Labelexpo celebrates record-setting launch event in Southeast Asia

Attracting 7,934 attendees to BITEC, Labelexpo Southeast Asia 2018 was supported by the Thai Department of Industrial Promotion (DIP) under the Minister of Industry, and the Thailand Screen Print and Graphic Imaging Association (TSGA). It attracted delegations from across Thailand, Indonesia, Japan, Malaysia, the Philippines, Singapore, South Korea, Vietnam and Australasia.

The first edition of Labelexpo Southeast Asia covered over 4,100 sqm and hosted exhibitors from 174 companies, including Bobst, Epson, Flint Group, GEW, HP, Konica Minolta, Lintec, Mark Andy, Nilpeter, Omet, RotoMetrics, UPM Raflatac, Xeikon, Yupo Corporation and Zhejiang Weigang Machinery. Almost a quarter of these were exhibiting at a Labelexpo event for the first time, including Berli Jucker, Flying Man Assembly Automation, IGS Asia Pacific, Navitas Vision Solution, Ojitac, PMC Label Materials, Press Systems, Techno Global Graphics and Tsukatani Hamono Manufacturing.

Machinery on display included: HP Indigo’s recently launched 6900 digital press; Omet’s iFlex press with 10 UV flexo colors and a 370mm web width; Nilpeter’s FA; Nagase Thailand’s AWP-DEW water washable flexo plate system featuring clean transfer technology; BST eltromat Southeast Asia showcasing systems from the TubeScan range; and Zhejiang Weigang Machinery’s flexo press, ZJR-330. Other demonstrations included Xeikon’s 3300 roll-to-roll press, a ThermoFlexX 30 supporting plate sizes up to 635 x 762mm and 3.94mm thick, Siegwerk’s latest range of inks, the Konica Minolta AccurioLabel 190, Tokyo Ink Group’s new line of UV inks and UV flexo inks, and AVT’s 100 percent print inspection products Helios S Turbo+ and Helios Turbo HD+, which include in-line and off-line inspection, color monitoring and barcode verification.

Running alongside the main exhibition was a two-day conference program, developed in line with feedback from printers in Southeast Asia. The opening session on May 10 was delivered by Harit Hiranyaphinant, deputy managing director of Copack and TSGA member, who gave an overview of the label printing industry in Thailand and how to capture the future of the industry. Later sessions featured presentations from Brenton Barrett, president, Asia-Pacific at Multi-Color Corporation, who looked at market trends in Southeast Asia and globally; and Ryan Shaw, creative director, Southeast Asia at Landor, who examined business models and 360-degree design thinking. A CEO printer panel moderated by James Quirk, group managing editor of Labels & Labeling, featured panelists including: Piyapong Wongvorakul, managing director at Trisan Printing (Thailand); Peter Woods, director and COO, Southeast Asia at QLM Label Makers (Malaysia); Adrian Pratiwhiharja, president and director at PT Interflex Sejahtera Perdana; and Brenton Barrett.

Another show highlight was the sold-out Label Academy workshop covering shrink sleeve technology, which took place on the final day of the show.  Moderated by Andy Thomas-Emans, Labelexpo and Labels & Labeling strategic director, topics included design and origination, inks, substrates, and converting and application technology. The workshop ended with a presentation on quality control and fault finding by one of the global industry’s leading shrink sleeve experts, Dr Séamus Lafferty, president of Barry-Wehmiller company Accraply.

Jade Grace, project director for Labelexpo Southeast Asia. said: ‘We are delighted with the success of our first Labelexpo Southeast Asia, which, as our most successful show launch to date, has exceeded all expectations. Visitor feedback has been excellent, with major sales deals being closed on-site and the high caliber of buyers at the show highlighted as invaluable for sourcing new contacts and partners who will be able to help printers improve profitability, quality and efficiency.’

Dr Kittichote Supakumnerd, engineer at the Division of Innovation and Industrial Technology Development, Ministry of Industry in Thailand, added: ‘The Ministry of Industry extends their congratulations to the success of Labelexpo Southeast Asia in Bangkok and recognize the great benefits this trade exhibition can bring to Thailand with the introduction of new technologies, materials and other innovations for labeling, printing and packaging applications. It is estimated that over one billion Baht of trade will be conducted as a result of the event in Bangkok. The exhibition and conferences also help develop all areas of industry from SMEs to large scale export driven manufacturers. We look forward to supporting and welcoming the return of Labelexpo Southeast Asia in May 2020.’

Chaiwat Hansomwong, chairman of Thai SMEs Council, agreed: ‘Labelexpo is the international printing trade fair which gathers printing technology and innovation under one roof of the label industry. That’s why almost all the leading products and brand suppliers as well as printing machine producers are interested in showcasing their new technologies at the event. This success was demonstrated by the number of visitors from across Thailand and Southeast Asia. I hope that Labelexpo Southeast Asia in Bangkok in 2020 will continue to present new innovations and technology, and successfully build up this region as a label printing technology hub.’

Grace concluded: ‘This success bodes extremely well for future editions of the show. Thailand has proved to be the perfect location, in a region that is emerging as one of the world’s fastest growing manufacturing hubs and consumer markets, and we are grateful for the Thai Government’s and TSGA’s unwavering support in getting Labelexpo Southeast Asia off the ground.

‘Given the success of this launch edition, it is poised to be a game changer for the region’s printers and has great potential to become one of our largest Labelexpo events. We look forward to returning to Bangkok in two years’ time.’

Labelexpo Southeast Asia will return in 2020. More than 40 percent of stand space has been rebooked for the next instalment.