FESPA OPENS TO GLOBAL WIDE-FORMAT WORLD
Global wide-format print show Fespa has opened its doors, welcoming sign, display, promotional products and garment print businesses from around the world to Munich.
Process optimisation is one of the key themes of the expo, with exhibitors keen to show visiting print business owners and managers how to get the most from their print systems.
The four-day event has more than 500 exhibitors spread across the halls, including 60 new exhibitors and 95 returning for the first time since Covid. Among the crowds is a fair contingent from ANZ.
Under the theme of New Perspectives, the expo has taken four and a half halls at Messe Munich. This year’s event is the biggest since Covid, with Asian printers allowed to travel again. The opening ceremony saw Michael Ryan, head of global print expos at Fespa, encourage printers to open themselves to new ideas. He said, “New Perspectives means new solutions, new people, new ways of doing business and endless possibilities.”
The German government has now relaxed all Covid restrictions, with no need for masks anywhere. Restrictions will not feature at the Messe centre for the event, which is increasingly popular with ANZ region printers.
Ryan said, “This year, we are encouraging visitors to look at things from a different angle and discover fresh approaches and avenues for growth, for everyone to exchange their perspectives with their peers, and to consider different viewpoints on how to excel.
“New Perspectives was developed with our community in mind and is central to our 2023 communications, and I’ve seen some of our exhibitors adopting our campaign in their promotions."
Fespa is launching a new Personalisation Experience event at the expo, and heralding the return of its Sustainability Spotlight, World Wrap Masters, and the Awards.
The multi-day Personalisation Experience conference will include individual content streams dedicated to personalised loyalty marketing, sportswear and fashion customisation, bespoke interiors, and personalised packaging, featuring 50 expert speakers.
Fespa says print service providers and fulfilment houses wanting to put personalisation at the heart of their service offering will gain valuable practical knowledge and insight from participating.
Fespa’s popular Printeriors interior décor feature is incorporated within the Personalisation Experience zone, showcasing a variety of individualised interior spaces curated by Fespa textile ambassador Debbie McKeegan. Delegates have the chance to go through the process of defining, ordering, and collecting personalised items from participating sponsors within the exhibition.
The Sustainability Spotlight showcase returns for its second year, again offering visitors a chance to learn more about how to improve their environmental performance and credentials at a time of increasing urgency around sustainability.
Fespa Global Print Expo is also hosting the Fespa Awards 2023, with a gallery of shortlisted entries from printers worldwide accessible to visitors for the first time since 2020.
World Wrap Masters has also returned, offering visitors the chance to see European vehicle wrappers compete for the title of World Wrap Master Europe 2023, followed by the showdown of the seven regional competition winners in the World Wrap Masters final. In addition, the event will offer live demonstrations from industry experts.
