The FESPA Foundation aims to positively impact lives in sub-Saharan Africa by providing printed materials for early childhood development. Exhibitors at the FESPA Africa and Sign Africa Johannesburg Expo, which took place from 9–11 September heeded the call to ‘Print For Good’ by making various donations to the organisation.

The FESPA Foundation is dedicated to transforming the specialty print and visual communications industry through sustainable practices, community supply and educational outreach. The Foundation exists to combine waste reduction efforts with meaningful impact for young people living in challenging circumstances. The initiative was founded in October last year by FESPA CEO, Neil Felton.

Exhibitors could maximise the impact of their print output during the show by participating in the ‘Print for Good’ initiative by producing items such as maps, T-shirts, backpacks etc. to enrich educational opportunities. Artwork files were available from the expo organisers.

Recognising the environmental challenges associated with large-scale events, the Foundation led an innovative project to repurpose print samples produced during the event. Instead of contributing to waste, these samples will serve meaningful purposes, such as:

– Educational posters: high-quality print samples will be delivered to schools in need, providing visual aids and resources for classrooms.

– Student clothing: T-shirts and other wearable items will be produced for underserved schools, offering practical benefits while demonstrating the versatility of print technology.

– Community resources: additional printed materials, such as banners or instructional guides, will be distributed to support local initiatives and community programmes.

Thank you to these companies for their contributions:

Gawk sponsored the FESPA Foundation’s expo fabric stand with its TRIGA® system. Gawk will also manufacture pencil bags for school children from the FESPA Foundation stand’s fabric prints. The up-cycling from Gawk is an initiative they promote to all customers.

NUtec Digital Ink supported the FESPA Foundation’s initiative by donating stationery essentials along with re-purposed prints. For example, the company upcycled its textile samples into colourful pencil cases, further supporting learners in under-resourced schools while reducing waste.

Midcomp printed 280sqm of wallpaper and fabrics during the expo, which will be contributed to one of the FESPA Foundation’s school projects.

Graphix Supply World contributed printed samples during the show, which varied from PVC banner material to sublimation fabrics and flat sheet substrates.

The organisers of FESPA Africa and Sign Africa provided infrastructure support during the expo.

‘On behalf of the FESPA Foundation, I would like to extend our deepest gratitude to all the companies and individuals who contributed to our exhibition, helped in spreading our vision, and generously donated or pledged support in the form of printed materials, other items, and cash,’ said Steve Thobela, FESPA Foundation’s Africa Coordinator. ‘Your generosity has been instrumental in supporting the initiatives of the Foundation and transforming the lives of many innocent souls. We are truly thankful for your invaluable assistance.’

Those who still wish to support the organisation can help by:

– Donating, books, notebooks, pens, art kits, reading glasses or school supplies, which will be delivered to schools in need.

– Donating funds towards additional printed materials, such as banners or instructional guides to support local initiatives and community programmes.

– Cash donations are most welcome to help the Foundation purchase items such as a bakkie that is required to transport items to the schools, items for renovations and to support the work of the Foundation.

For more details and how to donate, please visit the Foundation’s website.

FESPA FOUNDATION
https://www.fespa.com/en/about/fespa-foundation/

Wideformat Print Solutions showcased its range of Eurotech solutions at the FESPA Africa and Sign Africa Expo. The event took place from 9-11 September at Gallagher Convention Centre.

The Eurotech XTRA 3300H flatbed/roll-to-roll 3m printer features a staggered printhead system. The prints dry quickly, so no heat system is required, and therefore much lower power is consumed. It can also have multiple group printheads, depending on the user’s requirements. The machine includes a suction bed system to prevent media lifting, and can process hard and soft materials.

The Eurotech X20UV hybrid flatbed/roll-to-roll 2m printer is the ‘little brother’ of the XTRA 3300H. The machine also includes a suction bed system to prevent media lifting, and it can process hard and soft materials.

The Eurotech XTRA 2512S flatbed printer features Epson T3200 printheads, and it can process foamboard, woodboard, acrylic and paperboard. It features a suction table, eco-friendly UV ink and is easy to maintain.

The Eurotech DTF printer and curer shaker features roll-to-roll and roll-to-sheet technology, and CMYK + W colours. Applications include T-shirts, hats, backpacks, lanyards, shoes, denim, fabric gift boxes and more.

The event was sponsored by Stixo and Roland.

WPS
+27 76 090 3133
info@wideformat.co.za / david@wideformat.co.za
www.wideformat.co.za

3D Fusion exhibited its range of 3D printers at the FESPA Africa and Sign Africa Expo. The event took place from 9-11 September at Gallagher Convention Centre.

The following Creality products were showcased:

K2 Plus: prints multiple colours, and packs a substantial 350 × 350 × 350mm build volume. This plus format enables larger objects or larger batches, easily satisfying a user’s ever-expanding 3D printing
applications.

Hi: features a full metal body, with frame parts die- cast from aluminium alloy. This robust construction provides the strength and stability needed for reliable performance. It also features multi-colour 3D printing.

Ender-5 Max: The print dimensions are equal to a user’s model design and the printed surface is smooth without defects. The layer bonding is consistent and solid from the first layer to the last.

K1 Max: boasts a 300 x 300 x 300mm large build volume, great for rapid prototyping or design verification. It also offers a high build volume to printer size ratio of 25.5%.

K1C: suitable for carbon fibre 3D printing.

Visitors could also learn more about the company’s in-house 3D filaments, and see 3D printed samples.

The event was sponsored by Roland DG and Stixo Signage Supplies.

3D FUSION
+27 82 293 6196
eric@3dfusion.co
www.3dfusion.co

Clear Solutions presented its GenX, JWEI and Handtop printing and cutting range at the FESPA Africa and Sign Africa Expo. The event took place from 9-11 September at Gallagher Convention Centre.

GenX1600 printers: The UV series 3 is a 3-head UV printer, the SP is a 2-head eco-solvent printer and the PL4S series is a dye-sublimation printer.

The JWEI SC1625 flatbed cutter is suitable for cutting ABS board, PVC board, space board, aluminium-plastic board, lamp sheet, back glue, KT board, acrylic, magnetic stickers, and self-adhesive materials etc.

The Handtop HT2512FR5 UV flatbed printer runs at a maximum speed of 91sqm/hour, and can print a maximum sheet size of 2.5m by 1.22m. Equipped with 5 Ricoh Gen6 printheads, the printer can print high precision in 5 colours at a high-resolution of 1200 x 1200dpi.

The event was sponsored by Stixo and Roland.

CLEAR SOLUTIONS
+27 21 879 2159
clearsol.co.za

Allrich exhibited signage equipment and materials during the FESPA Africa and Sign Africa Expo. The event took place from 9-11 September at Gallagher Convention Centre.

Display items included parasols, promo counters, gazebos, flags and flat sock banners. Visitors could see samples of Neschen easy dot® and easySTYLE vinyls. Easy dot is the perfect solution for short-term campaigns on windows, walls, and floors, point of sale, events, trade shows, mass transit etc. EasySTYLE is an ideal solution for keeping up with shorter advertising cycles, changing interior trends and seasonal promotions.

Allrich brands including TransMedia vinyls, TRINSEO acrylic, and EX-CEL foam PVC were also showcased.

The MEHTA EVA-II CO2 cutting machine cuts leather, acrylic, MDF boards and PERSPEX®. The machines come in different versions: the VA 21-II, VA 32-II and VA 43-II, and they have a linear inner sliding guide rail for long life as well as smooth and high speed operation. Engraving and cutting continue after the power goes off. They feature a dynamic 4.3 colour TFT LCD display. The Red Light Pointer realises the exact laser beam cutting position and the machine is provided with mounting legs so there is no vibration. The MEHTA E2-II-25 CNC engraver was also on display.

The ABM 1300 line bender can soften and bend acrylic, PLEXIGLAS®, PVC, PC, ABS, PP and more. The machine also includes a water pump and water tube. The machine is widely used in school technical courses, building models, decoration engineering, display cases, market shelves, advertising light boxes and artware making. It is small and portable and can be used anywhere.

The EVAN-30 fibre laser marking machine, Oscarjet laminator, slim LED frames (which are available in sizes from A1 to A4) as well as spares, inks and consumables for printing machines, were also showcased.

The AT Inks range includes solvent, eco-solvent, ceramic, UV, LED and water-based inks. AT Inks has a vast and varied experience of over 50 years in various areas of colour technology and are now available at Allrich’s nationwide branches. All inks are designed to be robust with excellent printing reliability. The inks have been extensively tested on printhead manufacturer(s’) kits/lab equipment and on machines to ensure the highest standards of printing reliability.

Visitors could also see Jasani gifting and promotional products such as notebooks, bottles and chargers, to name a few, as well as Amari PVC vinyl flooring construction supplies.

The event was sponsored by Stixo and Roland.

ALLRICH TRADING
+27 11 314 3237
sales@allrichtrading.co.za
http://www.allrich-sa.co.za/

Visitors could learn more about MIPS’ printing solutions at the FESPA Africa and Sign Africa Expo. The event took place from 9-11 September at th Gallagher Convention Centre.

The Mutoh 137cm (54”) XpertJet 1341WR Pro, which is targeted at the dye sublimation market, was showcased. It features one Mutoh AccuFine 1600 nozzle head.

The XPJ-1341WR Pro is compatible with Mutoh’s genuine DS3-series HC dye sublimation inks. The increased colourant means reduced ink consumption, faster drying and compatibility with lightweight papers. The DS-3 inks come in degassed 1kg pouches for reliable jetting, excellent image definition and sharpness. The printer delivers sellable production speeds up to 29.2sqm/h.

Visitors could also see the RainJet 1.6m eco-solvent printer, as well as the economical heat press, which features high durability, paper-to-cloth sublimation, and single-phase power.

The event was sponsored by Stixo and Roland.

MIPS TECHNOLOGIES
+27 11 451 8600
andrew@mipstech.co.za
http://www.mipstech.co.za

Sign-Tronic exhibited large format printing solutions, calenders and more at the Sign Africa and FESPA Africa expo, which took place from 9-11 September at Gallagher Convention Centre.

Colour management partner Colorflow Solutions was also present at the stand, as well as customer National Flag, who were conducting live demonstrations. Customer Shereno Printers were also present.

The following products were showcased:

SwissQprint Nyala 4 and Nyala 5 models: The strengths of this large format printer impress from every angle. Both the ink configuration and the options can be retrofitted for adapting to a user’s ideas and needs.

SwissQprint Karibu: this printer is all about efficiency, reliability and a huge variety of roll printing applications.

ColoRate industrial series roll-to- roll printers are designed for high throughput, multi-function printing requirements, and the high- performance printers are designed for high-efficiency, eco-friendly textile printing.

Monto Antonio calendars are ideal for thermoprinting and reactivation of direct-to-textile inks, supplied complete with a front preparation table, allowing the transfer/ reactivation of both rolls and materials in piece.

Zünd G3 L-2500: The G3 digital cutting system is based on the most flexible, adaptable, and easily expandable machine concept on the market.

The event was sponsored by Stixo and Roland.

SIGN-TRONIC
+27 21 510 8332
www.sign-tronic.co.za

Visitors and exhibitors at the FESPA Africa and Sign Africa Expo can stay ahead of market trends by completing FESPA’s Global Specialty Print Market Survey, a research initiative designed to gather and share essential market intelligence for the print community. The event takes place from 9-11 September (Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday) at the Gallagher Convention Centre, 9am-5pm.

Printers in graphics or textiles, or sign makers, know that process automation software, AI tools, and sustainability demands are creating the need to adapt to stay viable in competitive markets. FESPA’s Print Census now runs on a six-month cycle to deliver more relevant insights, more often. It takes just 10 minutes to complete.

Contributors gain exclusive access to up-to-date benchmarking data that will help them: see how their business compares to competitors, guide their next investment decisions and stay ahead of market trends. They’ll also receive a copy of the Free Executive Summary, and a chance to win one of five Amazon gift cards.

This edition focuses on three key areas driving change across the print industry:

Sustainability: with 72% of print buyers seeking eco-friendly solutions, sustainability is no longer optional. Encouragingly, most print service providers (PSPs) report meeting demands without raising prices. This reflects a growing opportunity to align environmental responsibility with profitability.

Artificial Intelligence: AI is streamlining operations by automating prepress, job scheduling, and colour management. It’s also unlocking scalable personalisation through intelligent customer data analysis, enhancing both efficiency and engagement.

Process automation: to meet growing demand for faster turnarounds and smaller job runs, automation is eliminating production bottlenecks, increasing throughput, and reducing labour costs.

The completion of the FESPA Print Census can be done online or at the FESPA Africa and Sign Africa Expo. The event is taking place from 9-11 September 2025 (Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday) at Gallagher Convention Centre and is sponsored by Stixo and Roland. Entrance is free, please register online.

FESPA members will receive the complete Print Census report as part of their membership benefits.

FESPA
www.fespaglobalprintexpo.com/print-census

Attend the free Change 1 Woman (C1W) networking event, taking place on the C1W stand in Hall 2 at the FESPA Africa and Sign Africa expo, on Wednesday 10 September at 11h30 am. This is your platform to connect with women in signage, print and branding.

Attend the event to connect with suppliers, discuss your challenges and leave with new ideas for your business. The first 150 ladies to RSVP will get their own C1W badge and shopper bag. Book your spot here: info@c1w.co.za. We believe meaningful change starts with one conversation. By helping just one woman, we can ignite a ripple effect that transforms many lives.

Thanks to our sponsors of this event: Printing SA, The FP&M SETA, Graphix Supply World, Avery Dennison and DTF Printing Africa.

FESPA Africa and Sign Africa Expo, taking place from 9-11 September 2025 (Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday) at Gallagher Convention Centre is sponsored by Stixo and Roland. Entrance is free, please register online.

The new C1W website, a platform featuring information on upcoming C1W networking events, news and informative women-led content and information on training opportunities, is live. Website visitors can also get an overview of what C1W is about, and how to get involved.

Follow C1W on Facebook and LinkedIn for more updates.

CHANGE ONE WOMAN
https://www.c1w.co.za

The FESPA Foundation aims to positively impact lives in sub-Saharan Africa by providing printed materials for early childhood development. Exhibitors and visitors at the FESPA Africa and Sign Africa Johannesburg Expo, taking place from 9–11 September 2025 (Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday) at the Gallagher Convention Centre, can support the FESPA Foundation.

The FESPA Foundation, guided by ‘Print For Good’ is a global initiative dedicated to transforming the specialty print and visual communications industry through sustainable practices, community supply and educational outreach. The Foundation exists to combine waste reduction efforts with meaningful impact for young people living in challenging circumstances. The initiative was founded in October last year by FESPA CEO, Neil Felton.

How Can Exhibitors Help?

Maximise the impact of your print output during the show by participating in the ‘Print for Good’ initiative by producing items such as maps, T-shirts, backpacks etc. to enrich educational opportunities. Artwork files are available from the expo organisers.

Recognising the environmental challenges associated with large-scale events, the Foundation is leading an innovative project to repurpose print samples produced during the event. Instead of contributing to waste, these samples will serve meaningful purposes, such as:

– Educational posters: high-quality print samples will be delivered to schools in need, providing visual aids and resources for classrooms.

– Student clothing: T-shirts and other wearable items will be produced for underserved schools, offering practical benefits while demonstrating the versatility of print technology.

– Community resources: additional printed materials, such as banners or instructional guides, will be distributed to support local initiatives and community programmes.

How Can Expo Visitors Help?

– Donate, books, notebooks, pens, art kits, reading glasses or school supplies, which will be delivered to the schools in need.

– Donate funds towards additional printed materials, such as banners or instructional guides to support local initiatives and community programmes.

– Cash donations are most welcome to help the Foundation purchase items such as a bakkie that is required to transport items to the schools, items for the renovations and to support the work of the Foundation.

For more details and how to donate financially, please visit the Foundation’s website.

FESPA FOUNDATION
https://www.fespa.com/en/about/fespa-foundation/