FESPA Personalisation Experience confirms Inaugural SmartHub

FESPA has released final details for the inaugural SmartHub, which will take place during Personalisation Experience 2025 from 6-9 May 2025 at the Messe Berlin, Germany.

The SmartHub will comprise a series of expert-led conference sessions and a Smart Factory Trail.

The SmartHub will highlight the importance of using the latest technologies and software across various disciplines to reduce waste and increase operational efficiency while leveraging the benefits of digital production methods.

 “FESPA events provide the ability to hear and learn from visionaries on their experiences, which is why we’re delighted to host the SmartHub. Building on the success of the Personalisation Conference over the last two years, in 2025, we have extended the duration of the conference. Hence, it runs across three days of the exhibition, as well as making it free-of-charge to attend. As a result, this valuable opportunity is open to a wider audience of visitors, and we are confident they will find relevant sessions on the latest in personalisation and smart production, as well as real-life examples and insight into how they can expand their personalisation offering,” says Duncan MacOwan, Head of Marketing and Events, FESPA.
Smart Factory Trail

Visitors can explore the new Smart Factory Trail, using the FESPA App and QR codes within the exhibition, to explore highlighted exhibitors across the three co-located shows in Berlin. Each exhibitor offers personalisation solutions and intelligent manufacturing technologies, from software to on-demand printing solutions.
SmartHub Conference Programme

The free-to-attend SmartHub Conference will take place throughout the first three days of the expo and will be delivered in English. In Hall 5.2, Stand A55, sessions will be moderated by Frank Tueckmantel. They will include talks from experts on their experiences of personalisation and smart production, their importance within marketing, and how specialty printers can benefit from investing in customisation-enabling solutions. Speakers will also explore the power of personalisation across areas such as textile and packaging and will dive deeper into the current trends impacting customisation.
Confirmed sessions include:

Mass Customisation in the Age of AI: From Bespoke Products to Algorithmic Design. Here, Frank Piller from RWTH Aachen University will highlight the evolution of mass customisation and the transformative power of AI. Attendees will discover how AI-driven personalisation, smart customisation, and generative AI enable companies to customise products and services like never before. The talk will offer a forward-looking glimpse into the world of personalised products and services, emphasising the importance of strategic integration to unlock the full potential of AI in mass customisation.
 RSPCA: Data-driven marketing for more significant impact. In this session Charlie Stewart, Development Lead at Ebi, Tom Ridges, CEO at Herdify, and Ben Briggs, Managing Partner at Join the Dots, will look at how charities are turning to data-led strategies to maximise their impact, and explore how behavioural insights can refine audience targeting and improve marketing efficiency. Focusing on the RSPCA’s Christmas campaign, Charlie, Tom, and Ben will demonstrate how optimising past responder data, testing different formats and using localised messaging led to an 80% increase in donor acquisition and a 54% reduction in cost per donation.

 The Power of Personalisation: Transforming corrugated packaging with right-sized, on-demand digital printing. In this session, Kerry Sanders, VP of Market & New Business Development at EFI, will explain how digital printing technology can empower PSPs and packaging professionals to meet their customers' evolving demands. The session will also explore why personalisation matters, the benefits of variable data printing, and new revenue streams through customisation.
 
Panel Sessions
In addition to the speaker sessions, several panel discussions will take place across the event, including those led by FESPA’s Textile Ambassador, Debbie McKeegan, focusing on smart manufacturing. Panel sessions include:

The Rise of B2B in Print On-Demand: Mastering personalisation to drive growth. This panel discussion will feature Rusty Pepper, Head of Global Markets & Partnerships at Taylor OnDemand; Hans Scheffer, CEO & Co-Founder at HelloPrint; and James Old, CEO & Co-Founder at Prodigi Group. This session will take a deep dive into the evolving landscape of B2B print-on-demand and the fundamental differences between the European and US markets, the unique challenges businesses face in customisation, and how brands, suppliers and resellers can adopt best practices for scaling personalised B2B solutions.
 How automation is impacting the future of textile production. In this session, David Sweetnam and Johnny Shell, Principal Analysts at Keypoint Intelligence, will explore how automation is revolutionising the apparel decoration industry, offering greater efficiencies, faster turnaround times, higher-quality end products, and higher profit margins.

 When Less Makes More! Debbie McKeegan, FESPA Textile Ambassador. Debbie and guests will help attendees understand how doing less can yield more for their print business in the innovative, efficient manufacturing age. This session explores the potential of smart manufacturing, demonstrating how harnessing cutting-edge technology, streamlined operations, and sustainable practices will result in profitable production alongside reduced waste—thus delivering environmental stewardship and operational efficiency.

The full SmartHub Conference programme can be viewed online at:  http://www.personalisationexperience.com/whats/smarthub
Personalisation Experience 2025 visitors will also gain free access to its co-located events, the FESPA Global Print Expo and European Sign Expo, where they can discover the latest solutions in the speciality print, signage and visual communications industries.