According to FESPA Divisional Director Roz McGuinness, at the close of day three in Amsterdam visitor numbers were 30% up against the last time FESPA hosted an event in the month of March – that was in Barcelona, Spain in 2012 – which drew in just over 12,000 visitors across its four days.
Now in a decade of FESPA – the dedicated exhibition for digital technologies in the signage and graphics market, FESPA Digital 2016 – back at the event’s original starting point in Amsterdam in 2006 – sums up the digital revolution and diversification in today’s specialist markets from printing onto metal, ceramics and glass through to laminates, wood and even textiles. FESPA 2016 therefore confirms the digital print revolution being experienced today is far more than the ‘traditional’ wide format print such as banners, posters, signage and billboards.
Optimism and opportunity
Digital textile printing is certainly an increasingly dominant application within the wide format digital print sector. Since introducing the Digital Textile Conference in 2008 to push the boundaries of wide format digital print innovation in textile applications, FESPA organiser noted that the attendance at the conference and participation in the market segment have grown at an impressive rate. According to FESPA, ‘this resulted to around 650 million square metres of fabric that were digitally printed between mid-2013 and mid-2014, while digitally printed garments grew at a rate of 22% during this period’.
This year, FESPA Fabric re-branded to FESPA Textile to demonstrate the many different areas, from garments, to interiors, banners and beyond, digital textile printing covers. WHERE To Print gathered that the event showcased the potential and opportunities available for digital textile printing resulting in more than 50% of exhibitors such as MUTOH, Kornit Digital, EFI, Fujifilm and a host of others showcasing wide range of innovations dedicated to opportunities in textile market. With all of these opportunities open to them, business owners are understandably very optimistic about the future.
“We’re really pleased with this year’s show, especially with the diversity of the visitors,” said McGuinness. Highlights for me have been how well Wrap Masters, the Awards and Printeriors have been received.”
The big winner was textile printer – The Look Company in Qatar which was crowned ‘Best in Show’ while the 2016 World Wrap Master Champion was won by Jim Miller, owner of Millers Decals, USA.
Sponsored by Avery Dennison and Mimaki, Ruan Greeff, South Africa (Wrap Master Africa 2015) and Michael Szwacki, UK, took second and third place, winning prize money of €1,250 and €750 respectively, as well as gift bags. Jim received €2,500 but more importantly the global recognition and invaluable networking opportunities taking part in competition brings.
Meanwhile, FESPA has revealed that next year’s Global Expo event will return to Hamburg, Germany which hosted FESPA Digital in 2011. The 2017 FESPA Digital will take place from 8th to 12th of May 2017.
For a full list of Award winners and runners up, visit www.fespaawards.com
