It’s easy to be popular when you’re new – there is no past to define you, no failures to tarnish your reputation. And anyway, if any problems should crop up in the formative stages of a revolution, well, it would be churlish to quibble, wouldn’t it. After all, things are just getting started and you’ve got to give things a chance to sort themselves out...

But after the initial groundswell of goodwill has dissipated, the harder task of sustaining the momentum becomes the order of the day. Those people asking difficult questions are getting louder, and feedback, both positive and negative, has grown to the point where it cannot be ignored any more. Excitement has turned to expectation – and expectations must be met.

Now, in order to progress, revolution must become evolution. No more great leaps forward, the long march towards perfection will be made in baby steps.

The decision by Fespa Digital 2011 (24-27 May) to shift its theme from revolution to evolution suggests the wide-format sector is approaching this period of consolidation. In 2009, when the show was last held in Amsterdam, Fespa described its exhibitors and attendees as ‘revolutionaries’. Wide-format digital, it stated, was not quite yet established and the technology was truly new to large swathes of the market.

This year, however, those attending the exhibition at Messe Hamburg are likely to have dipped their toes in the market already and the focus of new product launches will be more on fine-tuning and software support than brand new pieces of kit – although new kit will of course still be an important part of the mix.

To reflect this, for its 2011 show, Fespa Digital has dropped the ‘r’ from ‘revolution’ in its marketing material.

"For us, the missing ‘r’ stands for a couple of years of significant change and development in the wide-format industry," explains Fespa conference and events manager Duncan MacOwan. "In 2009, wide-format digital was still to a large extent in its adoption stage, but the recent economic difficulties have reshaped a lot of businesses and digital is one of the key areas people have moved into, so it has become more established."

Extended run
The growth of the sector is demonstrated by the fact that the exhibition has been extended from three days to four and in the incorporation of Fespa Fabric, last year’s surprise fabric print hit, as a show within a show. The total 18,000sqm exhibitor space has sold out to around 360 exhibitors and, at the time of going to press, pre-registrations for visitors stood at 9,754, an increase of 2,605 registrations from the same point in 2009 and a 25% rise on 2008 numbers.

"It’s our biggest ever digital show," reveals MacOwan. "We want to deliver knowledge, learning and the biggest selection of kit out there."

He adds that, alongside the usual hardware innovations and demonstrations, visitors can expect to see big developments in software and workflow automation, advancements in finishing and the widest ever selection of substrates for digital print. There will also be a focus on green issues, with the clients of wide-format printers increasingly pushed to be greener.

This breadth of interest is reflected in the exhibitor line up. Show partner EskoArtwork (Hall A4, stand A30) will be demonstrating its software and workflow solutions alongside a number of digital finishing options; Agfa (A4, B20) will have its Anapurna, Jeti and M-Press solutions on show; and HP (A4, C40/C41) will be highlighting its range of latex technologies built upon its Scitex LX800 printer. Roland DG (A3, B10), meanwhile, will have its VersaCAMM VS series on stand and Xaar (A4, E10) will be handing out maps to the numerous places you can see its printheads in action. Fujifilm (A4, B10), meanwhile, will be putting the newly launched Inca Onset S40 through its paces, among a host of other new products backed by its Uvijet inks. Tudor Morgan, Fujifilm’s European group marketing manager for wide-format graphics, says the range of technologies on offer at the show is going to make for a very exciting occasion. The evolution theme, he adds, matches Fujifilm’s current wide-format position perfectly.

"Fespa Digital’s progression from revolution to evolution reflects our biggest launch at this year’s show: the Onset S40," he explains. "While the launch of the Onset S70 was revolutionary, the S40 is the next step in the evolution of the UV flatbed series from the Fujifilm and Inca partnership. We are challenging printers to come and see our offering and will demonstrate to them how they can increase profit by taking advantage of the very latest opportunities available to them in large-format kit."

One UK printer taking the flight to Germany will be Augustus Martin. Group sales director Daniel Pattison explains that the company always attends Fespa as he feels it is the only show that really focuses on large-format and point-of-sale printing.

"Other shows have large digital presses, but Fespa has it all: pre-press, press and post-press," he says. "Because what we do is so very different from conventional litho printing, it’s important to see how software and hardware works. We are very specific in our needs and it’s often the non-standard options that software or hardware has that makes it appealing."

Healthy debate
As for the shift from evolution to revolution, Pattison is not entirely convinced the shift has occurred just yet. It’s a question of the speed of change, he explains.

"We have seen the cut and thrust of digital printing in our market grow," he reveals. "Revolution is exactly what it was, but evolution is probably where we are now. The leaps in speed and quality are smaller and manufacturers are refining and updating machines rather than concentrating on the next model at twice the speed and four times the resolution. So in general terms, I would agree with the change, but the problem is that assumes the revolution is finished and I am not convinced it is."

It’s a debate that many attending the show are bound to have and it’s a sign of a healthy market that there will be enough people there to make it a noisy discussion. And with the emphasis at the exhibition on learning as well as kit, with numerous seminar and conference events along with business tutorials provided by the exhibitors and Fespa itself, there will be ample room provided for those arguments, along with any others affecting the sector.

One thing is certain, however: Fespa Digital 2011 is set to be the biggest digital show in Europe yet, and that is good news for the sector, regardless of whether it is revolutionary or evolutionary.

Click here for our pick of the highlights on the show floor

TIME OUT
Hamburg, Germany’s second-largest city, will be hosting thousands of printers over a four-day period and for those in need of a break from the latest digital innovations, there is a lot on offer.

To eat…
The restaurants in the city’s Portuguese quarter come highly recommended, with not just Portuguese food, but also Spanish, Brazillian and Italian options.

To drink…
The city started brewing in medieval times, so beer is part of the fabric of the city. For the more discerning, the 20UP Bar at the Empire Riverside Hotel (Bernhard-Nocht-Straße) is sophisticated and has stunning views at night. For those who like a more traditional setting to sup a pint, on the Esplanade, both Hofbrau and Kimperkiste come highly recommended. Also worth a visit are the ‘beach’ bars along the River Elbe.

To dance…
Angie’s Nightclub (Spielbudenplatz) is a soul and jazz venue, but for some 1970s disco, hit the Cult Club to be found on the same street.

To shop…
Head to Jungfernstiegstrasse, which provides plenty of quality department stores and boutiques.  

To see…
The city boasts the world’s largest model railway layout (featured on BBC 2’s James May’s Toy Stories). It also has a broad range of impressive architecture, including the town hall. The harbour and canals are well worth exploring; visitors can take boat trips along one of the many canals that branch off the Alster Lake, hopping off for a snack at one of the lakeside cafés. If you’re keen on churches, St Michael’s is Hamburg’s most famous baroque landmark.

FESPA DIGITAL 2011 VISITOR INFORMATION
Where
Hamburg Messe und Congress
Messeplatz 1, 20357, Hamburg
When
24-27 May
Opening times
24-26 May: 10am - 6pm
27 May: 10am - 4pm
Entrance is free for visitors who complete their registration before the 23 May deadline
Fespa Fabric
Fespa Fabric runs 24-26 May. Again, entrance is free, but you must register before the event.
24 & 25 May: 10am - 6pm
26 May: 10am 5pm