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The long-running exhibition has been purchased by Datateam Business Media
Wide-format print and signage exhibition, Sign & Digital UK (SDUK), has been acquired by Datateam Business Media, owner of fellow print exhibition Printwear and Promotion LIVE!
After a period of speculation from visitors and exhibitors, the news was announced in the wake of many trade shows wrapping up ahead of the summer.
Amanda Barnes, Faversham House’s chief executive, states: “We’ve been honoured to have been part of the sign-making industry for the past 23 years.
“It’s a great sector and we’ve thoroughly enjoyed working with so many passionate and creative people over the years. I’m sure SDUK will go from strength to strength under Datateam’s ownership.”
The latest company to own the show has a wide array of businesses under its umbrella including online and digital publications in the retail, building services, and healthcare sectors.
Datateam Business Media also runs many events including industry awards and exhibitions like Future Robotics Live, Electronics Live, The Vending Industry Awards (Vendies), and MCV Women in Games Awards.
Parvez Kayani, Datateam Business Media’s managing director, comments: “We are delighted to have acquired the SDUK brand and look forward to building on the success that Faversham House has achieved with the show over the last 23 years.”
Datateam’s most well-known exhibition in the print and signage industry is the previously mentioned Printwear and Promotion LIVE!, which runs in February at the NEC. The expectation from exhibitors is for Printwear and SDUK to run alongside each other in 2024 and future events.
SDUK’s 2022 and 2023 shows were noticeably smaller than previous years and focused on more specific areas of the print and sign market. Many visitors had attended hoping to see certain exhibitors who weren’t in attendance like in previous years.
Speaking on LinkedIn, managing director of Format digital marketing, Marc Burnett, says: “Perhaps if the shows are combined we will see it rebranded as a broader Creative Production event pitched to a target audience beyond the traditional niches that were served.
“Certainly, there is a whole new generation of enthusiastic Etsy creatives, young hobbyists and gig economy entrepreneurs out there, and they would almost certainly find a combined P&P / SDUK event inspiring and thought-provoking.”
Speaking to SignLink at the VM & Display Show in April, Ian Hoole, finance manager at The Sign Group said: “For years we did SDUK, but we feel it lost its way and so coming here and being involved with decision makers in the retail and display space we hope we can take a lot away to market our products for our customers.”
Next year marks SDUK’s 35th edition, which will celebrate its role as the UK’s longest running trade show for the visual communication sectors.
Currently SDUK is dated for February 27TH to 29th, 2024, at the NEC in Birmingham, while Printwear and Promotion LIVE! is yet to be officially dated.
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