LFP - Large-Format-Printing
FESPA Attracts Strategic Audience to Revolutionary Pan-American Event
Friday 25. February 2011 - FESPAs inaugural Americas show has kicked off in Orlando, Florida, welcoming visitors from across the US, Central and South American regions. Co-located with Graphics of the Americas and The Solutions Event powered by ISS, visitors have the unique opportunity to explore the latest wide format, graphic arts and apparel technologies under one roof.
Dedicated visitor pre-registration for FESPA Americas 2011 via www.fespaamericas.com has been extremely strong, with a clear focus on strategic investment as the motive for attending the show. 20% of pre-registered visitors stated that they will be investing during the show, with a further 35% planning to invest by the summer. The co-location with FESPA has boosted overall pre-registrations for Graphics of the Americas by 40%, with exhibitor floor space dedicated to wide-format up by a phenomenal 114%. FESPA expects around two thirds of visitors to come from North America, with the balance predominantly from the Caribbean and Latin America however pre-registration has indicated interest from 100 countries worldwide.
FESPA Americas was launched in response to regional demand from exhibitors and print service providers for an event that would complement existing wide-format events in North America. Market feedback pointed to demand for a truly pan-regional event that would provide a more comprehensive programme of accessible, high quality educational and inspirational content.
The highlight of FESPA Americas 2011 is the ground breaking Wide Format Print Shop Live!, a first at any FESPA show worldwide. Hosted by independent consultants Mike Horsten and Sophie Matthews-Paul, Wide Format Print Show Live! sees global brands Caldera, EFI, EskoArtwork, HP and Roland working together to create an onsite print shop environment where visitors can experience real-life, real-time, end-to-end production. Reflecting the educational objectives and innovative format of FESPA Americas, visitors are invited to actively participate by submitting their own digital files for printing. Their work will then be printed on varying substrates across multiple output engines.
Bringing together experience from around the globe, five of the industrys leading figures have gathered to host the Screen Masters Workshop. Sessions cover graphics, signs and fine arts, plus garment decoration, with both sessions covering prepress screen making. Visitors who have not registered for the workshops can observe from the sidelines while delegates gain hands-on tutorials.
On Days One and Two of the show, the Global Business Forum is a strategic level event
examining how businesses can improve profitability in 2011 and beyond. Through conference sessions and live debates, participants (print business owners and senior executives) will engage in topics such as leadership, sustainability, developing niches, mergers and acquisitions, e-commerce, digital marketing and social media, operational best practice and optimizing customer engagement.
One of the most exciting attractions onsite at FESPA Americas is the Wrap Cup Masters Series. Pitching vehicle wrapping superstars against each other, contestants will battle it outthrough five rounds to be crowned the FESPA Americas Series champion. The winners will be invited to the finale at FESPA 2013 in London, where they will compete against 28 other regional winners for the FESPA Wrap Cup Masters Champion crown.
Frazer Chesterman, FESPAs Managing Director of Events, comments: “With FESPA Americas, our objective has been to revolutionize the regions expectations of a print exhibition. Aside from a fantastic line-up of exhibitors, were giving printers the opportunity to get under the hood of the latest wide format technologies in a way thats not possible at other shows, as well as giving them access to knowledge and insights that will help them take advantage of the technical innovations and shape a positive future for their business.”