The first-ever edition of Print4All, the new format born of the collaboration between ACIMGA, ARGI and Fiera Milano, came to a close on 1 June. The event spotlighted the entire printing industry (converting, package printing, labelling, commercial and industrial printing) attracted a staggering 30,000 visitors from 87 countries.
Numbers that, when we consider the floor area of the event and density of visitors per square metre, represent a clear indicator of Print4All’s status as a brand-new point of reference on the Italian market and an international event of significance.
Foreign operators in fact accounted for 21% of those in attendance, with Germany, Spain, Russia, Switzerland, Turkey and France leading the way as strategic market outlets for printing and converting technologies, as illustrated by the export forecasts provided by ACIMGA (Italian manufacturers association of machinery for the graphic, converting and paper industry) for the 2018-2021 four-year period, which place these countries in the top 20.
From the onset, Print4All has therefore provided a practical response to the need for a sector-specific exhibition platform and has succeeded in anticipating the necessities of all the operators with an innovative and effective project. Moreover, the event proved to be an authentic hub for business and commercial opportunities, as demonstrated by the many sales contracts that were signed and sealed directly at the stands.
With the proposals of 429 companies across two pavilions (18 and 20 – Fiera Milano), Print4All has confirmed its role as a showcase for major technological innovation, as well as an opportunity for business networking to take stock of market developments, and a training academy to all intents and purposes, capable of organising interesting discussions for the operators and providing the latter with opportunities for professional development.
The event also constituted an opportunity to shine the spotlight on a sector that can offer an added value in all phases of the supply chain. In fact, if the printing process previously took place at the beginning or end of the production line, it is now an integral part of the process: it constitutes both an element to help identify the product and an essential means of communication with the end customer, as well as a major component in the production and sales phases in support of promotional and commercial strategies.
Innovation lies at the heart of the offering, alongside a focus on sustainability with energy-saving systems, technologies that optimise each and every production phase, and non-toxic and water-based inks. Moreover, there has been growing interest in Industry 4.0 solutions, which are also making headway in this sector, with machines being fitted with connected, smart and remote-monitoring systems.
In terms of Printing & Communication, Print4All saw representatives of major international leading brands in attendance, with an offering ranging from small and large format digital printing to off-set and rotogravure solutions. The event also played host to countless proposals intended to establish product identity and recognition: from post-printing treatments (finishing) and the most extreme in customisation, to high-quality, high-performance inks, or the combination between innovative technologies and traditional media to achieve mesmerising results, including both augmented paper and reality.
The presence of a number of major international brands translated into an extensive offering for the Converting, Package Printing and Labelling segment, with presentations of the most innovative rotogravure, flexo and hybrid proposals, intended for printing on both packaging and labels, and technologies for high-performance converting.
Finally, the Industrial Printing segment was represented by printing solutions for all and any material, designed to satisfy the production needs of all manufacturing sectors.
There was no shortage of 3D-printing proposals and ever-digital solutions capable of combining new printing technologies and augmented reality, alongside groundbreaking creative ideas and apps to be transformed into tangible projects of sure-fire consumer appeal. Creativity proved to be on par with technology as a fundamental variable and motivator to explore new formulas and research new solutions for the printing and converting industry.
The most creative and innovative of ideas took shape at PrintMat, an exhibition in an exhibition, designed to explore the latest frontiers in printing innovation, where the synergistic use of technologies, materials and media breathed life into never-before-seen products and objects. PrintMat was a showcase for those proposing innovative solutions in terms of printable materials, technologies and printing consumables and, in one pathway that simulated the various different usage contexts, synthesised the very best of printing solutions in all stages of the product’s life: pre-sales, outlet and after-sales.
The training opportunities, intended as a means for development for professionals of all levels, also captured the operators’ interest: in fact, approximately 1,500 individuals took part in the events scheduled over the four-day show. These appointments were characterised by an unusual format, alternating brief discussions on specific topics with occasions to reflect on the future of the sector, with the contribution of gurus and experts.
Last but not least, special attention was dedicated to students from graphics schools – the professionals of tomorrow – with educational and didactic programmes to promote the printing culture, its history and evolution, whilst also providing the means and content to re-discover the value of materials such as paper.
Print4All was part of The Innovation Alliance, the new format designed and implemented by a collaboration between Fiera Milano, the organisers and category associations, which saw five trade show events within the industrial machinery sector take place simultaneously: IPACK-IMA, MEAT-TECH, PLAST, PRINT4ALL and INTRALOGISTICA ITALIA.
150,110 individuals in attendance, including 105,770 buyers from different industrial machinery segments; with these numbers, the event sent a strong message to both the Italian and international production industries: combining events in a supply chain logic not only works, but acts as a multiplier of opportunities, thereby promoting the competitiveness of companies in an increasingly global market.
Through connected technologies inspired by the Industry 4.0 paradigm, robots and cutting-edge automation, augmented reality and digital production line management systems, the trade show turned the spotlight on sustainability, the safety of the process and products and the importance of training. In fact, alongside the innovative systems, a necessity for well-prepared professional figures has emerged, considering how digitalisation has led to the creation of new highly skilled professions.
