FESPA '21 with large number of international visitors

Reading time approx. 3 minutes, by printmedianieuws.nl: Peter Luit (The Netherlands)

EVENT - Not only visitors from the Benelux or from the surrounding countries, but certainly also a good number of visitors from all over Europe and even beyond. Although the scale of the fair was not yet full, the large Europahal with a few adjoining halls provided the right dynamic balance for both exhibitors and visitors.

The sign market is of course much broader than what pure graphic designers are used to in the 'production print' segment. FESPA offers a unique concept with its own country organisations with members who pay around €125 a year and get free access to exhibitions and meetings everywhere. And that's earned back pretty quickly, because non-members pay 50 euros for admission in Amsterdam in the pre-sales, 80 euros on site and still 30 euros via a discount code from, for example, industry magazines.

Limited number of big names

The fair was characterised by mostly small to medium-sized stands with a wide variety of services and products. The really big names were Agfa, Mimaki, Roland DG, Durst, Flora and Canon, supplemented by Zünd and swissQPrint, among others. In the software field, for example, enfocus, Hybrid Software Group and Dataline/MultiPress were the only MIS developers present. The complete overview also shows numerous companies that are active in the sign segment in various roles inside and outside print.

HP was a notable absentee during FESPA 2021 Amsterdam

FESPA also needs to 'get up to speed'. If the effects of corona don't worsen significantly, FESPA Global Print Expo 2022 in Berlin will be the first full-size trade show to take place again. It will take place from 31 May to 3 June.

Happiness, inspiration and 'free' from corona

Just like at the Print & Sign Trade Day (eaqrlier that week nearby Utrecht, The Netherlands - article in Dutch), the feeling of 'finally seeing each other again and shaking hands' was palpable. It was less than a year ago that we all thought that 'shaking hands' would be a thing of the past. The brakes were off in that area. Corona apparently has no lasting influence on our daily behaviour.

A small minority, mostly from outside Europe, visited the trade fair with a mouth mask

The editors spoke with the ceo of FESPA, Neil Felton, on the third day of the fair. He was satisfied with the results of the first three days. FESPA chairman Wouter van As accompanied Felton at the fair. It was announced from the exhibition that van As, in addition to his role as chairman of FESPA Netherlands, had now become chairman of FESPA Europe.

Sufficient media attention

There was no lack of media attention and certainly not from the Netherlands. Sign.nl made a film impression of the first day with a few interviews. SignPro published a number of articles. The British Printweek produced a FESPADAILY, which was sent to registered visitors by e-mail.

Photo impression

The printmedianieuws.nl editors decided to make a photo series to convey some general impressions of the fair.

Sign & Print Expo 2022

Another six months of patience before the doors open in Gorinchem for the next trade fair in our own country, the biennial Sign & Print Expo, on 22, 23 and 24 March. The theme of the 2022 edition is 'Museum of visual communication'.

Those who cannot suppress the urge to visit a trade fair before then can go to Mechelen on 27 and 28 October for the Empack trade fair, with plenty of news about developments in the packaging segment.

Read the Dutch version on printmedianieuws.nl

Oct 16, 2021

Author: Peter Luit