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As the doors swung open to the FESPA Global Print Expo in Munich, a palpable energy filled the air as if the very essence of innovation and creativity had taken physical form within the exhibition halls. This eagerly anticipated international trade fair and exhibition dedicated to the printing and graphics industry featured live demonstrations, product launches, new technologies, and over 500 exhibitors. It was a welcome return to a full-bodied event with visitor numbers reportedly up 30% on last year’s show attendance.
Key trends at the event included personalization, sustainability, production efficiency, and the call from users for greater application diversity. We were excited to see the scope of innovation on show—from direct-to-garment (DTG) and direct-to-film (DTF) to digital inks and consumables among many other offerings.
New Products on Display
Brother’s new Latex printer, the WF1-L640; new extended-color GTX 600 Extra Colors; as well as its new direct-to-film and roll-to-roll devices were all launched officially at FESPA 2023. The WF1, a 1.6m-wide resin printer marketed as latex for easy recognition, combines Brother's inkjet technology and proprietary inks with a Roland DG frame, due in part to a successful collaboration between the two manufacturers.
Canon introduced two new models to the Arizona 1300 flatbed printer series: the GTF and XTF. These printers feature the award-winning FLOW technology, an innovative zone-free vacuum system that simplifies media handling. The Arizona 1300 series with FLOW technology caters to the growing mid-volume segment, enabling large format graphics printers and print service providers (PSPs) to offer their customers an extensive range of applications for retail, signage, interior decor, packaging, and industrial markets.
Electronics For Imaging, Inc. (EFI) continued its innovative path to create more opportunities for customers to achieve profitable growth with the announcement of the company’s first UV LED inkjet inks for thermoformed 3D sign and display applications, along with another breakthrough in the analogue-to-digital transformation: the EFI Nozomi 14000 SD single-pass printer for sign and display graphics. The Nozomi 14000 SD, priced at under $2M, is more than twice as productive as the fastest multi-pass shuttle-based printer sold in the same range.
Epson used the show to launch the new SureColor F2200 direct-to-garment printer, which it says is ideal for start-up companies or medium-volume businesses that need high levels of flexibility and accuracy with faster turnaround times. Designed to produce complex designs on a variety of garments, the SureColor F2200 uses Epson’s advanced PrecisionCore MicroTFP printhead technology to provide faster printing and data processing speeds, resulting in a productivity increase of up to 25% over its predecessor while maintaining print quality.
Fujifilm showed its Acuity Prime Hybrid printer for the first time. This ground-breaking new printer, modeled on the successful Acuity Prime, brings additional versatility due to its ability to handle rigid substrates up to 2.5m x 1.25m (98" x 48") and flexible media up to 2m (79") wide.
Mimaki Europe (a gold sponsor of the FESPA 2023 Global Print Expo) displayed its flagship printers and cutters for the sign, graphic, industrial, and textile markets—including the recently announced TxF150-75 DTF machine, the high performing 330 Series, and the entry-level 100 Series. Mimaki’s first venture into DTF technology, the TxF150-75, made its international debut at FESPA and offers an easy and affordable process for decorating apparel. The TxF150-75 responds to the market need for a reliable, stable DTF technology.
Sun Chemical announced the launch of Xennia Amethyst Evo RC, a high-quality ink and an evolution of the successful Xennia Amethyst series. It has been specially formulated to enhance production and enable customers to achieve their high-volume targets in the fashion and home textile industry without compromising quality.
Vanguard Europe unveiled its next-generation UV flatbed printer, the VK3220T-HS, at FESPA. The Vanguard VK3220T-HS, designed and assembled at Vanguard Europe's European headquarters in Brixen, Italy (near Durst's global HQ) is an impressive addition to their lineup. With a sizeable 3.2m x 2m flatbed, the VK3220T-HS caters to customers across diverse markets, fulfilling high-performance requirements for industrial flatbed and roll-to-roll printing with speeds of up to 360m2/hr. Its flexibility allows for scalability, ensuring it can adapt to meet customer demands as they grow.
Zünd launched its first pallet-to-pallet digital cutting table series, the Q-line. The Q-line has double the cutting speed of previous models with an unprecedented level of automation for the brand, and has taken up prime position in Zünd’s portfolio. Powered by new linear drive technology, the new machines’ beams can accelerate at up to 2.1g, to reach a maximum speed of 2.8m/sec—effectively doubling the speed and acceleration of the manufacturer’s other models.
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Keypoint Intelligence Opinion
FESPA Global Print Expo in Munich displayed an unparalleled convergence of innovative printing technologies, inspiring creativity among industry experts. The event served as a testament to the limitless possibilities and ongoing evolution of the global printing industry, leaving attendees excited and eager to embark on their own innovative printing journeys. FESPA continued to enhance its reputation for bringing the latest technology to the worldwide print community. Attendees got to see the huge volume of new products unveiled at the show. Looking ahead, while visitor numbers were up, it will be interesting to see how FESPA fares next year with the show due to take place a few weeks before drupa. With both industry events bringing a spotlight on strong growth areas such as textile printing and corrugated board, many exhibitors could be faced with a dilemma of which one to attend.
Priya Gohil, Senior Analyst, has also contributed to this piece.
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