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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