中文GlassPrint LIVE will put the latest trends and perspectives in glass decoration under the spotlight at glasstec 2026, with a dedicated conference session on Tuesday 20 October in Dusseldorf. Hosted on the glass trends live stage in Hall 10 between 16:45 and 17:30, the session will combine market analysis with industry insight to examine the developments shaping the glass-decoration sector, from premium beverages to cosmetics and spirits that compete on shelf presence.
Glass decoration plays a vital role in adding value and differentiation to glass products. Evolving market requirements and advances in decoration technologies keep creating new opportunities for glass manufacturers and decorators alike. GlassPrint LIVE is designed to capture that momentum, pairing an overview of trends in the glass-decoration market with an industry perspective on value-added decoration that converters and brand owners can act on when specifying their next premium line and justifying the spend to marketing.
The programme brings authoritative voices to the stage. Oliver Kammann of K-Flow Consulting GmbH will present “Glass container decoration: trends and perspectives,” providing a sector overview and examining the key trends and factors influencing the market. Fredrik Kallqvist of Ardagh Glass Europe will follow with “Value-added decoration — clearly delivered,” bringing the viewpoint of a major glass-packaging producer to the GlassPrint LIVE agenda. Together, the two talks span the consulting and manufacturing angles that define where decoration is heading, and why recyclable glass is gaining share as brands chase both premium perception and lower environmental impact.
The session targets glass manufacturers, processors, decorators, printers, technology providers and other professionals interested in the future of glass decoration. Visitors with a stake in the field are encouraged to add it to their glasstec schedule; attendance is included in the glasstec ticket price, lowering the barrier for busy practitioners to join a conversation that usually happens only behind closed doors at supplier meetings and at a fraction of the cost of a dedicated conference.
Beyond the conference, the event connects attendees with the supply chain. Leading suppliers exhibiting in the ESMA Pavilion in Hall 12, booth G32, will showcase the latest technologies and solutions for glass printing and decoration. That juxtaposition — strategic market insight on the live stage, and hands-on technology on the show floor — is what makes GlassPrint LIVE useful for anyone specifying or buying decoration capability, because it links strategy to the machines that execute it and to the ink and curing systems that determine durability.
GlassPrint LIVE at glasstec 2026 also serves as the official launch platform for GlassPrint 2027, which returns to Dusseldorf on 30 November to 1 December 2027. Organised jointly by ESMA and industry expert Dave Fordham and powered by glasstec, GlassPrint 2027 will gather the international glass-decoration community for a specialist two-day conference and exhibition. Launching it at glasstec lets organisers reach a large, relevant audience at exactly the right moment in the calendar, when decoration budgets for the following year are being set by brand owners and their suppliers.
ESMA is additionally offering free one-day entrance tickets to glasstec 2026 for glass decorators, printers and designers via glassprint.org/glasstec-tickets. The gesture reflects a broader goal: grow the community of specialists working at the intersection of print and glass, and give them a clear pathway into the deeper GlassPrint event the following year, ensuring knowledge transfer continues between the major shows rather than fracturing across regions and leaving smaller decorators behind.
Why does glass decoration matter now? Premiumisation of beverages, cosmetics and spirits continues to push brands toward decoration that signals quality — intricate screen prints, precious-metal effects, tactile textures and durable colour. At the same time, sustainability pressures favour glass as a recyclable substrate, increasing volumes and, with them, demand for efficient, high-quality decoration. The suppliers in the ESMA Pavilion are where those two forces meet technology, whether through conventional screen printing, digital direct-to-shape, or hybrid lines that combine both to cut set-up waste and shorten changeovers.
For the printing industry, glass is a reminder that industrial decoration is a distinct, high-value discipline. It rewards specialists who understand substrates, inks, curing and registration at a level beyond conventional graphic print. GlassPrint LIVE’s role is to keep that knowledge flowing — from market analysts and major producers to the decorators and technology providers who will execute the next generation of glass packaging and promotional products. In a market where recyclability is becoming a purchase criterion, glass decoration sits at the confluence of brand value and environmental credibility, and events like this are how the sector keeps pace with both at once, turning compliance pressure into a premium-opportunity story.
For decorators weighing investment, the timing is favourable. Digital direct-to-shape printing has matured to the point where short runs of decorated glass are commercially viable without the screens and tooling that once reserved the technique for long campaigns. That lowers the entry barrier for smaller studios and lets major brands test a limited-edition bottle or jar without committing to a full production run. GlassPrint LIVE’s role in linking those studios with ESMA Pavilion suppliers is therefore practical market-building: it shortens the path from a designer’s idea to a decorated, shelf-ready product, and keeps recyclable glass competitive against plastic on both premium perception and environmental grounds.
