德国杜塞尔多夫国际广告用品专业展览会（PSI）是欧洲领先的产品促销行业展览会，该展由Reed展览公司主办，历史悠久，从1963年就开始举办，一年一届，每年的一月份在德国杜塞尔多夫展览中心举办。该展在Promotion行业内极具知名度，促销产品是在广告市场的第三力量，根据展会数据统计，目前PSI展每年吸引900家会员企业参展，来自30多个国家，观众人数近2万名专业人士到场观展，他们来自75个国家，其中百分之56的客人在展会上下了订单。百分之九十的参展商对展会效果表示满意，并明确表示将继续参展。展出面积达七万平方米，摊位面积的增加将更有利于企业参展。作为Promotion产品的出口大国，中国的企业在该展会上将极有竞争力，但目前还未对中国企业开放。
该展实行会员制，目前共有约7000家批发商以上的销售公司是PSI的会员。 该展目前规模参展企业900家左右，专业的贸易观众近2万名。
展品范围(Show Products):
广告用品、促销品、标识技术、旅游纪念品、民族工艺品、电子礼品、水晶礼品、小家电、奖品、台历、万年历、家庭饰品、家庭摆设品、服装饰物等。
展会报告(Show Reports):
PSI in Düsseldorf traditionally marks the start to the new trade fair and promotion year. 600 exhibitors and 11,062 visitors from 74 countries travelled to Düsseldorf for the kick-off from 7 to 9 January 2025. Here, the promotional products industry came together again to network and present innovations. PSI therefore once again offered the ideal start to the year for the entire industry.
“Despite the challenging economic backdrop the industry is demonstrating its resilience and willingness to leverage opportunities, explore innovative paths and adapt to dynamic requirements,” said Michael Köhler, Managing Director of PSI organiser RX Deutschland GmbH. “Trade shows such as PSI not only create a platform but also the prerequisites for the sector to exchange and shape the future with fresh inspirations rather than just react to external impulses.”
The trade show featured inspirations from various areas – ranging from the increasing importance of AI also in the promotional product industry to new ideas for sustainable and resource-saving products. This became both visible and experienceable in the three exhibition halls and on the special area, in the lecture programme and at the PSI Trend Show.
At the kick-off to the trade show, PSI already highlighted just how great the industry’s potential really is by adding to its strapline: Leading European Trade Show for Promotional Products, Incentives and Merchandising. “With this broadened perspective we want to make it clear that this industry can be self-confident and proud of its relevance going far beyond the classic promotional product business,” says Petra Lassahn, PSI Director. “It’s about a broad field of promotional measures.”
This was also reflected in the wide range of promotional textiles on show at the trade show, both in the special area Textile Village and displayed by individual exhibitors. “An important market,” adds Petra Lassahn, “because for over 50% of our visitors, textiles – be they promotional, team or workwear – are among the key products.” International competition and red tape challenge the sector
At the PSI opening event the economic backdrop was centre stage. Markus Herbrand, finance-policy spokesman for the FDP parliamentary group in the German Bundestag, who has been committed to the industry for many years, faced the questions and demands by Kathrin Stühmeyer-Halfar, Managing Director of Halfar System GmbH, and Peter Beichel, Managing Director of Bensussen Deutsch & Associates GmbH. “The current situation in Germany is dampening the mood and slowly also impacting promotional products,” stressed Kathrin Stühmeyer-Halfar. Peter Beichel drew attention to policies in Germany and Europe doubting “whether enough was being done to take the economic backdrop into consideration.” Because high bureaucratic hurdles were, he said, resulting in a competitive disadvantage especially for the industry dominated by medium-sized companies.
“The economic backdrop has clearly deteriorated over the past few years,” admitted Markus Herbrand mentioning high energy costs, tax laws and insufficient productivity – alongside Germany’s excessive red tape. It would take more than just a change of direction in the federal elections, he said. “First and foremost, we need economic growth,” said Herbrand who went on to say: “I’m optimistic because the basic requirements for Germany’s renewed rise as an economic nation are in place.” Looking to Europe was, he believed, also part of this because – despite all the criticism – “we can rely on Europe.”
Europe was clearly a focus of this year’s PSI. The European Association Corporation (EAC) was represented with a joint stand at the trade show for the first time this year, thereby also expanding the PSI’s international network.
Potential also outside Europe
Many exhibitors also see growth opportunities outside of Europe. But which countries beyond the DACH region and the central European market might be exciting future markets? “The economic development seen in Eastern European countries is of course attractive because it also creates new markets. To that extent, Eastern Europe is opening up for us as a market because people there are also prepared to pay a bit more for good quality,” said Armin Halfar, Managing Director at Halfar System GmbH. Exhibitors expect other exciting potential to develop in Scandinavia, the USA and Africa.
There is also sufficient growth potential on the current market. “However, one thing is underestimated too often, and the industry is too short-sighted: suppliers and distributors often say they are ‘selling promotional products’. But in fact, they are selling communication; once framed like that completely different doors open for them. There is still plenty of potential to tap into in the alleged niche of haptic communication,” remarks Peter Kaspar, General Manager at Kalfany Süße Werbung GmbH & Co. KG.
Artificial Intelligence is increasingly finding its way into the industry
Many exhibitors expect further potential growth from the use of Artificial Intelligence. AI was not only featured prominently in more and more lectures on the PSI Academy stage, but it also became clear that many companies in the industry are already actively and successfully integrating AI into their workflows. Sarina Förster, Head of Marketing & Communication at elasto GmbH & Co. KG, reveals: “We have driven Artificial Intelligence completely in all departments from the outset – be it in e-commerce, product management or marketing. We have integrated this into all these areas.”
Sustainability remains the driving force
Sustainability also proved omnipresent at PSI. In an inspiring keynote delivered at the opening session, Clemens Arnold, General Manager at consultancy 2bdifferent, presented practice-oriented approaches to effectively incorporate sustainability strategies in companies and to make enterprises future-proof for these requirements.
This was endorsed by PSI Director Petra Lassahn who announced plans to provide an even bigger stage to reflect the progress made by the promotional product industry: The new PSI Academy Awards will kick off in 2025 as a format following on from the earlier Sustainability Awards. The new format is to honour the progress made by manufacturers, on the one hand, but as Petra Lassahn stressed “especially also to provide suppliers, distributors and users with fresh inspiration going beyond what is already known.” The new awards have already been generating a great deal of interest.
