Glass Decoration Sector Unites at GlassPrint 2023

Staged for the ninth time and powered by glasstec, an international audience travelled to Düsseldorf, Germany from 21 different countries, not only from throughout mainland Europe and United Kingdom but also from long distance destinations in Africa, Asia and Central, North and South America.

Key stakeholders covering the flat, hollow and speciality glass sectors included glassmakers, decorators, end-users, brand owners, OEMs and suppliers such as AB-Inbev, AGI Greenpac, AGP Group, Ardagh, BA Glass, Glass&Glass, Leerdam Crisal Glass, O-I, Rastal, Sahm, Saint-Gobain, Saverglass, Schollglas, Sisecam, Steklarna Hrastnik, Verallia, Vetropack and many more.

Expanded programme

GlassPrint 2023 provided delegates with the opportunity to discover the latest innovative advances in screen and digital printing technology alongside new decoration techniques via a two day programme of conference and networking sessions.

Featuring an expanded technical programme, experts working for various companies in the glass decoration sector delivered a series of presentations that demonstrated processes and ideas to add extra value to the end product, cut production costs and make processes more efficient: 

• “Screen printing precision and quality: Why standardisation is the long-term key” by Cugher/Saati.
• “Simplify screen making: What is essential for screen printing on glass” by Grünig-Interscreen/SignTronic.
• “Digital screen printing for flat glass – based on laser technology with ‘ordinary’ ceramic ink” by Haselsteiner. 
• “Make your branding stick: Pre-treatment and digital printing considerations” by Inkcups.
• “UV LED curing for glass applications: The need for a more sustainable solution” by IST Intech.
• “Bird-friendly glass: Decorative or invisible structuring of architectural glass to prevent bird collisions” by KIWO, Kissel + Wolf. 
• “Hybrid: No limits in printing direct-to-shape” by Koenig & Bauer Kammann.
• “Printing process and system design for print patterning and mapping” by LANS/HEIG.
• “Direct-to-object printing” by Marabu.
• “Establishing and maintaining inkjet print quality on glass” by Meteor Inkjet.
• “Things to know about 360° print: Sustainability, personalisation, prototyping, differentiation” by Modico/LSINC.
• “Inkjet printing of functional materials in glass manufacturing” by Notion Systems.
• “From architecture glass to automotive glass displays: New solutions and opportunities for screen printing” by Thieme.
• “Curing with UV LED” by Uviterno.
• “Challenges in hollowware glass decoration” by Vibrantz.

Complementing the technical content, keynote addresses included Michael Delle Selve, Senior Communications Manager at FEVE, outlining the future of glass packaging and Luca Oggianu, Public Affairs and Communication Manager at Glass for Europe, looking at high performance glazing in EU sustainable buildings.

Later, Dorothée Richardt from Bundesverband Glasindustrie e.V., evaluated trends in the German glass industry, Lars Wismer from Messe Düsseldorf provided an update on glasstec 2024 and industry stalwart Jorma Vitkala detailed global flat glass trends.

Anyone who missed GlassPrint 2023 and would benefit from viewing the proceedings can visit www.esma.com/shop/glassprint to purchase the presentations. 

Networking opportunities

The conference programme was supported by intervals dedicated to the accompanying tabletop exhibition area, and at the end of the first day delegates benefited from networking with their peers and suppliers during an evening dinner. Exhibitors who displayed the latest developments in inks, pre-press technology, printing equipment and supplies included:

COMATEC-LANS (HEIG-VD/HES-SO), Cugher Glass, Encres Dubuit, Fermac, Gallus, Global Inkjet Systems, Grünig-Interscreen/SignTronic, Haselsteiner, Inkcups, IST Intech, ISIMAT, KIWO/Kissel + Wolf, Koenig & Bauer Kammann, Mankiewicz, Marabu, Meteor Inkjet, Modico, Notions Systems, ORMO Print, Rosario, Saati, Sefar, SEIKO Instruments, SIAK Transfers, Sun Chemical, THIEME, Torrecid, Uviterno and Vibrantz.

Sponsors and organisers

GlassPrint was jointly organised by Chameleon Business Media, publisher of Glass Worldwide and ESMA, a European association for specialist printing manufacturers of screen, digital and flexo technology. As well as being powered by glasstec, GlassPrint 2023 was sponsored by Glass Global.

After reaffirming its importance on the global glass events calendar, the organisers are already planning the next edition of GlassPrint; details on the location and dates will appear in future issues of Glass Worldwide and interested parties can register their interest at www.glassprint.org. In the meantime, members of ESMA will showcase the best in functional and decorative glass printing in a dedicated pavilion at glasstec 2024 and the Annual ESMA Glass Publication 2023 that provided a unique guide to glass decoration in the March/April 2023 issue of Glass Worldwide is available at https://www.glassworldwide.co.uk/Digital-Issues.