FESPA has unveiled more details about what visitors to this year’s highly anticipated FESPA Global Print Expo and European Sign Expo at Messe Berlin can expect with a new ‘Sustainability Spotlight’ and ‘FESPA Associations Pavilion’ to join the popular ‘Printeriors’ and ‘World Wrap Masters’ programme features.
After two years of COVID lockdowns and border restrictions, it is anticipated that a strong contingent of Australian printers will make the trip to Berlin.
FESPA CEO Neil Felton and President Christophe Aussenac, the founder of ATC in France, provided an overview of what to expect at the May 31 to June 3 show which is themed ‘Experience Print in Motion‘.
So far 325 exhibitors are confirmed to attend the show including Durst, HP, Mimaki, EFI, Roland, Kornit Digital, Canon and Fujifilm.
Aussenac said sustainability and education are key focuses of FESPA.
“The past two years have been challenging for industry. As a printer myself I have felt the impact of COVID 19. I feel lucky to be in the position to support the global community and I am extremely passionate about the work FESPA does to support our members and printers worldwide,” Aussenac told a press briefing about the upcoming show.
“Importantly, this is a critical time for our community. We remain committed to understanding the challenges of the industry including diversification and automation.”
Aussenac said sustainability strategies are a key requirement for print buyers before purchasing products and it is hoped FESPA’s initiatives around sustainability education will help printers navigate this. He added attracting new talent to the industry and ensuring they receive the best training was also a priority.
Michael Ryan, the head of FESPA Global Print Expo, said the Berlin show will be the place where visitors can find out more information than what can be found on Google.
“We strongly believe that this Berlin event is the place to see new technology. Last year Amsterdam was incredible even with continued restrictions we had 7863 visitors from 103 countries,” Ryan said.
“Significantly 54% of visitors said this was the first time they had attended Fespa. Almost half of the visitors were business owners.”
Sustainability Spotlight – a new offering
Being a key topic for the industry, FESPA is dedicating a conference space to sustainability to help speciality printers make more sustainable and environmentally conscious choices. The programme will include education sessions about sustainable materials for graphics and textile applications, a substrate display, ways to reduce energy consumption, carbon footprint facilities and benchmarking, how to make supply chains more transparent and how print professionals can avoid greenwashing by offering actionable advice for printers. The Sustainability Spotlight feature is supported by HP and Re-Board Technology.
“Building a successful and profitable business is every entrepreneur’s number one goal, but the print community has an obligation to sustainability too, and this is becoming a priority for print buyers,” Ryan said.
“Becoming sustainable means understanding the whole operation and the opportunities and risks that need to be addressed, now and in the future. Our goal with the launch of Sustainability Spotlight is to inform the print community of the different options open to them as they progress along the path towards sustainable operations. We want to show print businesses how to meet changing customer demands, increase productivity and profitability, while making meaningful improvements to their supply chain and efforts to decarbonise.”
FESPA’s Associations Pavilion – a new concept
Another new entrant to the programme is FESPA’s Associations Pavilion which will celebrate the talent in FESPA’s international member community. The Pavilion gives members of FESPA’s worldwide network of Associations the opportunity to showcase their talent through samples of their screen- and digitally-printed work. Visitors to the South Entrance of the Messe Berlin are set to be inspired and learn how the diverse applications were printed and finished by members from 16 countries, including Japan, Thailand, Mexico and South Africa.
Printeriors returns
The popular ‘Printeriors’ display will celebrate flora and the freshness of the natural world as it connects brand owners, designers and architects with print service providers and manufacturers as they explore the latest trends in décor and design. Located at Messe Berlin’s South Entrance, it will include textiles, wall coverings, furnishings, flooring, fine art, lighting and accessories. FESPA has again collaborated with illustrator Jasper Goodall and FESPA Textile Ambassador Debbie McKeegan on the display. Products will cross all print processes, inks, applications and demonstrate a wide range of application opportunities. Printeriors is supported by Kornit, Mimaki and HP.
Highlighting the multiple opportunities for printers in the world of interior and exterior décor, visitors will be immersed in an interactive world of flora and freshness of the natural world as they move through a collection of seven themes: Tropical Verdure; Nature’s Canopy; Opulent Lux; Aqua Mist; Surface Micro; Organic Flora; and Cacti Geos.
World Wrap Masters
World Wrap Masters returns this year with 36 regional European wrap winners competing for the World Wrap Masters title. Visitors will be able to view high energy competition as competitors wrap cars and surprise objects in a series of time battles which are judged by previous winners. Training, workshops and demonstrations will also feature. 3M is the vinyl partner and HP is the print partner for the World Wrap Masters.
“With new content streams and enthusiastic participation from our partners and Association members, FESPA Global Print Expo 2022 will be a must-attend event for the print community. Print professionals stand to gain so much by investing in time away from their day-to-day operations to boost their knowledge, network with peers and be inspired by other people’s creativity. With brand-new content streams, visitors will leave FESPA brimming with innovative ideas, fresh insights and valuable contacts, primed to make positive changes and enhance their offering,” Ryan said.
Print Census
FESPA’s head of associations and technical lead, Graeme Richardson-Locke, discussed the new Census, which would be the third run by the organisation. He said 1400 people from 103 countries participated in the last Census in 2018.
“FESPA’s goal is to deliver education to help the industry grow. The third Print Census will be launched at FESPA 2022, this will give us a more holistic view of the current commercial backdrop and the challenges printers are facing. This will help shape FESPA’s product offering in the future,” Richardson-Locke said, adding the survey would be open to members and non-members of FESPA.
The Census will cover equipment, software and workflow trends, customer demands, pricing and margins, textiles and the pandemic impact.
The FESPA Global Print Expo and European Sign Expo will run from May 31 to June 3 at Messe Berlin.
For more information on FESPA’s event features, visit https://www.fespaglobalprintexpo.com/why-visit/features.
To find out more about FESPA Global Print Expo 2022 and to register to attend, visit: https://www.fespaglobalprintexpo.com/. Visitors receive a €30 discount on the cost of their entry ticket by using code FESM213.
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