Key buying event in the print buying sector, Fespa Global Print Expo, staged another strong event at Messe München for its 2019 edition, 14–17 May, recording 20,780 visitors from 137 countries.
The host nation of Germany delivered a quarter of the total visitor numbers, with Italy supplying 7% and Austria 5%.
Two-thirds of all visitors committed two or more days to the show.
Show Director Roz Guarnori said: “What has been most rewarding is the feedback on how the show has delivered in terms of ‘return on experience’, which suggests visitors and exhibitors are focusing more on the valuable insight and knowledge gathered from the show and its features, rather than thinking exclusively in terms of cost per lead or ROI.”
Digital print machinery was singled out as the key area of interest for 41% of visitors, followed by digital print consumables (31%). This is matched by the proportion of visitors interested in textile and fabric, demonstrating Fespa’s growing importance as an international meeting place for the textile printing and garment manufacturing communities. This is reflected in the launch of the new Sportswear Pro event, to be co-located with Fespa Global Print Expo in Madrid, Spain, March 2020.
Fespa 2019 included immersive features such as Printeriors (printed interior décor), Print Make Wear (garment printing and production) and Colour L*A*B* (colour management), as well as the popular Trend Theatre, Fespa Awards and the World Wrap Masters vehicle wrapping championship.
A total of 700 exhibitors filled six of Messe München’s halls.
Fespa goes to Madrid next year to IFEMA – Feria de Madrid, Spain, 24-27 March 2020. Also taking place alongside the event will be European Sign Expo 2020 for non-printed signage, and Sportswear Pro 2020, FESPA’s newly launched exhibition dedicated exclusively to sportswear manufacturing.
Fespa will return to Munich for the 2021 edition, 18-21 May.
