The Dutch capital remains a popular and proven destination city for Fespa events, having played host to successful exhibitions in 2006, 2009, 2016 and 2021. Its accessibility for UK visitors – and those from northern and central Europe – was central to the decision to host the show here. Amsterdam Schipol airport serves over 310 destinations with direct flights, and the city offers affordable public transport and accommodation.
The event will occupy six halls at the RAI and will be using both of its entrances for the first time. 487 exhibitors are currently confirmed, 170 of which are either new to the show or returning after missing the 2023 event in Munich.
The 2024 event is underpinned by a focus on ‘opportunity’ within the wide-format sector, as highlighted in the strapline for the headline Global Print Expo event: ‘Opportunities, Revealed’.
Michael Ryan, who heads up the Global Print Expo team, explains: “In our constantly evolving speciality print industry, the possibilities and opportunities are endless and we’re excited to welcome an array of suppliers to highlight their latest, innovative solutions. We look forward to showcasing new growth opportunities to our global community in Amsterdam.”
The first post-pandemic Fespa ran in Munich last year and attracted nearly 15,000 visitors, and so organisers are confident that this year’s event will be well attended. The focus of most of the attendees is of course wide-format printing technology, but there are also a number of co-located shows with a specialist focus. This year, those are the European Sign Expo, the Personalisation Experience, Sportswear Pro 2024 and the Sustainability Spotlight.
Now in its 10th year, the co-located European Sign Expo is the place to discover all that’s new in the world of signage.
Alongside the traditional signage applications, European Sign Expo will also highlight digital signage, with new developments within LCD, LED, projection and e-paper on show. As visual communication is so entwined with signage, features such as typography, graphic design, illustration, animation, electronic resources will also be explored.
Fespa CEO Neil Felton says the ongoing success of co-located specialist show features “cemented our belief that we have to deal with the vertical markets that we serve and provide dedicated events for them, so we can show what the innovation is in the market, and the opportunities that exist for our visitors.
“And that’s what we’re solely committed to as a community organisation but also as an event organiser.”
In addition, visitors will be able to attend the ever- popular World Wrap Master competition, in which vinyl wrappers and installers from around the world showcase their skills across a range of challenges, and Fespa Party Night on Thursday 21 March, billed as “the ultimate event for the industry to network, unwind and enjoy an evening of live entertainment, music, drinks and great company”. This is being hosted by SupperClub, one of Amsterdam’s hottest venues.
Brand new for this year is Sportswear Pro. The sportswear market continues to grow, driven by increasing participation in sport and other health and fitness activities, and is becoming a significant sector in apparel manufacturing. Sportswear Pro has been created as a global showcase for pioneering technologies in on-demand and customised sports and activewear production.
From sample design and automated digital workflows, to innovative materials and integrated wearable technologies, the exhibition will present sustainable, faster and leaner production solutions to sports and activewear brands and manufacturers.
Sportswear Pro also includes a one-day conference programme on 21 March.
Back by popular demand, the Sustainability Spotlight feature area will provide useful, informative and actionable advice for speciality printers looking to make their businesses more sustainable. This feature, part-sponsored this year by the UK’s own CarbonQuota, aims to help support the print community become more sustainable.
Ryan comments: “One of the biggest differentiators of the Fespa events is the truly diverse range of products on show. With our clear focus on solutions for speciality print businesses, including graphics producers, textile and industrial printers and visual communications specialists, we deliver a concentrated experience where visitors can find everything they need in one space. With the inclusion of signage, personalisation solutions and technologies for sportswear production, visitors can immerse themselves in an abundance of creative and commercial opportunities that are directly relevant to their business.”
Printweek will be producing the official daily newspaper live from the showfloor at this year’s event. As well as being handed to show visitors on arrival, the FespaDaily will also be available at the entrances and strategic points throughout the halls.
NEED TO KNOW
Fespa Global Print Expo and European Sign Expo 2024 will offer visitors a wealth of product innovations for digital, screen and textile printing and signage
When Tuesday, 19 March to Friday, 22 March
Where RAI Amsterdam, the Netherlands
Opening times
Tuesday 19 March: 10:00-18:00
Wednesday 20 March: 10:00-18:00
Thursday 21 March: 10:00-18:00
Friday 22 March: 10:00-15:00
How much The full price of a ticket is €80. However, there are lots of promotional codes to be found on Fespa’s marketing collateral, which will reduce the cost of entry to €50
More information www.fespaglobalprintexpo.com/welcome
