FESPA 2018—What to See, Hear, and Sample

Trends, innovations, and opportunities with new technology—these are the items that will make this year’s FESPA Global Print Expo out of this world. With 18,000 international Print Service Providers (PSPs), brands, and agencies, Messe Berlin will be buzzing with opportunities May 15-18.

Speaking of buzz, FESPA’s 2018 Census results will be a hot topic at the trade show. The census is the largest data gathering project in the wide-format printing industry. It will be discussed in depth in several talks within FESPA’s Trends Theater. Plus, you’ll see these trends showcased on the exhibition floor.

SEE More Textile Vendors

The demand for digitally printed clothing, décor and soft signage continues to grow. At FESPA Global Print Expo, you’ll see over 120 exhibitors showing textile equipment, substrates and consumables.

One vendor, Sihl, recently launched glass textile wallpaper. It’s the first of its kind and suited for dye sublimation printing, the technique that captures the colors within the polymer fibers, not on the surface like with classic inkjet printing. Dye sublimation makes the ink of the printed letters or images virtually indestructible. The glass textile wallpaper will stand up to cleaning agents, even ethanol. That allows applications in public areas and clinical settings where frequent cleanings are necessary.

Besides the trade show floor, another place at FESPA you can learn about industry trends and innovations is in the Trends Theater.

HEAR the Opportunities in the Trends Theater

Each day at FESPA, you can take in a quick seminar. They range in length from 30 minutes to one hour, and they cover these industries:

Signage: Tuesday and Friday

Décor: Wednesday

Digital Print for Packaging: Wednesday and Thursday

Industrial: Tuesday and Thursday

All four days from 11:30-12:00, Ron Gilboa will discuss the 2018 FESPA Census. Get the information you need to recognize emerging trends to help grow your businesses.

One trend that will be discussed in the Trends Theater is interiors. In Catherine Peters’ presentations, she will focus on homes and how to create a “lived in” environment through mood, color and materials.

3D printing is another trend that offers untold potential. Come and hear what business is like from a 3D print provider. Claude Lombard runs Dekom 3D Plus in Switzerland. In this session, you will see how 3D printing technology lets Dekom 3D Plus offer their clients the latest and most impactful creative possibilities. You’ll also hear how their client base is growing.

If you are seeking inspiration on how to expand your current offerings, Printeriors, Print Make Wear, and Wrap Masters offer innovative avenues of learning outside the Trends Theater, and they showcase two popular industries.

SAMPLE FESPA’s Innovative Spirit

Printeriors is the unique area of FESPA dedicated to the screen, digital, and textile printing for interior décor applications. This year’s theme is Airport Lounge of the Future 2030 and will be furnished by various FESPA exhibitors. Furniture and décor will greet “travelers,” and inspire PSPs, sign-makers, and interior designers about the creative and lucrative possibilities of printing for interior applications. Come. Sit. Stay. (But not too long. There’s more to see and do.)

Print Make Wear is another exciting feature for professionals in the textile industry. It offers a live production environment and catwalk. Fashion industry design and technology experts will explain each step of the screen and digital textile production processes. You’ll hear their discussions on planning for a more sustainable fashion value chain.

Another innovation is World Wrap Masters. Watch master-wrappers work their magic in this exciting three-day competition. Besides being mesmerized by the speed and skill of these car-wrapping teams, you’ll also get a peek at the latest vinyls, films, print, and cut machinery in the wrap industry. The event includes workshops and demonstrations and culminates in crowing the Wrap Master of Europe. Tickets cost €150.

Make The Most of FESPA

FESPA 2018 promises to be inspiring, exciting, and full of possibilities. Make the most of your time. Schedule appropriate Trends Theater sessions ahead of time and by plan your trade show floor route.

Of course, add Massivit 3D to your agenda to see see the European debut of the Massivit 1500 large format 3D printer. It is 1.5 meters tall and offers untold possibilities for creating soft signage in any shape, four-step channel letters, point of sales displays, unlimited décor, and more. Click here to book a personal consultation or to see a live demo at booth 1.1 – A55.