170 participants attended the 9th edition of GlassPrint. The conference and tabletop exhibition brought together an international audience from all walks of glass decoration. 20 presentations delivered content on state-of-the-art technology and the networking area provided for vivid discussions. “Precious insights and impeccable organisation – it was a great gathering of glass industry’s most remarkable players,” commented one of the attendees.

Organised jointly by ESMA and “Glass Worldwide”, as well as powered by glasstec and sponsored by Glass Global, the conference attracted an international audience from 21 different countries and five continents. 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.

“Great forum to dive deep into printing on glass topics, providing a good mix of technical presentations and company exhibits,” commented Alexander Hoppe from AGP eGlass. “It was very useful to establish new collaborations and to listen to the latest developments in the sector,” added Zeynep Aydin from Sisecam.

Complementing the technical content, keynote addresses included Michael Delle Selve from FEVE, outlining the future of glass packaging and Luca Oggianu from Glass for Europe, looking at high performance glazing in EU sustainable buildings. Dorothée Richardt from Bundesverband Glasindustrie, 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, Cugher, Encres Dubuit, Fermac, Gallus, Global Inkjet Systems, Grünig-Interscreen/SignTronic, Haselsteiner, Inkcups, IST Intech, Isimat, 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.

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 in the “Annual ESMA Glass Publication 2023”.