FESPA in Portugal: imagining a world without print is impossible

This year’s Apigraf conference focused on sustainability and showcased print's importance beyond books.

After the 170-year anniversary events at last year’s Apigraf (Portuguese Association of Graphic and Paper Processing Industries) annual meeting, at this year’s conference sustainability was high on the agenda. The meeting was located in the beautiful natural environs of the Azores. 

The speakers addressed industry economics and environmental impacts and highlighted print's vital role in daily life. Despite some challenges, Portugal's print sector, particularly packaging, shows growth, with optimism for the future.

“I think it was a very suitable place for people to understand what we mean by sustainability, and to be able to imagine a better world,” Apigraf Director Paulo Dourado says.

“These islands aren’t as tourist-focused as some similar places, so the natural environment is far less spoiled. For example, while we were there, we had the opportunity to watch whales swimming. So, it’s quite a unique place and a very nice place to visit.”

The impressive settings were matched by an equally fascinating array of events and presentations. 

“We had one full day of meetings, with presentations from a senior member of one of the biggest media companies in Portugal – Grupo Impresa – which owns the SIC television channel as well as some newspapers. Graeme Richardson-Locke, Head of Associations & Technical Lead at FESPA, gave a presentation [pictured above]. We also had presentations from a multinational Portuguese software company, and Canon also joined,” Paulo said.

“All the speakers discussed different aspects of what is happening in the sustainability arena. The conference was heavily focused on sustainability and the economic situation in the printing industry, and I think it was very well received by all those who came.”

Spreading the message

Certainly, the feedback from those in attendance was very positive. 

“Apigraf represents around 350 companies, which account for about 80% of revenue of the entire print market in Portugal, and this annual meeting is an event that our members always look forward to and value very highly,” Paulo says.

“I think one of the key aspects of these types of events is networking, not just the conference seminars. It is an opportunity for people to be together, to speak with each other, to have dinners together and talk about problems in the industry and potential solutions. So, networking and the social programme of events is probably the most important part of this event.”

While the conference promoted internal dialogue, another part of this year’s event involved the steps Apigraf is taking to spread the message of the importance of print to the public at large.

“In another island in the Azores, we had a version of a touring exhibition that we are making that shows how the printing industry isn’t just about books and magazines but clothes, signage, labelling, packaging, and what the world would be like with no printing industry. We have examples of what unprinted boxes look like, or products without labels, so the public can imagine what life would be like without print.”

Interesting times

Recent US-led worldwide volatility notwithstanding, in general terms, the situation is largely looking positive for print in Portugal. At the conference, Apigraf presented the figures from its latest economic study, covering the period up to May 2023.

“In that post-Covid period, figures showed that the print industry in Portugal is growing in packaging and labelling, although the traditional print companies are still struggling to find their way. But things are surprisingly stable,” Paulo said.

“After 2021, we saw a trend of companies – both big and small – who were already struggling with cashflow issues, who had to leave the market. But the market has recovered quite well. Events, especially in-person events, have rebounded well and areas like point of sale, for example, have also reacted well. 



“Packaging has re-emerged as a big market in Portugal because our main industries include shoemaking, textiles and, of course, wine. As those industries do well, the print associated with them also benefits.”

In historic printing industries, such as newspapers, magazines or leaflets, the amount being manufactured has reduced, but equally, so have the number of companies working in those areas. This, Paulo said, means that those who have survived are now in reasonable shape. 

“Even books are a fairly extraordinary market. People have been saying that with Kindle and digital media, printed books will be a thing of the past. But actually, thanks to platforms like TikTok and new generations talking about books online, the printed book market is actually growing,” Paulo said.

“So we were not expecting good numbers but things look better than expected. Of course, none of this takes into account the disruptive events coming from the US – we don’t know how that will pan out, but we are hoping for the best. As in the rest of Europe, Portuguese print companies are still innovating and still finding new ways of selling printed products, so we have good expectations for the future.”