The printing, signage, and visual communications communities are eagerly anticipating the launch of FESPA Middle East 2024 in Dubai today. The premier global print and signage tradeshow will be held from 29-31 January, 2024, at the state-of the-art Dubai Exhibition Centre (DEC).
As the clock ticks away, Bazil Cassim, Regional Manager – FESPA Middle East, is more than excited: “FESPA Middle East opens a few hours from now and we are excited to connect the global print and signage industry with the MEASA region over the latest industry solutions and education.”
Regional Print and Signage to get a Fillip
Speaking about the significance of an event like FESPA Middle East in serving the specialty print, signage, and visual communications industry in the Middle East and Africa region, FESPA CEO Neil Felton says, “Our goal is to deliver a platform that provides access to the latest innovations in digital wide format, screen and textile printing, signage and visual communications; enable knowledge exchange between regional businesses; and connect printers and signmakers with industry experts to expand their knowledge on the opportunities that exist in our market.”
With the region showing strong growth in recent years, Felton believes that this is the right time to enhance the Middle East’s print, signage, and visual communications community with the exhibition and supporting feature programmes. “Just as FESPA Africa has already established itself as an important brand serving the specialty print industry in southern Africa, FESPA Middle East will now extend a similar proposition to print businesses from North Africa for whom Dubai is a more accessible location,” explains Felton.
FESPA Middle East in for a Bigger Show
In response to the significant interest shown from global suppliers and regional distributors, FESPA had to add a third hall to the exhibition, increasing the size of its marquee event in the Middle East by 40%.
Over 130 brands will provide visiting delegates an opportunity to see digital wide format, screen, and textile printing hardware, software, media, and consumables, as well as printed and non-printed signage solutions.
Visitors can also see print and signage solutions from event sponsors Canon, CMYK, Epson, Flex-Europa, and Signtrade, and hardware from leading suppliers IECHO, Mimaki, Roland, and Vanklaser. Aerolam, Avery Dennison, BestSub, Boyang, MacTac, and Mecolour are among the companies presenting media and consumables.
FESPA Middle East also features a strong line-up of distributors showcasing a range of global brands including 3M, Arlon, Brother, Grando, Graphtec, GZ, HP, Mutoh, Onyx, Orafol, Philips Digital Signage, PONGS, swissQprint, Valiani, Vision, and many more.
Platinum sponsor Signtrade has taken a significant space to showcase solutions from over 30 brands, including 3M, Cosign, HP, Starflex, and swissQprint.
Major Brands to Highlight Cutting-edge Technology
As a key region for the company, Mimaki – a global industry leader and manufacturer of wide-format inkjet printers, cutting plotters, and 3D printers – will be demonstrating attendees its broad portfolio of high performing printing and cutting solutions designed for sign graphics, industrial, and textile markets, including the 330 and 100 Series alongside a series of cost-efficient inks.
Arjen Evertse, General Manager Sales EMEA at Mimaki Europe B.V., comments, “In the last four quarters, Mimaki has set the bar high with the largest market share in sign graphics in the Middle East and has seen an increase of 134% in unit placement in the region compared to the previous four quarters. We look to continue and build on that momentum in 2024, starting off strong with our attendance at FESPA Middle East in January. With a portfolio catering to the needs of printing businesses in the Middle East, Mimaki’s technologies offer trustworthy and highly efficient solutions for the sign graphics, industrial, and textile sectors.
“As the first edition of FESPA Middle East, it’s exciting to be alongside FESPA as they embark on this new venture into what is proven to be a strong and growing market for print.”
Mimaki will be demonstrating several cost effective solutions, including UJV 100-160Plus, Mimaki’s highly competitive LED UV printer, which will be using the recently announced 3M Performance Guarantee awarded LUS-210 inks. JFX200-2513 EX, a large flatbed LED UV printer equipped with 2.5D print technology, will demonstrate its unique ability to create applications with customised 3D aspects. For those looking to create wider-format prints with Mimaki’s UV printing technology, UJV55-320 can be seen in action.
The company’s solvent printer portfolio at the show will feature the eco-solvent CJV330-160 that produces high resolution, durable prints for signage. Another display will be the entry level JV100-160B solvent printer, which will be part of a full print and cut workflow demonstration, operating in conjunction with the CG-130AR cutting plotter from the CG-AR series. For textile printers, the TS100-1600 sublimation transfer inkjet printer will be of interest at the Mimaki stand.
Decorated with a vibrant underwater theme, created using a wrap-around graphic, Mimaki’s booth seeks to immerse visitors in nature to encourage conversation on the industry’s environmental impact. Like in previous years, Mimaki will also celebrate customer success with a dedicated gallery, showcasing applications created using Mimaki’s sign graphic and sublimation printing technologies.
Brother Industrial EMEA – manufacturers of direct to garment and large wide format printers – is all set to join the inaugural event, giving visitors a chance to explore the latest innovations in industrial printing technology.
The company is more than excited to engage industry enthusiasts, share insights, and find the right solution for enhanced productivity at FESPA Middle East with a couple of their latest hardware.
The GTX600 garment printer, dubbed the ‘next BIG thing in mass production’, is built for industrial-level performance, processing mass volumes of printed garments that require equipment which can meet the dual challenges of high-quality design reproduction and industrial level activity. GTX600 is faster than ever, prints on bigger fabrics while maintaining print quality, is easy to maintain, and comes with cutting-edge features including an all-new cooling system, built-in humidifier, waste collection system, and more. The additional colours in orange and green ranges also add extra vibrancy to the output.
Also on display will be the WF1 L640 wide format latex printer. Developed for the first time for signs and displays, the innovative printer is ready to take on a new area of business using the company’s ink and printhead technology cultivated through the development of garment printers that print on fabric. The printer is also versatile enough to give endless possibilities to express design and creativity on a wide range of materials such as canvas, paper, PVC, wallpaper, and more.
The printer’s piezo electric printhead quality guarantees a wider colour gamut to reach a print result of up to 1200 dpi. The latex ink developed specifically for the printer achieves a wide array of colours and rich expressiveness, and in addition to having high weather resistance for outdoor advertisements, the water-based ink is environmentally-friendly and safe to use, such as in educational institutions, hospitals, and restaurants. The prints are also suitable for indoor use as the water-based, GreenGuard Gold certified-ink has virtually no outgassing.
FESPA is Unique
Speaking about what sets FESPA apart from similar other trade shows, Felton elaborates, “We’re not for profit.” So that’s what makes FESPA unique? “We want to help the industry grow, realize its potential, and look at all the available opportunities. The money we make from the show is reinvested into the industry. We’ve already done it with FLEX, and that’s not to make a profit. It’s a try to say to utilize the advantages of multiple opportunities.”
Colour Confidence Workshops: Interactive Knowledge
On day one (29 January, 2024), delegates to FESPA Middle East can join a series of interactive Colour Confidence workshops on colour management hosted by ColorBase CEO and Founder Marco Roos. The seminar’s first session (10.30am – 12.30pm), aimed at print operators, will offer essential insights and practical guidance, including valuable tips and tricks to enhance colour consistency, diagnose issues, and implement effective solutions.
The second session (2.30pm – 4.30pm), tailormade for sales professionals in the printing sector, will offer strategies to understand the significance of colour accuracy, effective communication methods for addressing limitations, and ways of handling customer complaints with finesse.
FESPA Leadership Exchange (FLEX): Discover the Industry
As education is at the heart of FESPA, visitors to the upcoming FESPA Middle East will have ample opportunities to discover industry advancements, future trends, and learn key skills for their business by attending the FESPA Leadership Exchange (FLEX) running on day two (30 January, 2024).
The second edition of FLEX will see senior figures from leading print businesses in the Middle East gather to connect with their peers from the wider FESPA global community in an innovative format designed to facilitate business growth and inter-regional knowledge exchange.
The event’s unique format offers 3 bite-sized content sessions, which have been specially curated to provide visitors with world class insights and inspiration in the fields of Market Trends, Sustainability, and New Technology.
While sessions covering market trends will provide an overview of the FESPA Print Census 2023 – the largest worldwide print research project which collects and shares market intelligence – the new technology segment will dive deeper into a range of topics including artificial intelligence, personalization, and digital improvements.
FESPA Board Members Alberto Masserdoti, Christian Duyckaerts, and Christophe Aussenac; FESPA CEO Neil Felton; and CMO Council Advisory Board Member Haris Munif will facilitate a knowledge exchange within these sessions with the aim of sharing their specialist expertise and global market insights.
FLEX will also feature Daniel Brunton, Publisher at Brunton Business Publications Ltd – a portal for the corrugated, folding carton, and packaging industries – hosting a CEO-level panel discussion on the latest trends in digital printing for fibre-based packaging. Packaging converters in the MENA region looking at digital print for displays and packaging can hear Brunton along with other experts in the panel including Evandro Metteucci, VP/GM, Packaging & Building Materials at EFI, Javier Quesada, Co-founder and CEO at Kento Digital Printing, and Robert Stabler, Managing Director at Koenig & Bauer Durst.
FLEX aims to connect the region’s innovative and forward-thinking printers, to learn and debate the future of wide format digital, textile, and screening printing sectors, and explore the wider opportunities available to the modern print service provider.
Sustainability Spotlight: Road to a Greener Future
Located in DEC’s North Hall 1B, Sustainability Spotlight provides useful, informative, and actionable advice for specialty printers looking to make their businesses more sustainable.
The topics covered are broad and include ideas to reduce costs by optimizing energy and resources. Guest contributors will present short insights into matters such as energy reduction through renewable, energy efficiency strategies and management; carbon foot-printing facilities and benchmarking; certification schemes to add value to businesses while avoiding greenwashing; brands and the benefit of reducing Scope 3 greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions; and supply chain transparency.
Sustainability Spotlight will also feature a textile and graphics display area that showcases products in leather and fabrics, as well as innovative materials for graphic applications highlighting their sustainability characteristics. Each substrate will feature an information card to enable participants to learn more about its sustainable attributes. Another interesting aspect is that, in partnership with ReBoard Technology, the entire showcase area is built using recyclable and reusable materials.
World Wrap Masters Middle East: a Bonus for the Region’s Fastest Growing Market
By making its debut in 2024, FESPA Middle East will be bringing along FESPA Wrap Masters – one of its most cherished events – to the MENA region, recognized as one of the fastest growing markets for vehicle wrapping, driven by the surging demand for customization and paint protection films (PPF).
The World Wrap Masters Middle East guarantees three exciting days where competitors will face off in a series of exhilarating, high-pressure rounds, racing against the clock to wrap vehicle panels and objects using an array of films, designs, and materials. Judged by vehicle wrap experts Ivan Tenchev, Kiss Lajos, and Ole Solskin meticulously evaluating each round, the highest scoring competitors will advance to the next phase. Visitors interested in vehicle wrapping can also access free daily training workshops and demonstrations.
Besides the competition, the event will feature live demos of cutting-edge products and training sessions sharing the latest tips and tricks in the industry. Plus, competitors and visitors alike can get their latest products and technology from event partners Avery Dennison, Mactac, and Wrapstock.
The World Wrap Masters Middle East winner will compete live on the floor show for the champion title at the 2024 World Wrap Masters Final at FESPA Global Print Expo, Amsterdam, the Netherlands, on 21-22 March, 2024.
FESPA Direct Membership: Means to Special Privileges
FESPA Direct offers printers access to the benefits of a FESPA membership in countries without a dedicated national Association, and an opportunity to join the global print community independently. “We’re excited to expand FESPA’s presence into this dynamic regional market, and to support print and signage businesses with access to our FESPA Direct membership as a source of business guidance and intelligence,” says Felton. “At FESPA Middle East 2024, we will be hosting some of the most successful global printers at the exclusive Club FESPA lounge for some warm and preferential treatment. We’re excited about expanding FESPA’s presence in this new market to help regional print and signage businesses to take hold of new opportunities to support our growing FESPA Direct membership in MEA,” adds Cassim.
Located on stand B50, the lounge offers networking opportunities with regional and global printers and signmakers, and will include seminars and all-day refreshments. To become a FESPA Direct member, log on to www.fespa.com/en/become-a-member/fespa-direct
FESPA Middle East App
The FESPA Middle East app available for download is packed with user-friendly information and built-in features through which visitors can navigate and plan their visit, view the floor plan, check-out seminar and conference sessions, find exhibitors and their products, and schedule pre-booked exhibitor meetings.
Venue: The Dubai Exhibition Centre (DEC), Expo City, Dubai, UAE.
Opening Timings: (29-30 January, 2024): 10am to 6pm, (31 January, 2024) 10am to 5pm.
