Anyone been this year?
Was thinking about a quick trip tomorrow but not overly excited at the prospect.
I'm expecting a DTF fest and nothing much new as always.
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Anyone been this year?
Was thinking about a quick trip tomorrow but not overly excited at the prospect.
I'm expecting a DTF fest and nothing much new as always.
This year I let George & Stu go..... not heard back from them yet....
I normally go on a Tuesday and you would think after 2 years I might be raring to go!
Not so.
The thought of a 170+ mile round trip @ £1.60+ a litre, £10 to park (unless I can pull my usual trick) and some food etc at NEC prices made me seriously look at the exhibitor list and I don't see anything new in Dye Sub that might be on display that I don't already know about, while, in fact, a number of my regular suppliers are not attending this year and one is even based in Birmingham and they have been ever present in past years.
The email I received yesterday from P&P indicated 000's had already attended on Sunday, well, who know's, but it will be interesting to read any reports from members who did attend and whether they thought it was worth the effort and does the Show still have legs moving forward in an age when everything is released and notified in real time on the internet?
Just can't face the NEC, and all the expense and hassle. Maybe if there was a smaller show at Olympia I would have thought differently.
I was going to go, to look at DTF machines, but had the impression that every stand selling them would be inundated with gawkers and tyre kickers. On top of that a lot of the people selling them know diddly squat about the complexities of running complex wide format equipment, and don't necessarily have the suport network in place. I thought better of it.
I will go through the exhibitor list and see who has something of interest and make appointments accordingly.
We thought about going, but nothing stood out as being of great interest to me. So decided not to go this year. I know a few others who haven't gone this year.
Same with us, we also decided not to venture down this year, when we normally do and do a hotel stopover.
With costs rising and very quiet Q1 all round, we decided to knock it on the head and will venture down in the future, or pay a visit to Xpres and their showroom at some point.
Aside from DTF the only thing I would have liked to have seen the new Pressmech linear twin platen press, but it wasn't enough to make me go.
Did anyone get a look at it? The only image on the PM website looks to be a very incomplete early prototype.
Can't even see the new press on PM site. Very poor website, always has been. Can't for the life of me understand why they never made a UK mug press either.
So general consensus on the show is same as my opinion, not worth bothering anymore. Maybe time for a rethink p&p.
Attachment 6899Quote:
Originally Posted by Justin
That is as good an image as it gets.:biggrin:
I agree with you about the website - it doesn't match the quality of the products sold.
I also agree about P&P needing a rethink. Do we really need to see brands like Fruit of the Loom who - unless you spend the £100k per annum to open a direct account - only serve us through the wholesale network? Strip those brands away and there is very little there.
I wanted to go but was too busy with life and business.
But... There was a lot I wanted to see.
Embroidery machines: I am looking at two or more head machines for descent price with a fairly local servicing option
DTG - looking in to invest one.
DTF - I already have seen it and I don't think it's for me. I sell my products at a higher marginin lower quantities.. My customers are people who want may be up to 30 items at a time. DTF need to RUN RUN RUN! So if you are a BULK printer then this may be the option. I am not convinced yet.
Dye-sub. LOADS of new stuff. If you look at American or Chinese sites, they have loads. New bottles, mug shapes etc. so would be good to see who stocks those new products.
I am also very interested in seeing all eco-solvent types of vinyl. I can't afford to buy every roll on the market so would be good to see them all in one place. especially applied to t-shirts. SO for me, it would be a productive trip, but as I said.... busy with life
I did consider going to Fespa this year, I think you're more likely to see the new blanks there. We just seem to get the same blanks from the same suppliers all the time in the UK. Then another new supplier starts up selling the same stuff ;-)
'bout right.Quote:
Originally Posted by Justin
P&P didn't help themselves by moving to later in the year, when a lot of us are getting busier post Xmas.
Agreed. About 5 years ago I went to FESPA in Munich, mainly because I combined it with wanting to visit a great German city with lot's of history. The actual show was Premier League with all the major Chinese and European manufacturers present plus so much more, it made P&P look like a Sunday League kick about in the local park.Quote:
Originally Posted by Justin
As has been mentioned, take out the many garment suppliers in all their various guises and there is really not much there, after all, it occupies barely a single hall, while FESPA is big.
Funnily enough the cost to fly to Germany was probably about the same as the 20 minute rail fare from here to Birmingham! Although that's 3 hours plus when I go on it :-( My passport is out of date or I would have probably gone.....next time.
We went to the last Fespa in London and it was also excellent.