AI, Digital, and Sustainable Products Gather, Presenting a Panoramic View of the Industry’s New Momentum!
On March 4, 2026, Area A of the China Import and Export Fair Complex in Guangzhou was bustling with crowds and vibrant atmosphere. The 32nd South China International Exhibition on Printing Industry & China International Exhibition on Label Printing Technology 2026 (referred to as the “Printing South China & Sino-Label”) grandly kicked off amid widespread anticipation.
As the year’s first exhibition covering the entire printing and packaging industry chain, this edition of the expo welcomes professional buyers from around the world with its super-large scale of 150,000 square meters and a powerful lineup of over 2,200 high-quality exhibitors. The sounds of negotiations, equipment operation, and forum applause interweave like a tide. The strong momentum of technological iteration and industry development converge here, panoramically presenting the vibrant vitality of the printing and packaging industry moving towards “innovation” and achieving prosperity through “quality”.
Opening Press Briefing Kicks Off with High Industry Confidence
At 9:30 AM, the exhibition press briefing was held as scheduled, with remarks from the organizers’ representatives. Mr. Hua, Vice General Manager of the Huaxing Branch (China Foreign Trade Guangzhou Exhibition), stated that 2026 is the starting year of the “15th Five-Year Plan”. The exhibition proactively aligns with national strategy, themed “Digital, Intelligent, Sustainable”, focusing on the four dimensions of “New, Intelligent, Green, and Integrated”. It aims to create a 150,000-square-meter platform showcasing the entire industry chain, gathering momentum to empower industrial development.
Ms. Celine To, General Manager of Adsale Exhibition Services Ltd mentioned in her speech: As the “first exhibition of the year” after the Chinese New Year in China’s printing and packaging industry, the Printing South China/Sino-Label has become a key bellwether for the entire industry to gain insights into trends, plan for the year, and achieve breakthroughs together. Facing profound changes and transformation challenges, this year’s exhibition focuses on implementable solutions, injecting tangible momentum for enterprise upgrades.
With the official launch of the first demonstration of Smart Factory 4.0, this grand event covering the entire industry chain officially began. Guests and media friends present witnessed this historic moment together, with applause and the sound of camera shutters pushing the atmosphere to a climax.
Smart Factory 4.0 Application Demonstration Area Becomes the “Crowd Favorite”: AI + Intelligent Manufacturing + Implementable Solutions in High Demand!
The [Smart Factory 4.0 Application Area] was undoubtedly the biggest highlight of the day. This “real-world operating micro smart workshop” drew huge crowds. Meiqi, a renowned label company serving brands like P&G, Liby, and Unilever, joined for the first time, collaborating with eleven other leading enterprises in the industry chain. Driven by full-chain AI, they addressed specific production pain points in the daily chemical, food, and beverage industries, such as short delivery times and personalization. They presented two fully linked digital production lines demonstrating small-batch flexible production and large-scale mass production. From AI intelligent scheduling, digital printing, and post-press finishing to AI visual inspection, the entire process featured real-time data visualization. Visitors placed orders on the spot, having witnessed the rapid creation of a personalized label from data to physical product.
A Plethora of New Products · Major Players Gather · Technological Competition · Site Full of Vitality!
The 2026 Printing South China & Sino-Label has advanced its strength! Industry giants made stunning appearances with innovative technologies, with new product launches happening in rapid succession.
In the digital printing field, brands like HP, KONICA MINOLTA, DURST, WEIGANG, and XEIKON made significant efforts, launching core solutions supporting a vast range of substrates, food-safe toners, and high-speed Single Pass rotary systems. Companies like YINGKEJIE, ZHIYI, and ZHIJIAN showcased printing solutions with high color fidelity and adaptability to various papers, empowering book, educational, and commercial printing, collectively breaking through production efficiency and application boundaries for efficient empowerment across diverse scenarios.
In the packaging printing sector, enterprises such as MASTERWORK, GUOWANG, YOCO, GUANGYA, and JIGUO presented fully automatic equipment integrating foiling, die-cutting, and waste stripping, achieving unmanned production from reel to finished product. HONGMING, SHENGTU, JINMA, and others introduced new intelligent devices, jointly focusing on high-end and personalized packaging solutions to reshape the new ecosystem of packaging printing.
In the combination printing area, exhibitors like GENERAL INKJET, LABEL SOURCE, RUNTIANZHI, and JDPRESS offered integrated multifunctional label printing solutions through the flexible combination of offset, flexo, and digital modules, balancing print quality, production efficiency, and scenario adaptability, providing diversified upgrade paths for the label printing industry.
In the post-press finishing enhancement field, companies like MASTERWORK, SAIBO, and REBORN brought plate-free digital finishing equipment, enabling processes like foiling, 3D embossing, and spot varnishing.
In the intelligent manufacturing domain, intelligent software systems from YINZHI Software, DUOPU, XUNYUE, and XLY integrate the entire data chain from order receiving and scheduling to production management.
In the green materials sector, companies like JINWANZHENG, SUPER COLOR, and REMAYS showcased eco-friendly inks and functional label materials suitable for high-speed digital printing, collectively helping the industry build a new ecosystem that reduces costs, increases efficiency, and flexibly responds to market demands. The site was brimming with new products and vibrant crowds, making the heat of printing industry innovation tangible.
AI + Printing & Packaging: Leading Companies Present Satisfying Results, Attracting Visitors to Stop and Exchange
Inside the halls, leading companies like LINK-POINT, BROTECH, LUSTER, DAHENG IMAGE, and YINZHI Software concentrated showcased the latest applications of AI in printing, post-press, and intelligent quality control. Visitors closely observed AI empowering digital inkjet all-in-one machines to achieve full automation of inkjet printing, inspection, and data replenishment. They experienced how the FFX530 intelligently driven multi-color flexo press uses AI to reduce setup time and improve color consistency. In inspection, the 8th-generation label quality inspection system and AI-assisted rewinding inspection machine attracted many technical professionals who stopped for discussions.
Flexible Packaging Innovation Workshop Becomes a Focal Point: Six Production Links Connected, Revealing the Future of Flexible Packaging
In Hall 2.1, the [Flexible Packaging Innovation Workshop] linked exhibitors covering core processes like “software—flexo printing—laminating—curing—slitting—bag-making”, showcasing a visible food flexible packaging production line. Equipment from industry representatives like BOSITONG, XIANGHUAI, AND HANGSHENG operated on-site, attracting many flexible packaging visitors to stop, observe, and film. Various exquisite flexible packaging products displayed not only demonstrated technological strength but also became a source of design inspiration.
Innovation, Sustainability, Functional Materials Remain Hot: Active On-Site Inquiries
The Innovative Packaging Materials Zone and Green Label Materials Zone saw continuous people. HANMA’s plastic-free direct-plating paper, BATF’s plastic-alternative coating, ZHONGYI INK’s UVU-KD series, and GUANGDONG EKO’s embossed spray film attracted printing companies eager to request samples. In functional materials, JINWANZHENG’s removable labels, SOONTOMAX’s freezer-grade adhesive, QIYUAN’s tire label adhesive, XUCHEN’s thermal labels, and PANLARN’s anti-static materials directly addressed real pain points in industries like daily chemicals, cold chain, automotive, and electronics. Many visitors inquired on-site, seeking materials matching their product needs.
Anti-Counterfeiting/RFID + End-User Applications Boom with Opportunities
The Anti-Counterfeiting Traceability Zone brought together quality suppliers like HENGXIN HONGTONG, JING YUAN, LAMBDA, XINLEI, DARUI, SHUCHANG, and SHUCHANGLONG, showcasing anti-counterfeiting materials, intelligent equipment, anti-counterfeiting labels, and one-stop traceability solutions. Live demonstrations of precise identification technology made the trust upgrade enabled by brand protection tangible, impressing the audience.
The RFID Intelligent Zone fully presented the entire industry chain ecosystem from chip design and intelligent lamination to scenario enablement, linking eight application areas including footwear/apparel, retail, and logistics. Exhibitors and clients engaged in enthusiastic discussions on how a small RFID tag could break down data silos and unlock incremental value in new retail, sparking another wave of excitement.
Deep Collaboration Between Brand Owners and the Printing & Packaging Industry, Focusing on Growth Drivers in Various FMCG Sectors
The highly anticipated “4th Printing Technology and Creativity Awards” zone was also very popular. This year’s competition featured a real-world proposition from the time-honored brand Guangzhou Restaurant for its mooncake packaging, with winning and shortlisted works on display. Representatives from Guangzhou Restaurant Group visited the site for face-to-face discussions with creative design companies – it’s reported that some winning companies have already secured priority qualification for their supplier database. This model, where “the competition arena becomes the marketplace and creativity translates into orders”, provided valuable collaboration opportunities for SMEs and independent designers.
Trendy Culture and Creative Packaging also became a hot spot for visitors to check out. Cutting-edge technologies like iridescent film, tactile inks, and AR interactive packaging gathered here. Representatives from several trendy brands were present for discussions, exploring multiple pathways to enhance product value and consumer experience through packaging.
Five FMCG packaging scenarios – Food, Pet Products, Takeaway, Logistics, and Daily Chemicals – were presented in immersive displays, with brand procurement teams moving through them, efficiently matching real needs.
Concurrent Forums Packed to Capacity; International Forum Poised to Begin
High-quality forums focusing on hot topics such as innovative technology, digital transformation, intelligent manufacturing, new materials, green packaging, anti-counterfeiting traceability, and creative marketing took place in succession, with full houses and lively interaction.
Serving as a “treasure trove” for Chinese companies planning global resources, this exhibition features multiple “going global” themed activities. The highlight, the “Opening Up New Blue Oceans in Printing & Packaging” industry forward forum, will take place on the morning of March 5th. Building on last year’s focus on the Eurasian market, this year’s forum further covers five potential emerging markets: Kazakhstan, Brazil, Egypt, Poland, and Malaysia. It brings together local industry experts for in-depth discussions on topics like “Unlocking Demand in Kazakhstan and the American Market,” “Prospects of the Middle East and Africa Market,” and “Experience Sharing in Central European Printing & Packaging Development.” Overseas experts will share valuable insights based on practical experience, helping Chinese companies precisely plan their global layout and find faster routes for going global. Exhibitors and attendees are highly anticipatory, promising another wave of intellectual fervor.
Domestic and International Buyer Groups Arrive in Droves; Procurement Peaks on Day One
On the opening day, purchasing groups from countries and regions including Poland, Egypt, Brazil, Uzbekistan, Kazakhstan, Belarus, Indonesia, the Philippines, Vietnam, Malaysia, Thailand, South Korea, and Hong Kong, China, as well as over a hundred industry associations from South China, East China, Central China, and purchasing groups from leading companies like YUTO, were already present. It is expected that more professional buyers will arrive in the next two days, with the popularity of procurement likely to continue rising.
More Highlight Zones Await Discovery
This edition of the expo also features numerous special zones, including [Digitalization and Application], [Creative Packaging Materials], [Paper Container Packaging], [Flexible Packaging], [Corrugated Packaging], [Digital Label Printing], [Eco-Flexographic Printing], [Green Label Materials], [RFID Smart Labels], [Anti-counterfeiting Traceability & Solutions], and many others. The highlights are abundant, awaiting visitors to explore in person.
