The show, being held 20-23 May at the Messe München in Munich is set to feature at least 400 exhibitors and will be 2,000sqm bigger than the last solely digital event in Hamburg 2011.
Fespa organisers have also announced that the next all-process show, in 2015 in Cologne, is expected to be the largest Fespa ever, with 700-plus exhibitors and three “super” 16,000 sqm exhibition halls.
“When we first launched it a few months ago we had to bring people back from holiday to man the phones, so there’s certainly interest there,” said Fespa chief executive Neil Felton.
This year’s Fespa Digital will feature nine different areas, including digital, fabric, wrap and signage hubs, each featuring pre-recorded Fespa talks from previous years as well as live seminar programmes and networking areas.
The content programme will feature printers, print specifiers, research bodies and technology expert speakers and will commence the afternoon of the first day to allow visitors to browse exhibitor stands first.
“We expect people to hop on, take the topic in that interests them then go back on to the show floor and speak to vendors hopefully well armed with information. They won’t be sitting there all day,” said the show's head of events and new media Duncan MacOwan.
Another key show feature will be a new fun vehicle-wrapping contest in which visitors can go head-to-head. This will run alongside the existing 'Wrap Cup' competition between vehicle wrapping professionals that takes place at each Fespa event.
Details of show launches for the May event are mostly still to be confirmed, however Michael Lackner, marketing manager of show sponsor Durst said: “I think one of the new trends is soft signage. We will focus on this market and will bring new additions at Fespa to existing product lines.”
And Paul Cripps, managing director of the EMEA region for fellow sponsor EFI, added: “From our perspective we want to stay focused on our LED product line. We will continue with that trend.”
While declining to comment on potential product launches at the event in May, Fespa’s Felton made the following statement about Fespa Africa, scheduled for 2-4 July: “We believe there could be something very very big being launched at that show,” he said.
