Speciality print leaders across Southern Europe will meet in Portugal next month for FESPA’s Southern European Congress, where they will discuss workforce shortages, investment opportunities, and new technology
Speciality print leaders from five Southern European countries will meet in Portugal next month for the eleventh FESPA Southern European Congress, taking place on November 11th and 12th at the HF Ipanema hotel in Porto.
The two-day event is organised by five FESPA member associations – FESPA France, FESPA Italia, FESPA España, APIGRAF from Portugal, and the FESPA Hellas Association from Greece.
The congress aims to give Southern European members the opportunity to benchmark their own strategies against peers facing similar conditions, as well as compare notes with neighbouring markets on customer expectations, workforce shortages, investment, and new technology.
Owners, chief executive officers, senior managers, suppliers, and technology providers across screen, digital, textile, and signage printing are expected to attend.
Paulo Dourado, director of communications at APIGRAF, says: “Portugal is proud to host the Southern European Congress in Porto. Our markets face many of the same challenges – from AI and sustainability, to finding skilled people. Ultimately, we’re stronger when we discuss and tackle these challenges together.”
The programme will commence on November 11th with a speed networking session that pairs print companies, suppliers, and associations for a set of structured introductions. A market overview titled ‘Big Picture: The Southern European Printing Industry’ will follow.
Helder Martins and Luis Loureiro, both from software solutions provider SISTRADE, will then present a talk titled ‘Artificial Intelligence in the Printing and Packaging Industry’, followed by a session from Walter Bano, sales and business development director at Fotoba, called ‘Fotoba: Automation, Sustainability and Cost Reduction in Large-Format Finishing’.
On the second day, business leaders from across the five associations will share examples of how their companies are adapting, under the banner of ‘Innovation Best Practices’.
Speakers in the session will include Jorge Nogueira, chief executive officer of Sign, Ander Soriano, general manager of ESTUDIOS DURERO, and Sébastien Trautmann, president of Groupe Oxysign.
In addition, Graeme Richardson-Locke, FESPA’s head of associations and technical lead, will lead later sessions on sustainability. The Congress will close with visits to three companies in the print, graphic arts, and textile sectors.
The Southern European Congress was launched in 2015 by associations in France, Italy, and Spain to strengthen ties between neighbouring markets. Portugal's APIGRAF joined soon after, with the Greek association following in 2023.
Registration for the 2026 FESPA Southern European Congress is open now through the APIGRAF website.
