InPrint 2019 Proved to be another Highly Effective Event for Industrial Print
FM Future attended InPrint this year as part of ‘Consultancy Corner’ and we presented as part of the conference programme. The event itself was once more very well attended and performed the role of the perfect platform for industrial printing. Each year InPrint runs it is a reflection of the development and interest in industrial printing. Some years maybe the ‘hype’ and expectation relating to a new market for inkjet taking off might be higher, but I think in line with a greater understanding of the opportunity inkjet provides and the current position of inkjet in adoption terms this year was another great event. Visitors attended with more focused objectives, there were fewer people attending with ‘quirky’ ideas that may not have been grounded in commercial reality. Therefore, far more productive discussions were had in my view. Read on for further feedback on the event from the organisers, Mack Brooks.
The industrial print industry gathered in Munich from 12 – 14 November 2019 for its leading exhibition of print technology for industrial manufacturing. InPrint Munich 2019 offered a highly targeted platform for 136 exhibitors from 22 countries to get in contact with integrators and users of innovative print technology in a wide variety of manufacturing sectors, ranging from automotive, medical devices, interior design and electronics to plastics, textiles, packaging, and many more.
A total of 2,755 visitors from 60 countries attended the show to discover printing machinery, print heads and components, inks, fluids and chemicals, UV technology, drying and curing equipment and services for printing on different surfaces, materials and shapes. A majority of visitors were from Germany; other major visitor countries included Italy, Austria, Switzerland, the UK, the Netherlands, France, Poland, Slovenia and the Czech Republic. Visitors from outside Europe mainly came from Japan, the USA and China.
“At this year’s InPrint Munich we could see that the industrial print sector has developed further and is moving forward in the right direction. The industrial print community has clearly emerged from its experimental phase, now offering effective solutions,” explained Nicola Hamann, Managing Director of the organisers, Mack Brooks Exhibitions. “Practical applications and custom-built systems, as well as profitable business models, were the focus of both exhibitors and visitors at this year’s event. Print technology providers met with integrators and manufacturers who were looking for specific solutions to enhance their production process, develop their business or serve new market segments.”
Exchange of expertise on finding the right approach for complex integration projects was also the major topic outside of the exhibition stands. A three-day-conference consisting of a technical stage and an application stage offered case studies, technical talks and panel discussions held by more than 70 different speakers. The new Consultancy Corner was a great success, with some 40 participants making use of this new service. In one-to-one sessions, independent experts offered free advice and guidance on how to integrate print tech solutions into their specific industrial manufacturing environment.
A first analysis of the exhibition survey showed that both exhibitors and visitors particularly valued the specialist profile of the show, the high quality of the products and systems on display, the comprehensive educational programme as well as the expertise of the audience.
Many exhibiting companies stated that they had made new business contacts and led in-depth conversations with visitors at their stands. They praised the high quality of the specialist and targeted visitor audience and the innovation-based concept of the show.
The visitor survey showed that visitors were mainly from a variety of manufacturing sectors and print service providers. Visitors from the printing industry were professionals of digital, screen, inkjet, flexo and specialist printing applications. Visitors from the manufacturing industry covered a large variety of sectors such as packaging, plastics, electronics, the automotive industry, surface treatment, textiles, fashion and accessories, glass and ceramics, floorings and interior design, decals and front panels, food and beverage, medical devices, consumer goods, and many more. They were seeking solutions for functional as well as decorative printing applications.
InPrint comes back to Munich, Germany in 2021.
Next year, InPrint will be held in Milan, Italy, from 22 – 24 October 2020. InPrint Milan 2020 will be co-located with Viscom Italia, the International Trade Fair on Visual Communication.