s RAI Exhibition Centre from October 12th – 15th. The show returns after being postponed three times in the last 18 months due to uncertainty caused by the pandemic and will run alongside the European Sign Expo 2021.
O Factoid: The last FESPA Global Print Expo was held in Munich in May 2019 O
FESPA Global Print Expo is described as Europe’s largest international specialty print exhibition. The show attracts hundreds of exhibitors from a variety of sectors including digital and screen printing, graphics, signage, décor, packaging, industrial, and textile application. Running at the same venue, the European Sign Expo features exhibitors specialising in channel lettering, signage, dimensional signage, engraving and etching, illuminated displays, out-of-home media, LED, and sign tools.
As well as hosting hundreds of exhibitors, FESPA Global Print Expo will also see industry members battle for the title of World Wrap Master. Attendees can compete in the qualifier event and successful wrappers will then go on to the final which is taking place at FESPA Global Print Expo 2022 in Berlin, Germany. As well as the competition, the area will feature training workshops, demonstrations, and examples of vinyl, films, and print and cut machines.
Described as “bringing together the world’s print communities in celebration of interior design and decoration”, Printeriors is another feature visitors can attend at the show. Attendees can explore a range of products and applications and find out the opportunities for print-service-providers (PSPs) in this growing market, which FESPA estimates to be valued at $737.20bn (£537.48bn).
Pent-up product launches
With the environment on the forefront of the industry’s agenda, wide-format substrates manufacturer, Guandong Italia, is returning to this year’s exhibition with a sea-themed booth on stand 5-K10 in Hall 5.
Under the theme of ‘S.O.S.tainability’, the company will be showcasing a range of green, recycled and recyclable printing media. All of Guandong’s media is REACH, RoHS, Global Recycled System, and GreenLife certified. Also on the stand, visitors will be able to see the company’s wall dressing range which Daniele Faoro, Guandong’s team principal describes as “the widest green range of printing media for wall decoration other than wallpaper and vinyls.”
He adds: “Visitors are welcome to join us for an Italian coffee and discover the tools created by our marketing department, designed to support our distribution partners and printing houses. These tools provide end-users with knowledge and appreciation of Guandong Italia’s enhanced visual communication solutions.”
Whilst national events have been put on hold, Guandong has been attending local events and exhibitions since June 2020. Faoro explains that there has been a positive response to in-person events. He says: “We find that visitors want to maintain a personal approach with colleagues and suppliers.
Our conversations display positivity for the future and enthusiasm to return to normality and discover new business opportunities”
“Our conversations display positivity for the future and enthusiasm to return to normality and discover new business opportunities. Guandong Italia is expecting good participation of visitors at FESPA.”
Another company looking forward to meeting customers in-person again is digital printing and production manufacturer for large-format print, labels, and packaging, Durst. Visitors can see the company’s large-format P5 portfolio and the European launch of the Durst Vanguard at stand 5-K20 in Hall 5.
Peter Bray, managing director of Durst UK & Ireland, says: “The introduction of the new Durst P5 350 High Speed version this year is a key pillar in our ‘Pixel to Output’ strategy. It comes complete with our Durst Automat, a new automatic system, enhanced Durst software and a full LED ink portfolio.
“We provide Durst Smart Shop, Workflow and Analytics software, the latter being the basis for future sales and profitability.”
He adds: “This year, Durst has also set a milestone in the field of sublimation printing with the launch of the P5 TEX iSUB. The abbreviation iSUB stands for ‘inline sublimation’. This eliminates individual work steps, resulting in a significant increase in quality and efficiency for the user.”
Durst will be showcasing its large-format P5 portfolio as well as the launch of the P5 TEX iSUB
Over at stand 5-K30 in Hall 5, 3A Composites will be showcasing its range of branded products for markets such as direct-to-substrate digital printing and screen printing, exhibition, shop, and furniture design, as well as point-of-purchase and signage.
According to the company, this year 3A Composites will be presenting its products in a special way that enables visitors to “dive into another atmosphere, besides from work and the daily life”. The idea is to demonstrate the versatility of sheet materials for attractive graphics through the booth itself.
The company explains: “Besides the well-known printing substrates Dibond (aluminium composite panel), Smart-x and Kapa (lightweight foam boards), Lumex/Hipex (APET and PET-G polyester sheets), 3A Composites presents the enlargement of the Dispa paper boards.
3A Composites’ booth will allow visitors to “dive into another atmosphere, besides from work and the daily life”
“The three new varieties are: Dispa outdoor ideally suitable for short-term outdoor applications, Dispa canvas featuring high-quality covering layers on both sides in ‘canvas’ look and the additional thickness of 2.4mm.
“All products in the Dispa range are made of FSC-certified paper and are completely recyclable – a simple and inexpensive disposal as waste paper is possible.”
SwissQprint, will be presenting its latest developments in neon inks for UV printing that enable eye-catching signage and event applications. The company will also be demonstrating the speed model of its Karibu roll-to-roll printer for high productivity as well as the option for automatic, double-sided roll-to-roll printing for the Karibu model range.
SwissQprint will be demonstrating the speed model of its Karibu roll-to-roll printer
The company says: “We are very much looking forward to meeting the community and exchanging ideas.”
A safe environment
The uncertainty of the last two years has caused many to feel (rightly-so) unsettled and uncertain as to what the safest course of action to take is for various situations. With the exhibition welcoming on average 18,000 visitors and 600 exhibitors from 137 countries, it’s important to ensure the show can run as safely as possible whilst Covid-19 cases are still present.
Neil Felton, chief executive officer of FESPA, explains what has gone into making sure the event can run: “It’s been a rollercoaster 18 months for the whole industry, but we’re finally feeling optimistic about being able to open our first live event since 2019. We’re working hard to ensure the events run in accordance with Covid-safe practices and that all participants feel secure during the event.
Neil Felton, CEO of FESPA says the team has been working hard to ensure the show is as safe as possible
“Alongside this, the Dutch government has recently announced that it will be relaxing restrictions, and the EU Digital COVID Certificate, which shows if someone has been vaccinated, tested negative for Covid or recovered from an infection, will be in place too.”
He adds: “With these advancements, in addition to the increased rollout of vaccinations, reduced Covid-19 cases in the Netherlands and easing of lockdowns, events can reopen and more flexible travel in Europe is possible.
“We’re therefore feeling confident that FESPA Global Print Expo and European Sign Expo 2021 will take place in October and we’re working hard to deliver a safe and successful event for exhibitors and visitors alike.”
Everyone participating in the show must be able to provide proof that they’re double vaccinate or that they have received a negative Covid-19 test before entering the venue. There will also be sanitising stations and increased hygiene and cleaning measures across the site.
Organisers will also be asking all visitors and exhibitors to adhere to social distancing throughout the event halls and whilst face masks are no longer mandatory according to the Dutch government, they will be recommended.
A ‘traffic light’ system will also be implemented so individuals can indicate their preferences around personal contact with a lanyard or a wristband, for example. This is to help visitors and exhibitors feel comfortable during the exhibition.
QR codes will be used throughout the hall as part of the registration process to minimise contact and enable visitors and suppliers to exchange contact information, arrange meetings and access information through the FESPA event app.
The industry unites
On how it feels to be getting back together as an industry after such an uncertain time, Durst’s Bray says: “We work in very much a people business and we are very much looking forward to meeting up with our customers again at FESPA. Face-to-face meetings are important for building strong relationships, as well as loyalty and trust.”
Within the print and sign industries, it has always been said that customers like to see, feel, and touch products to really get the best understanding of the impact certain techniques can have. For Faoro, this is one of the reasons Guandong is so looking forward to bringing its products to the event in October. He says: “Simply, we always say: “Open the circle of ideas and you will open the circle of richness”. In our business, it’s absolutely necessary to stay in touch with colleagues, suppliers and customers.
“It’s also necessary to shake hands and touch new information. Of course, during the pandemic period, webinars and calls were very useful tools and in some cases, this is still effective. However, it is now time to have face-to-face interaction and build personal relationships again.”
According to Felton, research into FESPA’s audiences revealed that 73% of respondents see trade shows as an essential platform for reviewing and making future product purchases. The research has found that respondents want a tactile experience that allows them to explore, connect face-to-face, spark real-world conversations with multiple suppliers and experts, and find out about what they don’t already know.
He adds: “The team and I really can’t wait to get to a live FESPA event again and feel the unique buzz and camaraderie that only comes when a business community comes together in one place. For all of us, 2020 and the first half of 2021 has been a period of unexpected twists and difficult decisions.
“The constantly changing conditions created by Covid-19 have challenged all of us in different ways. Like many, I’ve missed interacting in person with my team and with our exhibitors and visitors and I’ve hankered after the energy of live events.
“Community has always been at the heart of FESPA’s philosophy as an international business support organisation and I’m thrilled that FESPA will be bringing the industry together again after such a long period.”
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