The FESPA Global Print Expo is back this week, running from 31st May to 3rd June 2022 at the Messe Berlin exhibition centre in Germany, where hundreds of exhibitors will ‘Experience Print in Motion'‘. Global print and signage businesses will showcase their latest innovations and plenty of product launches are promised across decor, packaging, graphics, industrial and textile applications. 

As well as the solutions on display on exhibitor’s stands, visitors to the expo will see featured events such as Printeriors, the World Wrap Masters Final, and the new Sustainability Spotlight feature. After a scaled back event last year, exhibitors have promised to pull out all the stops.

Let’s take a look at some of FuturePrint’s partners to see what they’ve got in store for FESPA 2022.

“Think Inkjet. Think Agfa.”

Following news of acquiring Inca Digital in the UK, Agfa’s latest technological innovations will be taking centre stage at the booth. Three of their latest machines will be on show, the Oberon RTR3300 a single-pass printing device for corrugated media; the Avinci CX3200 dye sublimation printer, and their latest addition, the Jeti Tauro H3300HS LED with varnish for the first time, this wide format digital inkjet printing device capable of printing varnish as a spot colour or flood varnish at 75 SQM/hr, is a worldwide first. 

Vincent Wille, President of Digital Print & Chemicals, invites visitors to the stand to “experience large-format inkjet printing demos and to get inspired by an extensive variety of print samples.” He also comments that Agfa’s inkjet experts are looking forward to chatting with visitors to “explore how their integrated offering of printers, inks, software, training, and services can meet printing companies’ needs and further their growth.”

See Agfa at stand 3.2-D20.

“Make It BIG” with Canon

Mathew Faulkner, EMEA Director, Marketing and Innovation, Wide Format Printing Group, explains Canon has seen a huge number of customers seizing new opportunities in wide format graphics by embracing different objectives and revenue streams in response to decreased volumes during the pandemic. So Canon’s campaign at FESPA focuses on helping visitors to “be bold, be brave and be aspirational”. They’ll be demonstrating their simulated retail shop where a fully automated, end-to-end solution will allow attendees to track a high-value print order from submission right through to final delivery. 

Canon will also be showcasing three European premieres of new large format digital print solutions from their Colorado series, Arizona series and the imagePROGRAF range. They’ll also be revealing three new innovations in roll-to-roll printing, high volume flatbed printing and workflow automation. 

See Canon at stand 3.2-A30.

“Production Excellence” by Durst

One of the largest exhibitors at FESPA with an 800m2 exhibition space, Durst will be presenting their comprehensive solutions for the large format printing market as well as a range of software solutions. They’ll also be unveiling of a new P5 super-wide printing system. 

Christian Harder, Vice President Sales, explains: "we will be exhibiting a total of six printing systems, including a completely new development for super-wide printing, introducing Vanguard printing systems to Europe and highlighting new market opportunities with a label printing system.” 

See Durst at stand 4.2-B30.

“Green and Efficient” by EFI - Electronics For Imaging

EFI will be demonstrating their TERRA Gold printer, which promises to eliminate the need for steaming or washing on direct-to-textile applications. It uses a more sustainable and efficient polymerisation process when the printed textile is passed through the on-board dryer. 

The 1.8m wide digital inkjet printer also features pigment and binder technology, allowing the user to achieve high quality textile production in a short process. 

See EFI at stand 6.2-A20.

Global Graphics and Meteor Inkjet

Global Graphics is well known for developing multi award winning innovative software components for digital printing. At FESPA they will be showcasing their software solutions for the digital production of textiles, packaging, decor, wide format and specialty graphics together with sister company Meteor Inkjet Ltd.

Meteor Inkjet will be demonstrating their SmartDFE software which, in one solution, brings together the creation of optimised print-ready PDF files, workflow and job automation to connect with enterprise IT systems, RIPping and screening. It also optimises image quality and drives print data directly to printheads at blistering speeds through the Meteor datapath.

The solutions on display will be relevant to everyone in the print production process including technicians and installers, interior designers, sign makers, producers, t-shirt printers and embroiderers.

See Global Graphics Software and Meteor Inkjet at stand 25-B50.

Showcasing sustainability

Exhibitors at FESPA are likely to feature their sustainability goals as well as the latest technologies, Rachel Li, Fujifilm Textile, Sign & Display & Industrial segments told us that through their OEM partners, they’ll be demonstrating the inks that are compatible with greener substrates, such as PVC free banners, as this continues to be a growing focus for them.

Sun Chemical will also be releasing two new sustainable sublimation inks for textile printing, the Elvajet Onyx and Elvajet Topaz. Simon Daplyn, Product and Marketing Manager, explains: “With sublimation inks, we've increased the colour transfer from the paper, especially uncoated paper, by about 10%, so we're reducing the ink waste and allowing customers to use much lighter weight papers, which means less waste and fewer transportation costs as well.”

FESPA attendees will have the opportunity to see KAVALAN’s PVC-free materials in action, as KAVALAN Sunlight Weldable front lit material will be printed live on Epson’s stand in Hall 4.2-C30. Rob Karpenko, KAVALAN’s European Sales Director, will be speaking at the Sustainability Spotlight - his presentation ‘The Future is PVC-Free – Are You Getting Left Behind?’ is taking place at 14:00 on June 2nd.

An expo to celebrate a resilient market

FESPA acknowledges the thriving print market and are hopeful about a return to form. Michael Ryan, Head of Fespa Global Print Expo, says: “The value of visiting a FESPA show is still the same, but all the more vital in 2022, as print and sign businesses worldwide regain momentum after the pandemic. I know that visitors to Berlin next week will leave inspired, invigorated and with renewed confidence in a bright and successful future for their business.”

FESPA Global Print Expo 2022 takes place at MesseBerlin, Germany from 31st May - 3rd June.