PSI 2024: Compact and intensive

Editorial Manfred Schlösser, Editor-in-Chief PSI Journal

Up until a few days before the PSI trade show, things were still all right in the world. Then, the farmers proclaimed their week-long, Germany-wide demonstrations, and the announcement of the rail strike on the second and third trade show day followed hot on their heels. Anticipation turned into concern. Blocked motorway accesses on the final construction day. The start of the rail strike on the busiest, second PSI day and ongoing farmers’ demos from north to south. God knows that didn’t bode well.

But when can a trade show, when can exhibitors and visitors, prove that they are cut from an entirely different cloth? Can the trade show prove that it is indispensable as a leading European trade show, can exhibitors, small and large, prove that they are well-organised and high-performing, and visitors prove that they are taking an undaunted, courageous and creative approach to things and finding their way? Everyone who was invited was already in attendance at the opening of the MoPA, on the evening before the trade show. The senior mayor of Düsseldorf, Dr. Stephan Keller (CDU), opened the “Museum of Promotional Articles“ (MoPA) to a packed audience. And rarely have we heard so many laudatory words in matters of promotional products from such a qualified speaker (page XX).

From then on, the PSI trade show impressively seemed to be running itself – although it mustn’t be forgotten how much work is behind it. However, the opening of the trade show itself, a round of debate with politicians and entrepreneurs, also demonstrated that the industry still has plenty work ahead of it in the area of cutting red tape and recognising the promotional product as a fully-fledged promotional form. Markus Herbrand (FDP), member of the Bundestag and chairman of his party in the finance committee, demonstrated that he is well versed in the topic but was unable, however, to make any big promises – and how could he be, since the SPD and Greens are also on board. The round had one good outcome: the intention is to play a greater role in the conversation and Herbrand provided assurance that he would take the industry’s topics and very specific wishes back to Berlin and raise them in the right circles.

The days in Düsseldorf in summary: it was compact and intensive. Not as big as before covid (the new time calculation) but, in some respects, considerably better, because more informative, more communicative, focused on quality and sustainability and borne by a genuinely collegial spirit. Collaboration and co-operation are the building blocks of the future. And on a final note: In defiance of demos and strike, more visitors – quality wins in the end. That also, and especially, applies to exhibitors, to all that they exhibited, to visitors and organisers too. Thank you.

With that in mind,

Manfred Schlösser, Editor-in-Chief PSI Journal