How Many More Shows Do We Need?

Adrian J Cotterill, Editor-in-Chief

Early January of course will see everyone in the industry back at work, no doubt furiously preparing for #NRF, BETT and #ISE2012 but did you know that early February also sees a textile printing show, a show for POS displays, a show for sign making and a show for Digital Signage all under the umbrella of Expo 4.0 – a 3 day exhibition stuck in the calendar 2nd-4th February 2012 (i.e slap bang in the middle of #ISE2012) at Messe Stuttgart, Germany.

The story goes, so we are told, that once upon a time there was a long running textile printing show in southern Germany. Said show was a bit worried about the print advertising world and some bright sparks figured that if they added in a show for POS displays and a show for sign making they might have a chance to continue in business.

Add in to that melting pot Herr Jens Schindler and his supposed ‘Digital Signage‘ show and you get all that is Expo 4.0.

If it sounds a bit like VISCOM then you’d probably be right. Expo 4.0’s main focus is on sign making and large format printing and this new event is built around an existing show which historically has always taken place in the first week of February. The event’s publicity states “The trade show addresses sign makers, digital printers, POS-designers, trade stand builders and shop fitters, who are looking to extend their core competences with screen-based ideas and solutions”.

Digital Signage is of course only a very small part of the three days BUT with Jens (and not, as with VISCOM, the fabulous Thomas Dockter) doing the Digital Signage (it’s called Digital Signage TEC 2012 at Expo 4.0) AND the event being slap bang in the middle of #ISE2012 there’s surely little chance of any real industry traction?


One Response to “How Many More Shows Do We Need?”

  1. Bryan Crotaz Says:

    Always interested when industries merge – it creates lots of interesting problems to be solved. See you there!

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