Promotional products distributors, agencies and service provides will have a chance to meet face-to-face for three days with well-known international manufacturers and industry newcomers. The focus will be as much on innovations, new trends and application possibilities as on a comprehensive textile range, cutting-edge finishing options and an informative educational programme. What’s more, promotional products distributors will for the second time be able to invite their industry customers to join them at the show on the third day of the event.

The El Dorado of promotional textiles

Promotional textiles are particularly sought after by PSI visitors. That’s why the textile area will be enhanced in 2018 with the addition of a comprehensive programme. The new Textile Discovery Tour, for example, will provide an initial overview of manufacturers, trends and news in the form of a “scavenger hunt”. Another new feature will be the PSI Best Practice Islands featuring live experiences of transfer printing, screen printing, embroidery, laser marking and digital printing.

Visitors can learn everything there is to know about cotton production on the Walk of Cotton, which at several stations delivers illustrative information about the versatile natural fibre. The learning path was developed jointly by the Bremen Cotton Exchange and the Academy for Textile Finishing. The popular Catwalk is the centrepiece of the Textile Area in Hall 10. Several times a day, the latest exhibitor collections will be presented here. In total, more than 200 exhibitors from the textile segment and finishing will showcase their highlights at PSI, and they’ll all be consolidated in Hall 10, the Textile Hall.

New products and premieres en masse

New products and innovations are central at PSI, including those of the 50 participants in the PSI FIRST Club. The participants’ 50 product launches will be introduced to the market at the PSI Institute – Competence Area in Hall 9, Stand M40. Trade show visitors will be the ones recognising the most convincing new products by voting in the People’s Choice Award.

Distributors looking for fresh ideas for their portfolios from the inventor’s workshop should stop by the Innovation Area in Hall 12, the place where twelve inventors will present their developments and creations in 2018. On display here will be such products as the GREENSPOON, a combined spoon and tea bag; Kibonu’s mini trees, which don’t grow from a pot but from a moss ball; and a 2-in-1 bottle that lets you transport warm and cold drinks at the same time.

Good to know: Education at the PSI Best Practice Forum

Globalisation, digitalisation, and stricter guidelines and requirements don’t exactly make everyday business any easier. For an overview, suggestions and guidance concerning current and upcoming challenges facing the industry, attend the expert lectures at the Best Practice Forum in Hall 9, Stand M28. Topics explored here range from sustainability, transparency and quality assurance to increasing digitalisation and, not least, to proper customer relationship management. Participation is free of charge for trade show visitors.

Distributors invite their customers

In 2017, promotional products consultants could for the first time invite their customers to attend the otherwise closed event on the third show day. This option will be offered again in 2018. On 11 January, invited marketing staff and decision-makers from industry companies will be allowed to visit the show along with the distributors. Also like last year, only promotional products consultants who’ve already registered will be able to issue invitations. New this year: the registration process has been simplified. Only absolutely necessary information will be requested from industry customers, making registration easier for industry customers and distributors alike. Thanks to a red lanyard, industry customers will be easy to distinguish from promotional products distributors onsite. In addition, a code on the ticket will tell exhibitors which distributor invited the customer, enabling both to work together to serve his or her needs.

Find the perfect contact with the online matchmaking tool

At PSI 2017, the matchmaking contact platform facilitated over 420 successful meetings between exhibitors and visitors with aligned interests. Trade show participants are already actively planning their meetings for the 2018 event, as well. With just under two months to go before the start of the show, some 1,000 appointment requests have already been dispatched. Such preparation and planning make trade show visits even more efficient, since the tool brings together exactly the right contacts on the supplier and distributor side ahead of the event, giving them a chance to engage in concrete business discussions onsite. All that’s required to take advantage of the tool is an easy-to-create profile. Users will receive contact suggestions as soon as its activated. If both sides are interested, nothing else will stand in the way of a meeting at the trade show.

International meeting point

About 50 per cent of exhibitors and more than 40 per cent of visitors come to PSI from outside Germany. Trade visitors, in particular, will put up with sometimes long journeys in order to network and learn in Düsseldorf. Promotional products pros from countries such as Algeria, Indonesia, Korea, Canada, Singapore, South Africa and the US have already booked their trip to PSI 2018. International associations will also present themselves at the start-of-the-year event in Düsseldorf.

Trade show opening event: Product Preview Event on 8 January

For the second time, international distributors will be able to get in touch with manufacturers at the Product Preview Event. The event on 8 January will serve to kick off the trade show. Up to 20 selected manufacturers from various product segments will present themselves to an exclusive international group of participants. “A fantastic and well-organised event”, applauds Inder Brar, the managing director of Printkick. Having participated in the debut of the Product Preview Event in 2017, he especially emphasises the casual atmosphere and the focus on bringing together suppliers and distributors through meaningful dialogue.