FuturePrint Industrial Print: Why a New Era Demands a New Kind of Event

This article is based on a FuturePrint Podcast discussion with the co-founders of FuturePrint. You can listen to it here.

FuturePrint has long been a platform for exploring the cutting edge of print technology, but January 2026 marks perhaps its most ambitious step yet: the launch of FuturePrint Industrial Print Munich, a focused, application-driven technology event for a manufacturing world undergoing rapid digital transformation. To understand how and why this new event has come together, FuturePrint co-founders Marcus Timson and Frazer Chesterman sat down together for a rare joint interview - this time with Frazer on the guest side of the microphone.

Chesterman begins by reflecting on the journey. “Marcus and I have worked together for more than 20 years,” he says. “We’ve run large-scale international exhibitions, we created the original InPrint show back in 2014, and through FuturePrint we’ve developed what we believe is the most vibrant thought-leadership community in industrial print.” What’s happening now, he explains, is a natural evolution - but one shaped by major shifts in the technology and in the wider manufacturing economy.

From Exploration to Application

The first InPrint shows arrived at a time when industrial inkjet was still highly exploratory. Textiles was beginning to grow, ceramics had just been transformed by digital processes, and functional print was a phrase still finding its definition. “A lot of the industry was experimenting,” Timson recalls. “Inkjet suppliers knew what their technology ‘could’ do but were still learning where it could deliver the most value.”

Ten years on, the picture is dramatically more focused. Automotive electrification, battery production, white goods, advanced coatings, digital packaging, and additive manufacturing have all become fertile territory for inkjet deposition. New chemistry innovations - including ultra-high-viscosity fluids, novel functional materials, and dramatically improved reliability - have pushed inkjet into areas that were previously off-limits.

“In 2014, the message was: inkjet can go anywhere,” Chesterman says. “Today, the message is: inkjet is already in specific manufacturing segments delivering real value. And those segments need a dedicated platform.”

Why Launch a New Event Now?

Timson puts it simply: “Manufacturers are under more pressure than ever. Economic uncertainty, sustainability targets, labor constraints, energy costs, and the need for digitalization have all converged. They need new processes that are flexible, automated, traceable, and entirely digital. Inkjet fits that perfectly.”

Chesterman agrees. “The demand is there. But manufacturers need more than a traditional print fair. They need direct access to integrators, chemists, engineers, machine builders, and application specialists who can help solve real industrial problems.”

That’s the origin of FuturePrint Industrial Print Munich - a curated environment designed specifically for decision-makers in industrial manufacturing, not the conventional commercial print crowd.

A Different Kind of Event

Both co-founders are candid about the state of traditional exhibitions. “Big trade shows are exhausting,” Timson says. “Large halls, enormous distances, inconsistent quality, and often the thing you came to see isn’t where you expect it to be. Visitors and exhibitors alike are burned out on that model.”

FuturePrint Industrial Print offers a reformulation:

• A tight, curated exhibitor group of around 50 companies

• 15+ live machinery demonstrations in a Fab-Lab-style environment

• Four content themes shaped around real manufacturing demand

  • Functional & Additive

  • Décor & Surface

  • AI & Intelligent Automation

  • Packaging & Labels

  A highly accessible venue – Motorworld Munich, a converted industrial space surrounded by iconic automotive brands

• Food trucks, social areas, short talks, and high-value networking

“It’s 50% exhibition, 50% content and collaboration,” Chesterman explains. “A place where you can meet the people you need, see machines in action, and understand the applications that matter right now.”

Content With Purpose

One of the event’s biggest draws is its content program, which focuses not on generic keynotes but on specific, application-driven insight.

“We’ve structured the conference programme around what industrial visitors need to solve,” Timson explains. “How to deposit functional materials. How to print on complex substrates. How to integrate inkjet into a digital factory. How AI is reshaping process automation. And crucially, what early adopters have already achieved.”

Day One includes high-level keynote sessions examining digital manufacturing, haptics in automotive UX, and new functional deposition models. Beyond that, 20-minute technical spotlights keep the pace fast and the content accessible.

The AI for Industrial Print programme is another highlight - featuring experts from printing, manufacturing, biomimicry, automotive, and enterprise AI. “Industrial print does not exist in isolation anymore,” Timson says. “AI is now part of product design, material engineering, maintenance, and process optimization.”

New Exhibitors, New Energy

One of the notable features of the Munich event is the presence of new faces. “We have companies exhibiting that have never attended a FuturePrint event before,” Chesterman explains. “Some previously exhibited at generalist printing shows but found that their technology was too advanced or too niche to get traction. Now they have an event built for them.”

Examples range from advanced curing and pre-treatment specialists to fluid deposition innovators and automation systems providers. “Some of the tech we’re seeing is extraordinary,” Timson notes. “Inkjet for coatings. Inkjet for EV components. Ultra-high-viscosity inkjet for textiles and packaging. Material jetting in completely new environments. And all with real customers from Bosch, BMW, and others already registered.”

Why This Event Matters

In an industry where collaboration is essential, the founders see their role as creating the right environment for breakthroughs. “Inkjet is a complex technology,” Chesterman says. “It’s the Formula One of printing. You need the right chemists, integrators, electronics specialists, curing experts, and machine builders all aligned. That’s why this event exists.”

Timson concludes: “FuturePrint Industrial Print is not about selling boxes. It’s about solving problems. It’s about giving the industrial sector a gateway into what is possible with modern digital deposition. We’re proud of the momentum so far, and we can’t wait to welcome the community to Munich.”