Running with the theme, ‘New Perspectives’, the events hosted more than 500 exhibiting companies and attracted 14,776 unique visitors from 134 countries, up 27% on the number that visited Berlin last year, albeit 29% down on the 2019 Munich show, the final pre-pandemic Fespa Global Print Expo.

Fespa said exhibitors shared “overwhelmingly positive” feedback, praising the vibrant, busy halls, the decision-making seniority of the audience, and delegates’ readiness to invest.

84% of visitors held decision-making positions, a 15% increase compared to 2022. 73% of visitors were MDs, CEOs, owners, or managers.

Investment in new technology was a priority for the majority, with 50% planning an investment within 12 months. Of the two-thirds of visitors choosing to disclose budget, the collective median budget almost doubled year-on-year, to €2bn (£1.71bn).

54% of delegates attended over multiple days, bringing total attendance to 22,757, up 42.5% on the Berlin event last year.

German printers represented 25% of the total audience, with numbers from the host country up by 38% compared with 2022. Overall, 83% of visitors were from Europe, with the most significant delegate groups outside Germany coming from Italy, Austria, the UK, The Netherlands, Poland, Switzerland, Spain, Czech Republic, and France.

The full removal of long-haul travel restrictions further boosted the 2023 events and enabled the return of a host of exhibiting companies. Visitors from Asia accounted for more than 10% of the total audience this year, compared with only 4% in 2022.

More than 750 decision-makers from speciality printers in Africa, the Americas, and Oceania also visited the shows in Munich.

Michael Ryan, head of Fespa Global Print Expo, said: “This year’s events in Munich really proved how positively the international speciality print and signage communities have bounced back.

“Business leaders from all over the world came with an appetite to understand what’s changing in the market and a determination to innovate and invest to expand their offering.

“We saw our total audience grow substantially compared with 2022, with more individual visitors investing more time to explore everything we and our exhibitors could offer, including our Sustainability Spotlight, Fespa Awards gallery and World Wrap Masters feature.”

The first Personalisation Experience was also hailed a success. With a line-up of 25 speakers, the conference encouraged lively debates and offered insights into the psychology and behavioural science that makes personalisation so effective, the commercial value of personalisation, and how digital transformation, technology, and software solutions enable customisation.

Fespa Personalisation Experience ambassador Richard Askam said: “This was the first event of its kind, combining a conference programme and exhibition space to give a rounded perspective on the scope for personalisation to deliver commercial growth.

“Fespa saw the need to demonstrate how personalisation adds value, and delivered delegates a 360-degree view of the significance of personalisation to different industries. Personalisation Experience also reflected the contribution of the entire supply chain, from printers, manufacturers, data scientists and technology providers to creative agencies, brands and retailers.”

The next Fespa Global Print Expo will take place in Amsterdam from 19 to 24 March 2024, alongside European Sign Expo, the Personalisation Experience, and Sportswear Pro.

A full analysis of the 2023 show, including exhibitor and visitor reactions, will feature in the June/July issue of Printweek, out later this month.