Visitors converged on London’s Excel from more than 150 countries. According to statistics from the first three days, by which time the visitor numbers had already reached 15,500, the highest representations came from the UK, Germany and the US respectively, followed by France, Italy and Spain.
Visitors numbers from India and China were also strong. Detailed final numbers and visitor demographics have yet to be released.
Fujifilm head of communications, Europe Graham Leeson said: "The show has been more international than we thought, with the it being in the UK we did wonder how many people would travel."
For many of the vendors business was swift. Fujifilm sold seven Uvistar’s in the first three days alone beating its target of five.
HP also had a strong show with two major product launches and sales in the "millions of Euros".
Director of market development, EMEA GSB Ronen Zioni said the show had exceeded expectations.
"Fespa works because it’s focussed, which means that we can focus. So we can first inspire with the applications and then we show how to execute it with technology," he added.
Agfa Europe vice president Frederik Dehing said he was impressed with the show: "It's been great to see so many different applications. Customers live on applications, that's what makes it so interesting."
EFI managing director, EMEA Paul Cripps said: "We feel like there is new energy in the marketplace and signs of recovery, and we're excited about what that potentially means going forward. We feel good about the deals we did and we have a lot to follow up on."
Fespa managing director Neil Felton said: "It’s been an outstanding success and surpassed all of our expectations. We are over the moon.
"The only way these shows work is if the exhibitors have success and are happy and from going around the stands and speaking to the vendors it seems as if they have really done well."
Felton said that side exhibitions, including Fespa Fabric and European Sign Expo, had been a success with a number of bookings for the latter already agreed for Fespa Digital 2014, in Munich.
Additionally he said that 50% of space for Fespa Munich 2014 had already been allocated and he expected to increase floor space due to demand.
It was also announced that HP will sponsor the debut of Fespa Eurasia set to take place in Istanbul on 3-5 October.
Meanwhile the show’s glittering gala night played host the to inauguration of Fespa’s 15th president, Augustus Martin joint managing director Lascelle Barrow who took over from outgoing, Gyorgy Kovacs.
This is Barrow’s second three-year tenure as president, having previously held the title in the early 90s.
"I’m immensely proud to be given the chance to serve Fespa as President for a second time, and to be taking office here in London, my home city, mid-way through a phenomenal FESPA exhibition.
"As printers, we face many positive opportunities; to celebrate print’s role in a multichannel environment; to continue to embrace digital, both as a production technology and as a complementary medium to print; and to reap the benefits of being part of a connected and creative global community."
