Stellar showcases of revolutionary innovations revealed at Media Expo Mumbai 2020

Over the course of three days, Media Expo Mumbai 2020 pulled an overwhelming crowd of 12,554 visitors to a plethora of products and technologies shown by 159 exhibitors, including 21 new entrants. While the expo succeeded in delivering prime opportunities for exploring new technologies and initiating new engagements, the maiden edition of Media Expo Excellence Awards (MEA) 2020 emerged as one of the key highlights of this edition. A platform celebrating innovations in OOH, MEA 2020 awarded the initiatives of agencies and vendors involved in creative brand campaigns.

Launches of new products and live demonstrations of latest machines and technologies from major brands and companies like FUJIFILM, Colorjet India, HP, Mehta Cad Cam Systems, NEGI Sign Systems & Supplies Co, AT Inks, JN Arora Group, Trinity Inks, Sun Sign & Technologies, CDI, True Colors, Arrow Digitals, MIMAKI, ADS, Monotech Systems, Kheizer Signs, EPSON, Aditya International, among others built up the interest of buyers and decision makers among the crowd of trade visitors during the expo.

Main show stoppers

Crowd that gathered at the stand of Colorjet India was for the unveiling of two new digital inkjet printers—SONIQ HQ, a 3.2 m eco-solvent printer for high-quality indoor & outdoor applications, and FLAGJET,a 1.8 m direct-to-fabric sublimation printer for flags & cloth banners. Smarth Bansal, DGM – Product Management, Colorjet India, said that SONIQ HQ supports all types of media of both eco-solvent and solvent base media such as canvas, SAV, PVC banner, backlit film, window film along with biodegradable & recyclable fabric solutions using Colorjet’s indigenous BioPrint Technology. Whereas, FLAGJET can easily prints on polyester base fabric using environment-friendly aqueous based inks which are Oeko Tex approved internationally.

On other side, Apsom Infotex Ltd announced its partnership with Lithuania-based Veika for exclusive India distributorship of DIMENSE 3D wallpaper printing technology. The company also demonstrated Roland TrueVIS VG 640 printer/cutter with TR 2 inks, which is backed by 3M MCS Warranty Programme. Key product showcased by HP at its stand themed with ‘Yes Unlimited’ was the HP Latex R2000 printer with which opened all possibilities of printing rigid applications, besides the existing roll-to-roll applications. Another possibility was white colour in the system that adds a lot of possibilities for HP customers. Vitesh Sharma, Country Manager—Greater Large-Format Production, HP India, said the idea behind theme of HP at the expo is saying ‘yes’ to everything.

NEGI Sign Systems & Supplies Co showcased a complete range of its products comprising NegiJet brands of machines, Docan line of UV flatbed, hybrid, RTR and combo systems, along with others including Brother direct-to-garment printers, Nazdar UV LED inks and others. Despite the market disturbance due to coronavirus disturbance, the show witnessed a good footfall which Girvir Singh Negi, Director, NEGI Sign Systems & Supplies Co acknowledged and appreciated for a new progression. Sun Sign & Technologies introduced premium products viz. Sunstrar PVC-free vinyl and bubble-free magnificent McCAL grey back vinyl sign sheets. Deepak Gupta, Director, Sun Sign & Technologies Pvt Ltd, said the new products are designed to change the ways PSPs print and play with innovations.

EPSON at the expo introduced new SureColor SC-S range – SC-S60670L and S80670L. “These new SC Series printers are industrial models that use high capacity 1.5 litre ink pouches, also called the bulk ink solution, run with UltraChrome GS3 ink technology,” mentioned Milind A Chavan, Manager – Photographic Products, EPSON India. He added that using of pouch could reduce the cost of supplying ink in cartridge.The new printers are Greenguard Gold-certified for low chemical emissions on EPSON’s PrecisionCore TFP printheads.

Mehta Cad Cam Systems pulled crowd in a big way to its range of machines including Rasterjet UV flatbed and hybrid inkjet wide-format printers, Mehta CNC routers and laser engravers. Shailesh Mehta, Director, Mehta Cad Cam Systems Pvt Ltd, pointed out that one of the key products on display at the expo was the company’s newly launched EVA-II CO2 laser engraving and cutting machine with glass laser tube.

JN Arora Group was yet another show-stopper with whole gamut of machines and printing materials shown at its stand during the show. Aashish Arora, Director-Marketing, JN Arora Group, said that one of the key highlights at the company’s stand was Siser heat transfer vinyl materials. He mentioned that almost all leading garment companies in India use Siser materials. The group is exclusive India distributor of the Italian company. Kheizer Sign showcased it range of K-Bend channel letter bending machines. Riyaz Siddiqui of Kheizer Sign said that they received quite a number of enquiries during the expo, which he considered to be converted into business later.

Trinity Inks showcased whole range of its inks which are suitable for any printhead. The showcase included it highly demanded Platinum Series Plus inks of export grade, odourless and eco-friendly. Amar Patel, Trinity, Managing Director, Trinity, said that the range of inks they provide include sublimation, UV, eco-solvent and a line of universal inks. R&D center of Trinity guarantees high quality, reliable and outstanding outputs on any given printing media.

One of the key highlights at the stand of Monotech Systems was its Pixeljet Powerpro 3.2-m UV LED roll-to-roll printer with Ricoh Gen 6 printhead. Tej Prakash Jain, Managing Director, Monotec Systems Limited, said that their attempt at the expo is to provide solutions which PSPs could produce whole gamut of applications under one roof. Powerpro comes in a six-colour and a four-colour plus white version, capable to handle a broad scope of flexible media for indoor and outdoor applications upto 700 sq ft with a maximum printing width of 3,200mm.

FUJIFILM India showcased two of its key products—Acuity LED 1600R and Acuity LED 3200R. The two systems are designed for high-impact printing and cost-effective super-wide printing with LED UV technology. Pradipta Chowdhury, Senior Product Manager – WFIJ, FUJIFILM India, said that the printers are designed ideally for entry into productive LED UV printing, with an easy upgrade path. AT Inks showcased whole range of its solvent, eco-solvent, ceramic, UV, LED and water-based inks. Neerav Goswamy of AT Inks said they provide inks for almost every Piezo printhead-based machine, besides catering to OEMs, distributors, dealer and end-users.

COSIGN India redefined the world of modular signage with the presentation of a range of its flagship newly introduced I-Sign Flex Series systems. The company also showcased its range of products including Strato, Lighbox, Fabric Frames, Cotex media, etc. Shaniraj Babar, Marketing Manager, COSIGN India Pvt Ltd, said the expo pulled a right kind of crowd showing keen interest in their product portfolio. With a gallery full of ESKO and Massivit 3D applications, Arrow Digital pulled crowd to a prolific showcase of end-to-end solutions with EFI H652 UV printer, EFI Pro 32r, Formech vaccum forming machine, among others. Ujjwala Upadhyay, Brand Manager at Arrow Digital, explained that the flagship EFI H652 can run special ink for thermoforming purposes as ink does not crack.

ADS LED revealed its range of LED modules and power supply to create light behind every illuminated sign. Gautam Bajaj of ADS LED said that the key product highlights at the stand of ADS LED included the company’s flagship Lumina LED modules, powered by SAMSUNG and others including Lumina constant current with optical lens, powered by Philips LUMILED. Another exhibitor with brilliant sense of lighting was Aristocrat Electronics which showcased a range of NC LEDs. Jishnu K, Sales & Marketing Manager of Aristocrat Electronics, said that the expo is the right place to connect with right trade visitors showing interest in their products.

True Colors showcased its highly versatile flagship UV flatbed printers during the show. “Our spotlight in this expo is shed on the Platinum range, which are available in both hybrid and true models,” said Charanjeet Shah of True Colors Solutions & Technologies India Pvt Ltd. Likewise, CDI (Colour Digital India) was another exhibitor showing its highly economical and indigenously manufactured UV printers at the expo. Tejinder Singh, CEO, Color Digital India (CDI), said that all of their UV printers are specifically engineered for the Indian market with affordably and sustainability in mind.

Signage media and consumable supplier Aditya International at the show presented Sihl printing materials and gallery full of applications. Patrick Le Galudec, Sales Director Asia Pacific, Sihl AG, said that it’s an unmatched privilege for them to partner with Aditya International in India to make their presence felt in the country’s market over the last few years. Signarium Exim gathered crowd around its stand as the company showcased a portfolio of modular component for POP/POS displays and others. Sameer Seth of Signarium Exim LLP said that the expo had a good footfall and bunch of focused crowd showing interest in the products they showcased.

Benson Polymers showcased wide varieties of adhesive solutions for finishing signage and graphic art applications. Vipul Kumar Jain, Director, Benson Polymer Ltd, said that key industry events like Media Expo are turned out to be the right connecting point for them to maintain relationship with customers. Another signage finishing expert, Leister showcased its range of trimming and welding machines at the expo. Lokesh Upadhye, Head – Laser Plastic Welding and Automotive, Laser Technologies India Private Limited, said the newly introduced from Leister at the show was an advanced welding system for sign makers.

Key showcases & attractions

DCC Print Vision, an authorised representative for EPSON’s dye-sublimation kit, introduced the EPSON SureColor SC-F9430H printer designed for printing fluorescent colours. Santosh Nair, Associate Director-Business Strategy at DCC Print Vision, said that eco-friendliness is the message they would like to convey to the industry during the expo. He added that the industry is now heading towards textile, safe environment and new revenue streams, as DCC is expanding its capabilities in the space.

Another key showcase at the expo was from MIMAKI, which unpacked its newly launched CJV300 Plus series print and cut inkjet printers. As an upgraded version of CJV300 series, the new printer is offered in two variants – CJV 300-130 and 300-160 Plus. Daisuke Yamane, National Sales Manager, Mimaki India, mentioned that CJV300 Plus series is equipped with a new ID Cut function that enables continuous cutting operations. Surat-based SGP Fabrics, a new venture in manufacturing fabric media, showcased its range of products designed for flags and soft signage applications. Sumit Agarwal from SGP Fabrics said that the expo provides a platform where they could connect with right industry people.

Mumbai-based Aaple Jet launched its compact DTG T-shirt printer, which comes in two variants—double four-colour (CMYK+CMYK) and five colour (CMYK + white). Vijay Chavan of Aaple Jet said the new DTG kit is equipped with a control panel that enables continuous printing, with panel controlling white ink AXIS Enterprises revealed the competency of its range of mini UV flatbed systems designed for print shops engaging in custom applications such as mobile and laptop covers. Britomatics India Pvt Ltd showcased its Britjet and Allwin systems as well as Century Star direct sublimation series. Sumit Dev, Director, Britomatic India Pvt Ltd, said that they are now deeply focusing on direct sublimation and water-based inkjet fabric applications.

Skytec Technologies Incorporation demonstrated a versatile and economical range of UV flatbed, UV roll-to-roll and DTG printers. “In addition to printing systems, we have announced our partnership with TOYO Inks,” said Kamalnath Y, Sales Director, Skytec Technologies Incorporation. Navratan Specialty Chemicals LLP showcased the versatility of its Megasign range of flex, foam-sheets, tarpaulins and inks. Similarly, Afford Digital Inks was another exhibitor showing quite a range of media and inks at its stand at the show.

Ramasigns showcased diverse and unique media range including wallpapers and wall graffiti vinyl materials which are indigenously manufactured in India.

The company also exports a wide range of backlit and frontlit fabrics. Pankaj Jobalia, Managing Director of Ramasign Industries Limited, said that the company’s product portfolio and activity is more on eco-friendly and sustainable printing and signage media. Laser engraving systems shown at Suresh Indu Lasers (SIL) redefined the way engraving technologies should be.

Vardhaman Shah, Director, Suresh Indu Lasers Pvt Ltd, stated that they always look ahead of conventional laser engraving. The company’s stand also flaunted flatbed printers from its partner Macart Equipment.

Shiva Texyarn, a sister company of Bannari Amman Group in Coimbatore, showcased its line of printable textile, an alternative to PVC flex, under the brand Q-PRINT MEDIA. M Aravindh, Manager–Marketing, Shiva Texyarn Limited, said that they are not providing just a range of PVC-free textile materials but also looking forward to changing the way signage graphics are printing hazardously to mankind and environment. Yet another exhibitor which set foot forward to save the environment with its range of green media was Greenworth Media from Mumbai. “After years of R&D we are here today in the market with our printable textile media,” said Snehal Chawan, Founder, Greenworth Media Private Limited.

Among the presenters of big media portfolio at the show was PV Media whose product includes whole range of printing materials for a gamut of indoor and outdoor applications. Rishab Bagadia, Vice President, PV Media Vision Pvt Ltd, said that the cost-effective PV Media line is developed for all grades of printing. On other side, Nilkamal showcased its Bubble Guard range of foam boards for unique display applications. Hiten Modi, Sales Officer, Bubble Guard Division, Nilkamal Limited, stated that the company’s (Bubble Guard) materials are designed for innovative in-shop POP racks and such displays. BNZ Industrial showcased a line of LED modules and power supplies.

Ram Kumar, Regional Marketing Head from BNZ Industrial Pro Pvt Ltd said that the footfall at the expo, despite the disturbance of coronavirus case, is overwhelmed.

As a host of exhibitors showed the pride of showing indigenously made products and machines, Kapchar Tech Solutions demonstrated its flatbed range of machines. Sultan Singh, Director, Kapchar Tech Solutions, stated that their machines are economical and designed for Indian customers who wish to mark their entry in flatbed printing. The company joins hands with Nsure Tech Solutions in south. Techwin Sign Solutions was another company at the show which showcased a line of premium digital wide-format eco-solvent printers of all kinds. P Vijayraj, Director, Techwin Sign Solutions Pvt Ltd, said their machine portfolio is meant for everyone who are looking for entry level to high-end systems. Newclear Technologies introduced new NSPIRE NCL 1804 UV roll-to-roll printer aqnd Allwin E320 UV roll-to-roll printer.

Futuristic displays

Bringing innovations from across the sector, Media Expo Mumbai 2020 garnered significant attention from the business heads, top industry personnel, suppliers, retailers and various other professionals visiting the show who were treated to a glimpse of the futuristic technology in advertising, media print and digital signage platforms.

Limca Book of Records holder and widely-celebrated interior designer, KanikaBawa, was impressed by the quality and variety of displays at Media Expo Mumbai 2020. She said that the expo was an eye-opener to her as it encompassed experience to witness feature-rich products as well as the technology involved in them. “It was also an enriching experience as we could directly interact with the manufacturers and understand the process right from input to the final product,” she shared.

Every single edition of Media Expo reveals future of sustainability: Michael Dehn

In his remark on the success of Media Expo Mumbai 2020, Michael Dehn, General Manager-Sales & Marketing, Messe Frankfurt Trade Fairs Pvt Ltd, stated that every single edition of the expo is a revelation of future of sustainability. “Over the last few years, the trade expo has strongly grown with participation of an increasing number of exhibitors and gradually expanded show floor. Our ultimate aim is to provide a common platform where everybody can come every six months, pump up something to trigger business and then go,” said Michael.

He continued, “Media Expo has developed and grown around 70 percent since the time we acquired the show five years ago. Every new edition of the show is an enhanced and expanded event. But this year, very unfortunately a whole lot of Chinese participants have been missing due to the COVID-19 crisis in the country. Despite the absence of Chinese exhibitors we however managed to increase the number of participants in the expo. In a way, absence of Chinese companies in the expo would have been an opportunity for the Indian companies to market their products and services.”

As he rightly said, Michael pointed out a strong underlying trend of future of sustainability in every product or technology showcased by exhibitors at Media Expo Mumbai 2020. Another future trend among the key showcases at the expo was the trend of combining print and digital which in turn offers a lot of opportunities to create some really interesting synergies between a static graphic arts and digital displays, in which advanced features of mobile phone play a vital role. Michael said, “Creativity in signage solutions on digital platform is still lying untapped in many ways. Exploration of the unexplored landscape of digital signage landscape is what I am curious to see in the future.”

Beginning his career with Messe Frankfurt GmbH at head office in Frankfurt in 1998, Michael has held various executive management roles for the group. He has a long-term track record of implementing successful strategic and organisational business models for the exhibitions and business events industry. Today, he is responsible for the full exhibition portfolio in India where he is mandated with the strategic development of exhibitions as well as inspiring ideas and avenues to maximise sustainable growth, oversee sales strategy and drive business development by identifying opportunities.

Leading an ensemble of new-age technologies at Media Expo Mumbai 2020, many companies showcased futuristic products and machines. For instance, Apsom Infotex provided a glimpse into the revolutionary capabilities of Dimense 3D printers, which are designed for high-profile and high-speed 3D wallpaper printing and embossing. Like that another fine addition to the products featured at the fair was the AI and machine-learning based point of display (PoD) technology by the brand Podlabs. From analysing the gender to assessing the behavioural response of any consumer to a specific product, Podlabs offers a precise description of consumer’s gender, age, behaviour, preferences, and other relative intelligence towards any given product in an app based UI.

Owing to such revolutionary showcase in Point of Purchase (POP), Podlabs garnered the attention of several visitors at the fair. Atul Gaikwad, Director and CEO at Podlabs, commended Media Expo as a venue of remarkable opportunities as he summarised his first-ever experience as an exhibitor at the fair, “Participating for the first time, our experience at Media Expo Mumbai 2020 has been phenomenal. Swarming around our booth were top-tier professionals like brand marketers, brand owners and advertising heads conveying their interest in our product. After receiving so much exposure, we are certainly happy with the current edition of the expo and will be surely looking forward to the next New Delhi edition.”

Next New Delhi edition

Media Expo Mumbai 2020 concluded on a high-note introducing the industry to a new face of innovation in advertising, print media, and the signage segment. The next edition of Media Expo, that is scheduled to be held at Pragati Maidan, New Delhi from September 18 – 20, 2020, will continue to feature a wide variety of high-end innovations on its show floor.

Overseas visitors

Amid the crowds at Media Expo Mumbai 2020 were some overseas visitors representing reputed brands/companies. Martin Burns, OEM Market Manager, Nazdar Ink Technologies, said the expo has a very good content which visitors could get informed and update themselves with every new product and technology on display. He said that Nazdar has strong partnership with NEGI Sign Systems & Supplies Co for the Indian market. Shaun Thomson, UK, Scandinavia & India, CAD Ink Technologies Corporation and Michael Chramtchenko, Director of Marketing, CAD Ink Technologies Corporation, visited the expo for the first time. “We come to know that Media Expo is a premier show on signage & advertising industry in India. A visit to this expo will give us an idea how the industry is going on in the region,” told Shaun.