“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.

Textiles are among the key products

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.”

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.