2024 conference in Germany

The 2024 conference in Germany was held June 6 – 9 at the Landhotel Voshövel in Schermbeck.

This year the conference was combined with the DRUPA trade fair which was scheduled from May 28 to June 7. This gave us the opportunity to save on travel time and costs for our overseas members. We also had the opportunity to share information directly after the fair.

Again a lot of different subjects were discussed and members shared information on their businesses, new development and business opportunities.

Next to the business information following subject were discussed.

Sustainability, recycling, climate change how does it affect our business

  • Are you facing future legislation which will impact on print finishing?
  • Recycling and circular waste management.
  • Product development in sustainable packaging.
  • ISO 9001 and others like HACCP – do we need it, who pays for it, does it pay back?

Developments coatings, adhesives based on sustainable resins, low energy curing and recyclability

  • Bastian Pinsenschaum from Weilburger Graphics gave an insight in their developments.

Materials and supply chain

  • Materials, what is new what is giving us concerns (embossed films).
  • Comparing the waste of materials – no dies, no chemicals  a.s.o can this be a requirement of future legislation.
  • Where to buy at the manufacturer or by a dealer -what have we learned from the COVID.
  • Rating of suppliers – pricing and quality.

Technical session

  • What did we see new equipment at Drupa, digital developments, available equipment and so on.

Organization and human resources

  • What do we do to find young operators and make the job attractive to them. IT-solutions – more efficiency, less staff, cost and safety. Downtimes and Maintenance of machinery – expenses and fixing. Claims – how to handle.

Marketing/Sales

  • What do you do better or different to your competitors? What do or can we sell beside trade finishing? Is it useful to get control of selling the complete printed product?

Future Plans

  • Is it time to diversify horizontal or vertical – members share their experience.
  • Where are you going in the next 2-5 years.
  • Next generation in business.
  • Continuation and synergies of business vs. amalgamation and sale of shares.

During the conference there was time for a social day. The participants visited the Zollverein mine in Essen, a Unesco World Heritage Site.  A  wonderful “farewell” dinner at the Zollverein mine concluded the visit and the conference, before everyone left for home again.