FESPA MEXICO 2025 - International Wide Format Print Exhibition in Mexico City

Founded in 1962, FESPA organises the leading exhibitions and conferences for this community. Since its inception over 50 years ago, FESPA has been supporting the print community via successful exhibitions, events and publications, providing education and networking opportunities. The foundation of FESPA and its development throughout the years It was during the formative General Assembly in 1962 that the French Printers Association decided to create FESPA with seven European Associations. Since its inception over 60 years ago, FESPA has continued to grow and expand by: Holding exhibitions worldwide in places as far afield as Asia, Africa and South America. Introducing reinvestment in the industry through the Profit for Purpose that supports hundreds of projects each year. Including FESPA Global Print Expo and European Sign Expo to exhibitions. Expanding National Associations to 37 countries worldwide. The Convention in Copenhagen, Denmark 9-14 May 1961 This is one of the most important dates in the History of FESPA, for it was here that the decision was taken to form an independent Federation of European Screen Printing Associations and extracts from the speeches that were made at the time give a clear picture of the intentions and motivation behind this decision. The Convention organised by the Danish Association under the chairmanship of Bjarne Dahl, attracted over 300 delegates, many of whom came with their wives. Not only were all the West European countries represented, but also from outside Europe, the USA, Canada and Argentina. The following extracts from the welcome speech given by Bjarne Dahl, President of the Danish Screen-printing Association, clearly show the importance of this Convention from which FESPA was born: "During the infancy of screen-printing there was no co-operation of any kind and those who had in one way or another managed to obtain some knowledge in the techniques guarded this knowledge jealousy, nevertheless screen-printing spread from one country to another, even though certain technical secrets were only provided after payment of high Licence fees. Suppliers of screen-printing materials soon realised that their turnover depended on the numbers using this process and some took upon themselves the task of teaching the techniques, for which they demanded in return sole supplier rights. This was one of the reasons why, in some countries, users decided to form trade organisations to watch over the interests of the trade and to organise uniform and proper training. Nevertheless we owe our suppliers a great deal and the impressive exhibition which is being held here and also our technical meetings, prove that our suppliers believe in the great and growing future of screen-printing. Due to the great increase in travel since the last war, screen printers from around the world have been making personal contacts and exchanging experience and ideas. Today in Copenhagen is a great meeting opportunity for us all at this Fifth European SPPA Convention." The reasons for an independent FESPA were explained by Bob Levisson, at that time the European President of the SPPA, in an article which he wrote in Screen Printing & Display News in April 1961. These are some of the relevant extracts: "One of the main objects of the European Chapter was the organisation of screen printers' conventions in Europe. However, it soon became clear that these conventions could not be restricted solely to members of this European Chapter, other members of our trade wanted to take part and were naturally welcome to join us. This development made us think. We concluded that for the individual screen printer, in whichever European country he lived, his own national organisation was naturally more important than the SPPA. A second conclusion was the urgency for translations of technical articles from the English text in which they were written. The conclusion is that every screen printer should first and foremost belong to his own national organisation. The various European organisations should then come together (while retaining their full national independence) to form a European Federation of Screen Printers Associations. This Federation should be affiliated to the American SPPA and those individuals who wish to continue to belong to the SPPA should continue to do so. This newly created Federation will be far better placed to organise European Conventions and through their own associations to act as a distribution centre for technical information to all screen printers in Europe."

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