Following the success of previous editions, the Xeikon Café Conference & Exhibit will be back for its fourth edition in 2018. Experts from worldwide industry-leading suppliers, representing every aspect of digitalizing the print manufacturing chain, will be sharing their knowledge and expertise on packaging innovations during the four-day event, which will take place March 20-23 in Lier, Belgium.

In 2017, Xeikon Café attracted more than 800 unique visitors from around the globe. Encouraged by the positive feedback from participants and attendees, the event will not only run again in 2018, it is also becoming an annual must-visit on the agenda of anyone looking to expand their knowledge on digitalizing print manufacturing and discover the latest packaging innovations. “We have been delighted with the success of the Xeikon Café in recent years, and it has given us the confidence and the impetus to not only do it again, but do it bigger and better every time,” explains Danny Mertens of Xeikon Café. “In 2018, we are confident to attract even more visitors. Educational events like the Xeikon Café are what people in our industry seek to learn and explore new opportunities. As such, we will be raising the bar in bringing together top notch technologies, the latest packaging innovations and thought-provoking conference speakers.”

The fit of technology today is very much driven by end-use applications, which is why the Xeikon Café 2018 will focus on new and innovative applications available in the label and packaging market. Printers and converters are always looking for new solutions to improve what they can offer to their customers, and the event will highlight specific solutions to help them do that – from digitally produced cups to pharmaceutical leaflets to self-adhesive labels for beer bottles, and much more.

“Our goal is to show visitors to the Xeikon Café how they can evolve their business by applying the technologies that are right for them,” Mertens continues. “We are keen to educate the market on the fact that technology and innovation do not exist for their own sake, but that they can actually make a difference to your business and profit margins if used correctly.”

The Xeikon Café Conference will feature two tracks – Business and Technical – to ensure that participants receive tailor-made information suited to their role and their educational needs. The Business Conference will cover a range of topics related to industry trends, best practices and expert views on current and future packaging challenges.

The Technical Conference will focus on practical knowledge sharing of the technical specifications for a wide array of end-use applications, including self-adhesive labeling, paper cups, leaflets, in-mold, folding carton, heat transfer and much more. It will also offer insights into every aspect of digital manufacturing from software, consumables, and media to digital printing, embellishments and finishing.