A Visit to the FESPA Global Print Expo 2019
Keeping up to Date with the Printing Industry
Staying up to date is essential in any profession. For a translator and copywriter specializing in the printing industry, this can also mean attending a specialty trade show once a while to see the latest printing presses, laser cutting machines, 3D printers and other technologies in action. And what better way to do this than visiting the FESPA Global Print Expo, which is organized annually by the Federation of European Screen Printers Associations (FESPA).
“My fascination with the printing industry began in 2006 while I was working in Tokyo as an in-house German translator for a Japanese translation agency, primarily serving Japanese printing equipment and electronics manufacturers.
Since then, I’ve been intrigued by how printing presses work, how you can print on different substrates, and how the various techniques differ – from screen printing to digital printing, from offset to sublimation.”
Printeriors Exhibition
Beautiful examples of print for interior décor at the entrance of the trade show.
So on May 13th, I packed my bags and flew to Munich, Germany, to attend the 2019 edition of this massive trade show. For a full two days, I wandered around the Messe München, where more than 700 companies exhibited their latest products. As I had been busy the weeks before translating several English press releases from manufacturers and conference announcements into German, I knew what to expect and also signed up for a few tours and lectures in advance.
However, I was still amazed to see the brand-new machines announced in the press releases in real and in operation and did not shy away to observe them from every angle to figure out how they work. Whenever possible, I asked the staff at the booth for more information and was also curious to know the price tag of the equipment.
I attended a Color Management Tour and learned more about the different products printers can use to ensure color consistency throughout their processes, like using a proof station which simulates different light conditions or using a spectrophotometer. An inkologist from HP also explained the different behaviors of ink and what to watch out for.
Color Management Tour
Thomas Brown, an inkologist from HP, explaining the different behaviors of ink
The Print Make Wear Tour the next day was even more fascinating. A separate area of the trade show had been turned into a garment microfactory, where we went through all stages of the fashion production process – from the software used to design textile prints to software for arranging the separate garment pieces most optimally for saving precious ink and substrate to the actual printing, cutting, sewing and packing steps.
Live presentation: screen printing process for a t-shirt (sorry for the vertical video syndrome…)
Attending the FESPA Global Print Expo was a major success for me. Not only did I learn a lot about the printing industry and their latest developments and challenges, such as the emerging Chinese competition, but I also landed a new client and came home to a new translation project waiting in my inbox.
Why you should work with a translator & copywriter specializing in your industry
Are you a manufacturer or a reseller of printing equipment and need a German translation of your press release, white paper, brochure, website, or user guide? Or do you need your printing software localized into German?
Benefits of working with me:
- You get a partner, not a faceless language service provider
- You get a German translator/copywriter who understands your industry and its challenges
- You benefit from my 13 years of experience, in particular working in the Japanese market
Industry clients I've worked for:
Ricoh Canon Epson Duplo Brother Fujifilm Pantone EFI Sawgrass
Do you want to benefit from a German translator & copywriter who knows your industry?
Further reading: FESPA website