The Fespa Global Print Expo 2025 and its co-located shows, European Sign Expo and Personalization Experience opened on 6 May at Messe Berlin, Germany. Operating under this year’s strapline ‘Where Visionaries Meet’, the show is set to be the ultimate place for the specialty print sector to unite, network, share ideas and explore opportunities.
At the show’s opening ceremony, Daniel Sunderland, vice-president of Canagraf (La Cámara Nacional de la Industria de Artes Gráficas – Fespa’s local Association in Mexico), was sworn into office as Fespa’s 19th president. Sunderland has more than 30 years of experience working in the specialty print industry and also holds a seat on behalf of Fespa on the Board of Conlatingraf, a coalition of 14 Associations in Latin America. He succeeds Christophe Aussenac, founding director of ATC (Autorise Toute Creativité), who held the position since 2021.
Daniel Sunderland says, “It’s a great pleasure to take on the role as Fespa president. As a printer myself, I see the important role that Fespa plays and the support it provides to the specialty print industry. I’m looking forward to helping drive that forward. Looking ahead to my term in office, I will build on the work that Christophe and previous Fespa Presidents have done, so as an organization, we remain dedicated to our community and help our members and the wider specialty print community to navigate the evolving print landscape.”
What’s next at Fespa 2025?
Over the next four days (6 – 9 May) thousands of print service providers (PSPs) and sign makers from across the world will attend the exhibitions to see the latest technologies and trends in specialty print, as well as hear and learn from experts in the industry.
Occupying eight halls of Messe Berlin, visitors will have access to over 580 global exhibitors and with over 100 product launches expected, providing plenty for visitors to explore.
Visitors to European Sign Expo (Halls 3.2 & 4.2) will be able to meet with over 112 exhibitors in the sign and visual communications space, who are showcasing both digital and traditional signage solutions. New to European Sign Expo this year is the ESE Pavillion (Hall 3.2), which resembles a lively shopping High Street, displaying innovative and emerging members of the sign industry.
In addition, visitors interested in maximizing the benefits of personalized print solutions will be able to find cutting-edge technologies, as well as learn about the latest trends and strategies, at Personalization Experience (Hall 5.2).
In addition, Girls Who Print Global is organizing a ‘Lunch and Lead’ event to bring together industry professionals, discuss current challenges and hear from female leaders in the sector. The lunch will be held in the Press Conference Room (Beta 3 and Beta 4, within Hub 27) at Fespa Global Print Expo 2025, on 7 May, from 12:30–2:00pm.
Feature program
The new SmartHub Conference (Hall 5.2, Stand A55), located within Personalization Experience, is a three-day (6 – 8 May), free-to-attend program delivered in English, highlighting the importance of personalization in the marketing mix. The sessions are presented by experts sharing their experiences of personalization and smart production, as well as exploring the impact of new technologies, such as AI.
Visitors can also take advantage of the new Smart Factory Trail, a comprehensive guide showcasing the latest personalization and intelligent manufacturing technologies, software and on-demand printing solutions, from a variety of brands and experts across the three co-located events.
Crowd favorite World Wrap Masters (Hall 6.2) is home to the European and final rounds of the World Wrap Masters competition. Taking place all week, visitors can also attend live technical demonstrations, presented by the Wrap Institute, to support graphic installers’ development and provide top tips for wrapping.
The winners of the 2025 Fespa Awards will also be announced this week and visitors to the show can see the shortlisted entries across 18 application led categories, up-close, on display in the South Entrance of the Messe Berlin.
Fespa App
To help visitors navigate their time at the events this week, they can download the Fespa App now, free-of-charge, to access the full exhibitor list, view the SmartHub Conference program, access the Smart Factory Trail – and more.
Michael Ryan, head of Fespa Global Print Expo, comments, “We’ve had a fantastic first morning here at Messe Berlin and it’s great to see so many familiar and new faces in attendance already. There’s still time to attend the exhibitions, whether you’re interested in the latest technology, thought-provoking content, current and new trends, or networking with like-minded peers, there is something on offer this week for everyone!”
