The fair includes more than twenty conferences and a showroom of innovative printed products
Graphispag aims to inspire more sustainable, innovative and high value-added printing
Responsible, green and, above all, innovative printing marks the roadmap for the printing industry to continue reinventing itself and to face the fall in demand caused by the pandemic and the increased digitalisation of communication. As a complement to its commercial offer, Graphispag is presenting this year a programme of activities to inspire companies and graphic professionals to create sustainable, long-lasting, personalised printed products and objects with high added value for users. It includes around twenty conferences with the participation of 35 speakers and a showroom with around one hundred printed applications for multiple sectors.
From 24 to 27 May, Graphispag includes different training proposals so that the printing sector can update its knowledge to innovate its processes, improve the catalogue of graphic services and, at the same time, increase the resilience and profitability of its businesses. Graphispag 2022 has structured its activities around two areas: ‘Dialogues’, with conferences and round tables on technology, graphic applications and business management, and ‘Prints’, a central exhibition of finished graphic products that stand out for their innovation. At the same time, the show offers visitors other events organised by organisations and companies in the sector and the chance to attend conferences and activities at Hispack, the major packaging trade fair held simultaneously at the same venue, with which it shares important synergies.
The congress side of the event will discuss with technology and materials suppliers and printers the main trends impacting the graphics sector: sustainability, digital transformation and personalisation. New specific graphic applications for textile printing, packaging, publishing, advertising and large format will also be discussed. And to help boost confidence among companies and professionals in the sector to face the challenges of the immediate future, there will be sessions on business management, motivation and innovation. Highlights include Alex Rovira, an expert in leadership psychology and corporate behaviour and author of successful books; Víctor Küppers, university lecturer, trainer and writer renowned for his talks on attitude, passion and enthusiasm; and Jep Tarradas, a consultant who will talk about innovation and collaboration for business growth.
Sustainable printing, the new paradigm
ÇSustainability will be one of the main themes of Graphispag’s “Dialogues” space and will be addressed from different points of view (regulations, use of materials and inks, or applications of graphic technology, among others). The round table “Sustainable Printing. Marketing or Commitment” with Ángel Pérez and Jaime de Diego, from Heidelberg Spain; Oriol Llinás, from Unión Papelera; Cristian Arenas, from Tois Estudio and Patricia García-Manso from DIN Impresores.
The strategies and experiences being carried out by both suppliers and printers in this area will also be presented. Joan Escoté, Director of Corporate Sustainability at Epson Ibérica, will present the company’s sustainability report for Europe, while Germán López, Project Manager at Sabaté Print Everything, will discuss the great possibilities offered by green print to achieve 360-degree sustainable printing.
Packaging printing
The coincidence of Graphispag with Hispack increases interest in new options and applications for packaging printing. Several sessions are scheduled related to this topic. Pere Coll, R&D director at Enplater, will talk about the advantages of flexible packaging due to its lower use of materials and because it enables more efficient transport. Consultant Álvaro Quintanilla will explain new opportunities for differentiation and personalisation in packaging in the current context of change in the graphics sector. On more technical topics, TPL will talk about PET film solutions for packaging; Heidelberg will discuss the possibilities offered by cold or hot foil stamping (cold foil or hot foil) to achieve impressive print finishes; and OQ will talk about the application of extended solvent-based pallets in flexo and rotogravure printing.
Still in the field of packaging, there will be presentations on the contributions that 3D printing can make in the development of packaging, by Magi Galindo, technical director of the IAM3DHUB innovation centre, and on functional printing, by Cristina Casellas, technology promoter at Eurecat.
Also noteworthy is the round table on “Committed and Accessible Packaging”, which will address the challenges that designers, companies and the administration will have to face on the road to a more respectful industry. The session will include the participation of Tin Fonts, dean of the Official College of Graphic Design of Catalonia; Francisco Tornos, designer at Ipacklab; Cris Ladaga, director of the postgraduate course E-Accessibility in Educational Resources at the UB; and Eduardo López-Roman, founding partner of the digital advocacy association, Enatic.
Other sectors with printing needs
Graphispag also includes conferences on textile printing, publishing, advertising and commercial printing, where personalisation, finishes and print on demand will be highlighted.
McCann CEO Enric Jové will explain how graphic products help build brands; Encarna Luque, from Roland DG EMEA, will talk about the evolution of textile printing and its future; Lluís Virgos, from Fujifilm Spain will present personalisation as a business opportunity for print service providers and Lluís Rovira from Sundisa will share the experience and trajectory of the large format company.
Also of interest will be the round table on printing on demand for books with the participation of José Manuel Anta, general manager of Fande; Jesús Núñez, CEO of e-Versus; Miguel Ángel Sánchez, general manager of Podiprint and Arantxa Mellado, director of LiberExpress.
Graphic applications showroom
In the ‘Prints’ space, visitors will be able to see, touch and interact with all kinds of finished graphic products, provided and explained by the exhibitors and printers themselves. These will be real works with innovative applications in sectors such as publishing, textiles, packaging and labels, interior design, retail, advertising and large format, furniture, ceramics, automotive and other industries.
Among the more than 100 applications to be shown in this space, there will be books printed with fluorescent inks that allow them to be viewed in low light conditions, pieces of the Tenerife carnival costumes printed directly on fabric, 3D labels, finishes that simulate materials such as wood or marble, prints with textures and reliefs or on all types of furniture.
Graphispag will also host several technical conferences, meetings and assemblies organised by business associations and professional bodies linked to the graphics industry and visual communication.
Barcelona, 29 April 2022
Albert Sas – Maria Dolors Herranz
932332378 – 93 233 25 41
asas@firabarcelona.com – mdherranz@firabarcelona.com