News and press releases

Graphispag is the leading trade show for the graphic communication industry in Spain and brings together 350 brands specialising in graphic technology, software, supports and materials. Organised by Fira de Barcelona in collaboration with the Graphispack Association, the show provides a point of contact between the manufacturers and suppliers of graphic technology and printing supports and graphic art companies, graphic and visual communication services and professionals in other sectors that require printed products.

Among the firms represented on the supply side are such renowned names in the graphic industry as Heidelberg, Agfa, Digidelta, Epson, HP, Roland DG and Mactac, amongst others. This year exhibitors come from 12 different countries. Spain accounts for the biggest delegation at graphispag, followed by Portugal, China, Germany, Italy, France, Belgium, UK, USA, Sweden, Netherlands and Latvia.

The sector with the biggest representation is machinery and equipment for printing, finishing and transformation, which together account for 54% of the whole graphispag offering. Companies supplying materials and printing supports represent 18% of the total, while the segment of design, capture, editing and colour management tools accounts for 6%. The remaining percentage is made up of companies specialising in chemicals, inks, varnishes and rubber; signage and digital signage; functional printing and 3D; consulting; training; press; and professional associations.

Exhibitors will be available to deal with visitors’ queries and provide personalised advice on the possibilities of their tools, technologies, printing equipment, finishing and transformation machinery, as well as on all the material on display and the graphic services they offer. Many of them will be holding demonstrations and presenting real-life examples of finished graphic products on their stands.

A new feature at this year’s edition is a large central area known as Graphispag Live which will host the different training activities at the show as well as serving as a showcase for cutting-edge graphic applications.

The area will be made up of different zones featuring printing solutions for the worlds of publishing, packaging, textiles, retail and interior decoration. In this area, visitors will also be able to take guided tours to learn about the techniques and materials used. For example, they might enter a library, a sports apparel store, a gift shop, a hotel reception, a supermarket or a bar, all full of innovative graphic products and printed surfaces.

There will also be examples of printing applied to packaging in different materials; cardboard boxes; smart labels; PoP displays; furniture; signage; lenticular displays; posters; light boxes displays; canvas; pictures; curtains; accessories; flooring; rugs; carpets; ceramics; ceramic tiles; wallpaper; technical apparel; fashion; textile printing; soft signage; canvas awnings; examples of functional and 3D printing; books; newspapers; magazines; catalogues and sales leaflets; stationery, etc.

There will also be demonstrations and workshops to show how the technology actually works and how the supports perform. Demos will include the vinyl printing process, interior decoration, the creation of holograms, screen-printing in digital quality in 15 minutes, the personalisation of gift items and functional printing applications, amongst many other products.

Graphic designers will also find their own dedicated spot at Graphispag Live. Here they can take specific guided tours of the showroom, create designs that can then be printed on objects from the stands of collaborating companies, and attend the different sessions on digital tools in the Adobe Masterclass.

In the area dedicated to knowledge there will be more than 30 presentations given by experts, including printing-related success stories in the packaging, retail, textile and publishing sectors. They will also explain the latest technologies and discuss the ins-and-outs of managing a business in the graphic industry and new applications.

At the same time, Graphispag will facilitate networking among trade professionals with areas dedicated to meetings between manufacturers, printers, influencers and end clients in the different demand sectors. The show will make a point of inviting professionals involved in packaging, retail, interior design, the publishing world, design, advertising, large-format printing and other graphic services so they can hold business meetings with representatives of the graphic industry at the event and explain their needs directly to them.

Meanwhile, graphispag is also launching Speed Meetings Networking, an activity open to visitors who want to find partners, staff or simply enlarge their network of professional contacts in the world of graphic communication. The participants, who can sign up on the website, will hold brief five-minute meetings over the course of one hour and then take part in a general networking session with all the other attendees.

And finally, graphispag will also be the scenario for the presentation of the Líderpack Awards for Packaging and PoP Displays; the Anuaria Graphic Design Awards and the Letra Awards for Visual and Graphic Communications in Spain and Portugal.