Vibrant FESPA Global Print Expo 2022 Affirms Business Bounce-Back

FESPA Global Print Expo 2022 brought the speciality print community together for four motivational days in Berlin from 31^st May to 3^rd June 2022 in an atmosphere of overwhelming positivity that affirmed the industry’s readiness to bounce back from the challenges of the last two years.

With a compelling line-up of 375 exhibiting companies, including many leading supplier brands which had not been exhibited since 2019, the event attracted a high-quality, international audience of senior decision-makers who travelled from 126 countries, including Germany, Italy, Poland, Netherlands and the UK, delivering the largest visitor delegations.

Exhibitors of all sizes and across all areas of the show expressed their delight at being back at a live FESPA event, with many commenting on the energy they felt at the show and confident of positive commercial outcomes from their participation.

Head of Global Print Expo at FESPA, Michael Ryan, says: “Finally, we could deliver an all-round FESPA experience for exhibitors and visitors that felt like a return to form, and the consensus was that the vibe at the show was incredible. Every industry is changed by the pandemic, and print is no exception, but this show proved beyond doubt that print is resilient, creative, agile and focused on the future. Our strapline promised ‘Print In Motion’, and this came to life in Berlin, with an incredible sense of forward momentum and commitment to positive progress on areas like sustainability.”

With more than 60% of visitors having final purchasing authority or influence, many exhibitors referenced the high quality of contacts and conversations. They left FESPA 2022 with confirmed sales, new distribution partnerships and substantial business opportunities for the short- to medium-term.

Christoph Gamper, CEO of Durst, the event’s Platinum Sponsor, commented: “It was one of the best experiences I and my team members had in a trade show so far. So thank you, Berlin, thank you, FESPA!”

FESPA Global Print Expo 2022, together with European Sign Expo, attracted 11647 unique visitors, a 48% increase on the Autumn 2021 event, with return trips over multiple days bringing total attendance to 15969 visits. Analysis of the pre-event registration data provided by the 53% of visitors who chose to reveal their investment budget confirms significant readiness to invest at or soon after the show.  Among these delegates, the collective median spend amounted to €1.3 billion, not accounting for those visitors who did not indicate their plans.

Kathrin Buhl, Director of Sales & Marketing EMEA at Kornit Digital Europe, emphasised the commercial impact of the event: "We had the best selling show ever! People came here to sign and do business, so for us, it’s a very successful show, and we're happy to be back." 

Sebastien Hanssens, VP of Marketing & Operations at Caldera, echoed this, saying: “We're really happy. There's outstanding quality of people coming in with real projects, real demands looking for innovations, looking for new applications, so really, this is the place to be."

Commenting on European Sign Expo, Harold Klaren, International Sales Manager at EFKA, said: “What a joy it was to be part of the show in Berlin. It was a real pleasure to see and speak to everyone again! European Sign Expo […] is the event where we meet our customers from around the world at one location. We also use the show to make new contacts, keep tabs on what’s happening in the industry, be inspired, and share experiences with other exhibitors.”

The response from visitors was equally upbeat, with delegates praising FESPA for the rich opportunity to access information, inspiration and ideas, as well as the chance to meet new suppliers, customers and partners in a concentrated space. Benjamin Lichter from Saarbrücken, Germany, summed up what many observed with his comment: “It is simply the event that shows where the market is currently moving and in which direction.”

The first-ever Sustainability Spotlight conference attracted much attention, underlining the priority now being given to environmental responsibility. In contrast, a visually stunning Printeriors showcase attracted hundreds of printers hungry for fresh ideas for sustainable printed interior décor. Many visitors also engaged enthusiastically with the exhibited print projects in the new Associations Pavilion. The Club FESPA lounge was buzzing with FESPA members from around the world, keen to reconnect with international colleagues.

“The significant spending power of our visitor base and the broad international audience together offer powerful evidence of a rebound in our global community. We see confidence returning, inspiring business leaders to invest and also to resume business travel, live events and face-to-face networking where they know it will deliver tangible value for them”, concludes FESPA CEO Neil Felton.

“The glowing feedback from exhibitors and visitors in Berlin tells us that the speciality print community wants and needs to engage in person, and that FESPA is where they come together. Now we’re looking ahead to the return of strong FESPA events in Mexico, Eurasia and Brazil, and beyond to our next Global Print Expo in Munich in May 2023. We can’t wait to stimulate the same energy and optimism in speciality print communities in other regions.”