Labelexpo South China 2024 Sets Records

Labelexpo South China has made a triumphant return to this key industrial region, with exhibitors reporting record machine sales and high numbers of international visitors.

Held at the Shenzhen World Exhibition and Convention Center between December 4-6, Labelexpo South China 2024 was attended by 16,157 label and packaging converters, an 84% increase over the 2020 edition. At 20,000 square meters, Labelexpo South China 2024 was 45% bigger than 2020 with over 200 exhibitors.

There was a strong international presence, with visitors from 77 countries representing 16% of all show attendees. More international visitors came from India, CIS (Commonwealth of Independent States), Turkey, West and North Africa, and Brazil.

Record numbers of press sales were reported from the show floor. Weigang reported 10 sales of its digital, hybrid and intermittent offset presses; Pulisi 11 sales of its Aobead digital press with integrated digital varnish; Arojet eight digital press sales; Hongshen and Haotian three each. Reborn sold eight digital diecutting machines, and Runtianzhi 14 machines – six for label printing and eight for book production.

HP Indigo also reported a successful event, showcasing an exciting ecosystem of technologies based around its 6k digital press.

Labelexpo South China 2024 saw the global launch of exciting new press technologies, including a highly automated hybrid flexo-inkjet press developed jointly by Spande and General Inkjet Printing, and Zonten showing its first digital press, the ZTD-P5235.

The show demonstrated the strength of China’s PS materials industry, with key trends including sustainability and the continued growth of thermal linerless labels for POS and retail applications.

Labelexpo South China 2024 also featured a packed schedule of educational events, including a candid panel discussion between leading label converters from China, Malaysia, and India; a forum on Smart labels and RFID; a masterclass on PS label materials; and workshops on anti-counterfeiting and traceability label technology.

Jade Grace, managing director, Labelexpo Global Series, says, “We were delighted to see the packed aisles from the first day of Labelexpo South China 2024. South China is the heart of the country’s label and package print industry and attracts visitors who do not usually travel to our Labelexpo Asia show in Shanghai. In addition, it was wonderful to see the high numbers of international visitors who made the show a truly global as well as regional event.”

Labelexpo Global Series group director, China, Kevin Liu, comments, “Labelexpo South China has bounced back from the Covid years to become the region’s leading event for the labels industry, at the same time attracting a growing global audience. I can already say that the 2026 event will be even bigger and will include a wider range of package printing technologies.”

Labelexpo South China will return to the Shenzhen World Exhibition and Convention Center in December 2026, with the addition of a second hall doubling the available exhibition space. Record numbers of exhibitors have already rebooked for the 2026 edition.

The next Labelexpo Global Series exhibition in China will be Labelexpo Asia 2025, held between December 2-5, 2025, at Shanghai New International Exhibition Center (SNIEC).