RIYADH: The first Saudi Signage Expo was inaugurated by Naif Abdullah Al-Rajhi, vice chairman of the board of directors of the Riyadh Chamber, at the Riyadh International Convention and Exhibition Center on Tuesday evening.
The expo, which runs until Thursday, is the largest in the Middle East for the digital, print, graphics and imaging industries.
More than 5,000 buyers will have the chance to meet with exhibitors, and procure cutting-edge digital, print, graphics and imaging materials, equipment and services.
Muhammed Kazi, vice president, Construction, at dmg events, which is organizing the event, said: “Busy aisles at the event were a testament to the increasing need for signage solutions in the Kingdom, where companies recognize the role played by signage in enhancing brand visibility, communication effectiveness and overall customer engagement.”
The event features products and services under six key sectors, such as large format printing, signage, graphics, imaging, digital marketing and gifts and promotional materials.
More than 100 local and international exhibitors share a growing emphasis on sustainability as businesses seek to minimize the environmental footprint of their digital displays, printing equipment and other products by integrating sustainable materials into the industry.
Expo HP Inc., one of the founding partners of the event, has taken measures to ensure that its booth adheres to sustainability, safety and international event standards.
Alpha Art Gifts has also highlighted its sustainable manufacturing practices. The company utilizes felt, a polyester fiber made from recycled PET bottles to craft laptop pouches, felt bags and wallets.
On the opening day of the expo, visitors experienced new products and systems from leading suppliers. ADS Advertising Materials displayed its Graphtec cutting plotters, which are designed to meet the needs of design professionals in the signage, garment and apparel, reprographics and packaging industries, among other products.
Dar Al-Oroodh Trading Company brought its high-quality products catering to the needs of the signage, advertising and architecture industries.
“From state-of-the-art digital displays to advanced printing techniques and interactive signage solutions, the exhibition hall buzzed with excitement, facilitating informed decision-making for buyers and empowering exhibitors to showcase their expertise,” Kazi said.
The first day of the exclusively curated Hala Chats featured experts and specialists from the signage, wayfinding, design and advertising sectors who shared insights around shaping the wayfinding experience, enhancing local content in signage as well as strategies and techniques to transform the signage industry.
Speaking at one of the panel sessions, Ali Yousif, international wayfinding specialist, said: “We are designing information through signage. Which is why when designing signage, we need to consider how they are perceived by people.”
Yousif was joined by experts from Riyadh Airports, Red Sea Global and Genius Loci & GLSW, who agreed that signage solutions will be crucial in creating a seamless and engaging environment for both local and international audiences, as the Kingdom gears up to host Riyadh Expo 2030 and the FIFA World Cup 2034.
Fellow panelist Graeme Erens, CEO of Genius Loci & GLSW said: “Saudi has proven we understand signage. There aren’t as many signage specialists in the region as there are in Saudi Arabia at the moment.”
