Running alongside the 2025 events (FESPA Global Print Expo, European Sign Expo, and Personalisation Experience), from 6 – 9 May, at the Messe Berlin, Germany, each event will provide an insight into its dedicated vertical market.
SmartHub
Located within Personalisation Experience (Hall 5.2, Stand A55), SmartHub will comprise an exhibition space and a series of expert-led conference sessions. Visitors can also participate in SmartHub’s Smart Factory Trail to see intelligent manufacturing and on-demand technology for production. The Smart Factory Trail will enable visitors to gain insights into the importance of reducing waste and increasing operational efficiency while leveraging the benefits of the latest digital production methods. Confirmed Smart Factory Trail partners to date include— Antigro Designer, Inkcups, Mimaki, Neolt, Polyprint, and Trotec.
Conference programme
The SmartHub Conference will take place across the first three days of the event and will offer educational and actionable advice to visitors about the value of personalization. Confirmed speakers for this year’s program include — Deborah Corn, print ambassador, Print Media Centr and executive director, Girls Who Print; Kerry Sanders, vice president of marketing and new business development, EFI; Richard Askam, co-founder and COO, You Are The Star Books; and Gemma Mitchell, managing director, Paragon Dagenham.
ESE Pavillion
The co-located European Sign Expo event will introduce its new Pavillion area, focusing on emerging members of the signage industry. This space will be illuminated by the vibrant products showcased by participating exhibitors, adopting the format of a lively high street. The Pavilion will feature cutting-edge technologies across digital signage, LED, and software. Confirmed participants include Fast Digital Publicate, Polarstar, and Verbax.
FESPA Awards
FESPA’s Berlin events will welcome the return of the FESPA Awards, dedicated to celebrating excellence and creativity across 18 different categories, including print, signage, special effects, textile and garment printing, vehicle wrapping, packaging, and more. This year’s shortlisted entries will be on display throughout the exhibition. The winners will then be announced by our panel of expert judges – Debbie McKeegan, Jacek Stencel, Graeme Richardson-Locke, and Simon Pless – in the official awards ceremony on Wednesday, 7 May.
World Wrap Masters
The high-adrenaline World Wrap Masters European competition and the World Wrap Masters final are also set to return in 2025. On the first two days of the event, regional competitors will go head-to-head in a series of timed rounds, wrapping both vehicles and surprising objects, in the hopes of progressing to the all-important final on days three and four. Visitors to the feature can also attend a series of live demonstrations hosted by guest trainers and judges Kiss Lajos, Justin Pate, Ole Solskin Ravn, Ivan Tenchev, and Jeremy Conner.
This year’s feature will run in partnership with Print Partner: Epson; Product Partners: CARLAS TPU ColorPPF, Arlon Graphics, and 3M; and Support Partners: Wrapstock, The Wrap Institute, and PROTOKONA Tools.
Head of FESPA Global Print Expo, Michael Ryan said, “Our features provide our visitors with an opportunity to delve beneath the surface of imminent trends and challenges within the specialty print and signage industries. Our new SmartHub feature – which includes the Smart Factory and conference line-up – will encourage Visionaries from across the print industry to enhance their knowledge on intelligent manufacturing.”
“I am delighted to welcome back World Wrap Masters and the FESPA Awards, both a true celebration of talent and excellence across an array of vertical markets. Additionally, the conference program will give visitors even more of an opportunity to learn, network, and maximize their business growth – which is what FESPA is all about. We’re thrilled to be back in Berlin and cannot wait to become the ultimate meeting point for Visionaries across and beyond print, signage, and personalization, this May.”
First published on FESPA website.
