The 11th FESPA Southern European Congress returns to Porto on 11-12 November, focusing on AI, automation, and sustainable print practices.
Speciality print leaders from five Southern European countries will gather in Porto next month for the eleventh edition of the FESPA Southern European Congress. Taking place on 11 and 12 November at the HF Ipanema Porto hotel, the two-day gathering is co-organised by five regional trade associations: FESPA France, FESPA Italia, FESPA España, Apigraf (Portugal), and the FESPA Hellas Association (Greece).
The congress brings together business owners, managing directors, and technical specialists across screen, digital, textile, and signage printing. Designed as a regional benchmarking forum, the event offers delegates an opportunity to compare operating strategies across neighbouring markets, examining common challenges around skilled labour shortages, technology investments, and changing customer requirements.
Director of Communications at Apigraf, Paulo Dourado, commented, “Portugal is proud to host the Southern European Congress in Porto. Our markets face many of the same challenges, from AI and sustainability to finding skilled people. Ultimately, we’re stronger when we discuss and tackle these challenges together.”
The agenda opens on 11 November with structured speed-networking sessions connecting print service providers, machinery manufacturers, and trade bodies, followed by an economic overview titled Big Picture: The Southern European Printing Industry. Technical sessions will then examine workflow automation and digital tooling, including a presentation on artificial intelligence in print and packaging by Helder Martins and Luis Loureiro of Sistrade, alongside a finishing automation showcase presented by Fotoba’s Walter Bano.
On the second day, business leaders will present live case studies under an Innovation Best Practices banner. Speakers include Sign CEO Jorge Nogueira, Estudios Durero General Manager Ander Soriano, Groupe Oxysign President Sébastien Trautmann, Pressious Arvanitidis IT Director and R&D Project Manager Chris Trochoutsos, and Fercon Consultancy Managing Director Nikolaos Ferous. Fespa Head of Associations and Technical Lead Graeme Richardson-Locke will subsequently lead discussions on environmental metrics, before the event concludes with site visits to three local print, packaging, and textile production facilities.
First launched in 2015 by industry bodies in France, Italy, and Spain, the congress expanded to include Portugal’s Apigraf shortly after, with Greece joining the initiative in 2023 to establish a unified five-nation regional platform.