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GLOBAL NEWS

Fespa countdown to The official launch of Girls
IN BRIEF

busy Berlin event Who Print Europe will take
place during a luncheon at
Fespa Global Print Expo in
Berlin next month.
Founded in 2009 as a
LinkedIn group, Girls Who
Fespa Global Print Expo ent – from new product Print quickly became a
will open its door soon. The launches, features, exhibi- grassroots initiative sup-
organisers are anticipating a tors and trends,” he noted. porting women in the tra-
buoyant event with more “This is what I believe ditionally male-dominated printing industry. In January,
the world’s largest network of women in print and graphic
than 100 new product communications revealed its formal evolution into a global
launches expected. The makes our Fespa events nonprofit organisation. It is led by executive director
show is returning to the pop- unique and worth a visit year Deborah Corn, VP and program director Kelly Mallozzi, and
ular Messe Berlin venue and Messe Berlin last hosted Fespa in 2022 on year. With over 560 managing director Pat McGrew. At Fespa, held from 6 to 9
May at Messe Berlin, Girls Who Print will host a Lunch and
runs from 6-9 May. More Expo Sign Pavilion featuring exhibitors and a broad fea- Lead event in partnership with Fespa. Taking place on the
than 565 exhibitors are digital and architectural sig- ture programme this year, second day of the show from 12.30-2pm, Girls Who Print
signed up, including well- nage and illuminated dis- there is a lot for visitors to said attendees would hear from and engage in roundtable
known industry names and plays. The ever-popular explore, be inspired by and discussions.
emerging suppliers. The
Personalisation Experience World Wrap Masters com- grow their knowledge. I’m The global digital print
market, worth $168bn
has added a new three-day petition returns and will be looking forward to seeing (£126bn) in 2025, will grow
conference for this year, held in Hall 6.2. what Fespa Global Print to $251bn (£188bn) in 2035,
with the SmartHub Michael Ryan, head of Expo has in store for all of according to fresh market
Conference taking place in Fespa Global Print Expo, our visitors.” analysis from business
Hall 5.2. The sessions are said he was looking forward A team from Printweek intelligence firm Smithers.
Digital printing across
free to attend. to returning to Berlin. inkjet and electrophotog-
Also new is the Smart “Although Fespa Global and Druck & Medien will be raphy, or toner, machinery
Factory Trail, while there’s a Print Expo is an annual on site, producing the Fespa will continue to create new value across almost all applica-
fresh feature at European event, every year brings with Daily show newspaper at the tions, and are now the focus for many print OEMs looking to
capitalise on the expected increase in digital print volumes,
Sign Expo – the European it something new and differ- expo. which Smithers estimated will grow from 1.8tn A4 equiva-
lents to 2.8tn in the next ten years. Equivalent to a 54% rise
VPK Group continues expansion in volume, it will result in an overall growth of 49% in
expenditure, according to The Future of Digital Printing to
2035 report. Just over half of digital print’s growth will
Recycled board and pack- which was announced on 24 Bergamo. come from graphics and publication.
aging manufacturer VPK, April, would strengthen the Founded by the Marsetti
which has several UK sites, company’s geographical foot- family, Open Imballaggi was The Growth Guarantee
Scheme (GGS) has received
has continued its European print in one of Europe’s larg- an extra £500m in funding
growth with the acquisition est packaging markets. founded in 1908 and has from the government to
of Italian sheet plant Open It added Open Imballaggi’s since continued to expand, help mitigate any loss in
Imballaggi. The purchased location complemented with Guido Marsetti found- market confidence follow-
ing the imposition of steep
business, which specialises in VPK’s existing operations ing Open Imballaggi in 1988. trade tariffs by the US.
corrugated cardboard pack- with Zetacarton and Announced earlier this
aging, is located near IEMME, supporting further The business operates from a month, the £500m package has been designed to unlock a
Bergamo in Lombardy. VPK market growth in the key 22,000sqm facility in significantly larger amount of funding from the British
Business Bank’s 50 accredited lenders, with funds available
said the strategic acquisition, industrial region around Calcinate. for any legitimate business purpose – including invoice
financing, investment in machinery, or restructuring. The
Carbon neutral certification scheme can support loans of up to £2m in most of the UK,
or £1m for those in scope of the Northern Ireland Protocol,
guaranteeing the lender a 70% government-backed guar-
Birmingham mailing director. He told Printweek antee.
house Bakergoodchild that aiming for carbon neu-
achieved carbon neutral cer- Konica Minolta has revised its year-end forecasts to reflect
tification through Carbon trality had provided an recent disposals, including the sale of Indicia Worldwide to
ADM Group. In an update regarding the financial year
Neutral Britain in April, excellent starting point for ended 31 March, the Japanese manufacturer said that rev-
marking a milestone in its the company’s sustainability enue had been revised downward by £47.2m to ¥1,125bn,
journey to reduce and miti- while business contribution profit was revised upward by
gate its greenhouse gas emis- strategy, bringing together ¥1bn yen to ¥43bn, “due to the favourable performance of
Business Technologies Business”. The expected operating
sions. Certification for Bakergoodchild data from across the busi- loss increased by ¥39bn to ¥53bn due to a number of one-
“Like many small busi- ness to central control. off charges. This includes a loss of ¥9.8bn on the sale of
nesses, we do a lot [for the together under clear goals,” Konica Minolta Marketing Services to ADM Group, as
environment], but hadn’t said Ian Stevenson, “We’re now able to deter- announced earlier this month, with the figure coming in
actually brought that action Bakergoodchild operations mine our current usage.” ¥1.7bn lower than the initial estimate.
www.printweekmena.com May 2025 PrintWeek MENA 23