Twitter

Arriving from all over Europe, delegates to the yearly General Assembly of ESMA (European Specialist Printing Manufacturers Association) came together for two days in the heart of the Hungarian capital. The meeting was accompanied by a keynote presentation, the election of Walter Frick as ESMA Ambassador and a networking dinner joined by representatives of the local printing com­munity.

In the afternoon of 7th April 2016, in the superbly renovated Continental Hotel Budapest, Lutz Walter delivered a keynote speech on the current situation and future trends of Europe’s textile industry. The secretary general of the Textile European Technology Platform highlighted the exciting developments awaiting this market sector and showcased how various printing techniques drive the change. The next speech came from Walter Frick, a long-term member of Marabu Inks’ management board and one of the “founding fathers” as well as past-Chairmen of ESMA, who was awarded the association’s Honourable Ambassador. Walter re-collected the reasons ESMA was founded 26 years ago; the same principles apply today. “During my years at ESMA I could observe the growing confidence between the member companies who knew one another only as a neighbour on the market or a more or less aggressive competitor. With time, close cooperation and sometimes friendship could grow up, which was very helpful for our common tasks. I understand this award as a symbol of this confidence and good human relations between all ESMA members”, stated the new Am­bassador. The friendly and relaxed spirit culminated in the networking dinner attended by several Hungarian printers and journalists who took advantage of the opportunity to exchange their professional experiences with ESMA members.

After an evening of fruitful discussions, finding new contacts and re-connecting, the General Assembly com­menced on 8th April with a look back on the last twelve months. Those included the record-breaking second edition of The Inkjet Conference, the premiere Direct Container Print, the sixth edition of GlassPrint and Advanced Functional and Industrial Printing conference in March this year. All events not only delivered out­standing content about technology advancements but also grew industry’s awareness of ESMA activities and expertise, attracting new members and partners. Six weeks before drupa, ESMA member base has reached 72 companies, a record high in the organisation’s history.

General Assembly 2016 closed with an overview of future projects, many of them already in an advanced preparatory phase. ESMA presence at drupa 2016 will focus on two pavilions in halls 3 and 6, and the launch of a brand new Expert Team providing technological advice at ESMA Lounge to everyone interested. Oliver Kammann, the incumbent chairman of the association, says: “Today, screen and inkjet printing technologies play an ever increasing role in industrial applications, where printing is part of the manufacturing process of an end product. ESMA is widely recognised as being the leading provider of technical knowledge and expertise in this exciting industry segment. Through our conferences we already deliver valuable content to members, printers, manufacturers and brand owners. With the introduction of the ESMA Expert Team we further intend to strengthen our position as the leading information source by providing focused advice, training classes and consultation to our members, their clients and the industry.”