LFP - Large-Format-Printing
FESPA Digitals Alpine Location Attracts Fresh Visitor Audiences
Thursday 10. April 2008 - Geneva show delivers significant growth in visitors from exhibitors key sales regions
FESPAs second Digital Printing Europe exhibition – which took place from 1st to 3rd April 2008 at Genevas Palexpo exhibition centre – attracted an increasingly diverse international audience of digital wide format printers to explore the latest innovations in the sector.
The choice of Geneva as the destination for the event was a defining factor in a significant increase in visitor numbers from France, Italy and Iberia over previous FESPA events, all key sales territories for most exhibitors. This country cluster accounted for almost 30% of visitors to the show, compared with 12% in 2006. The DACH region (Germany, Austria, Switzerland) also gave its strong backing to the event, making up 38% of visitors, compared with 18% in 2006. Among these were 1,763 Swiss visitors, an enthusiastic endorsement for the show from the home market.
This growth came in addition to good attendance from other parts of Europe, as well as the Middle East, Africa, Asia-Pacific and the Americas. The show attracted very similar visitor numbers to the inaugural event in 2006, with 12817 visits recorded over the three days. With just under 8000 individual visitors, more than 50% devoted two or more days to the show, affording them the time to fully explore the exhibition, which offered 25% more exhibitors than in 2006, over an exhibition space enlarged by 40% compared with the launch event.
Exhibitors expressed their collective satisfaction with the international spectrum of visitors, and their decision-making authority. Many vendors commented that the majority of discussions were with someone with a genuine ability to make or influence a major purchasing decision. This is borne out by the visitor data, which indicates that over 40% of individual visitors to the show were owners or general managers of their businesses.
“FESPA events have a special resonance for the wide format community, and our events provide a unique environment in which suppliers and print service providers can connect with one another”, says FESPA managing director Frazer Chesterman. “Our own market research shows that this sector is buoyant and willing to invest, seeing digital production as a major opportunity for growth, to complement traditional processes for existing applications, and to help them evaluate new applications and revenue streams. An example of this is the explosion of digital printing onto textile substrates, which we explored in the sell-out FESPA Digital Textile Conference, run in parallel with the event.”
He adds, “A range of new event features, navigational aids and educational initiatives helped to optimise the FESPA Digital visitors experience this year, and the vibe among exhibitors and delegates alike was overwhelmingly positive. Our focus on digital output here is in tune with the direction of the market as a whole, and with the pace of technological evolution. Visitors clearly welcome FESPA Digital as a one-stop forum to help them shape their wide format investment decisions.”
Many exhibitors have already signalled their commitment to the next FESPA Digital Printing Europe event, which will return to its launch city of Amsterdam in 2009, from 13 to 15 May. This is part of an ongoing strategy to alternate the location of the Digital event between northern and southern European destinations.
The next main FESPA event, embracing conventional screen technologies and digital output will take place in Munich, Germany in June 2010.