SGI Dubai 2025 Day 1 Sees Huge Investments
Day 1 rallies buyers and manufacturers around concrete demand in large-format, digital signage, and textile printing; MEA investment outlook strengthens through 2030
SGI Dubai 2025 opened today at Dubai World Trade Centre (DWTC) with a clear signal to the market: buyers are investing again – backed by durable capex cycles in printing equipment and accelerating demand for networked signage. As the global printing machinery market advances toward $20.5 billion by 2031 industry leaders used the inaugural day to convert research-led optimism into orders, partnerships, and technology roadmaps tailored to the Middle East & Africa.
Butti Saeed Al Ghandi, Vice Chairman of Dubai World Trade Centre, inaugurated this much-anticipated industry event.
“SGI Dubai has always been a decision-makers show. This year, the conversations are sharply focused on where automation, greener chemistries, and data make money first – prepress, colour, predictive maintenance, and retail media analytics. You can feel the momentum on the floor,” says Abdulrahman Falaknaz, President of International Expo Consults (IEC), the event organiser.
Market Outlook
Independent research indicates sustained growth across SGI’s core buying segment. Digital signage is projected to reach $45.94 billion by 2030 as retailers, transit, and hospitality standardise on digitised, data-driven networks according to Grand View Research. Digital textile printing is on a faster curve, set to almost double to $11.6 billion by 2030 as fashion, home, and soft signage pivot to agile, low-waste production. On the other hand large-format printers are forecast to touch $10.36 billion by 2030, propelled by short-run, customised applications across retail, events, and décor.
In the Middle East and Africa, digital signage revenue is projected to reach around $2.8 billion by 2030, while commercial displays are set to approach $3.6 billion by 2030, underpinned by new malls, airports, transit hubs, and smart-city programmes – key demand engines for both displays and printed graphics.
New on the Floor
SGI Dubai 2025 builds on the momentum of last year’s edition – which highlighted advances in large-format, textile, LED, and digital signage – creating a strong platform for this year’s surge in qualified buyers and investment intent. Across the halls, exhibitors are unveiling full product portfolios: high-output large-format systems, networked digital signage, and fine-pitch LED; labelling and branding lines geared to short-run, variable jobs for targeted promotions and e-commerce; CNC, laser, and metal cutting/engraving cells that integrate print-cut-finish for rapid turnarounds; and 3D-printing capabilities that accelerate jigs, moulds, and bespoke POS components.
“Our buyers are optimising entire workflows, not just machines,” adds Falaknaz. “Suppliers who combine automation, sustainable materials and measurable outcomes will capture the next five years of growth – SGI is where those partnerships start.”
The SGI Knowledge Series will take place tomorrow (23 September 2025). Designed as SGI’s executive learning forum, the programme brings together manufacturers, PSPs, fabricators, media owners, and brand leaders for keynotes, panels, and case studies. This year’s discussions spotlight near-term, real-world ROI from AI in prepress and colour management, predictive maintenance on the shop floor, programmatic retail media, and sustainable materials and workflows. Attendance is open to registered trade visitors, with sessions tailored to decision-makers looking to turn technology roadmaps into measurable business outcomes.
