中文Loupe Americas 2026, the first event staged under the newly rebranded Loupe banner formerly known as Labelexpo Americas, has closed a successful edition that sets a clear benchmark for the future of label and package printing in the Americas. Held at the Donald E Stephens Convention Center in Rosemont, Illinois from September 15 to 17, the show drew nearly 12,000 attendees, with 86 percent directly involved in purchasing decisions.
The numbers tell a story of healthy demand. Attendees came from 82 countries, an increase of 14 percent over the previous 2024 iteration, with the top markets being the US, Mexico, Canada, Colombia, Japan, the United Kingdom, Brazil, China, Ecuador and Germany. Colombia posted a 12 percent attendance rise, while Costa Rica and Panama saw triple the attendees compared with 2024, underscoring growing Latin American momentum.
Spanning 185,000 square feet with 425 exhibitors, the show floor revealed a clear directional shift: labels are converging with adjacent packaging formats. Flexible packaging was more fully integrated into exhibitor offerings, and folding cartons began to make a visible impact. Flexography remained strong, with Rotocon launching a non-stop 8-color press with turret rewind and Nilpeter partnering with Kurz to demonstrate registered foil on an FA-17 press.
Digital printing delivered notable firsts. Konica Minolta globally launched the AccurioLabel 231, while Durst launched its Tau G3 Peak UV inkjet press in the US. Hybrid technology was well represented by Bobst, which launched its Digital Master 340 All-in-One press in the Americas, alongside demonstrations from Domino, Mark Andy and Durst.
Perhaps the most talked-about theme was artificial intelligence moving from concept to commercial reality. Brotech launched a flexo press controlled by an AI model, Dantex marked the global launch of its AI-driven Pico Adaptive Logic natural-language technology, and Mark Andy with AVT announced an AI-powered quality-control system linking an on-press camera to a rewinder. Cerm demonstrated a Lexis AI agent that automatically extracts order information from unstructured emails, a small but telling glimpse of back-office automation.
Flexible packaging was everywhere. HP Indigo demonstrated its 200K Digital Press printing flexpack laminated on a new 30-inch Gonderflex machine with JetFX digital embellishment, while ABG showed a digital embellishment unit in-line on a Galaxy pouch line. Mark Andy showed a Performance P9 press with double extended driers for water-based coating of flexpack materials.
Education was a standout strength. Keynotes anchored a two-day program covering AI, the labor market, mergers and acquisitions and RFID technology, while an AI workshop and a women’s workshop created focused forums for discussion. The Spotlight Stage offered free programming throughout the event, broadening access to expert insight.
Exhibitors were upbeat. Uliam Hoxha of Omet Americas cited productive, focused conversations with converters across North and South America. Martin Teilberg of Nilpeter praised the new setup and looked ahead to 2028. Dale Coates of TLMI thanked attendees and exhibitors for a collaborative edition, while Tasha Ventimiglia, group director for the Americas, called the show a benchmark for a new era of innovation in labels and package printing.
Loupe Americas returns to the same venue September 12 to 14, 2028. If this edition is any indication, the convergence of labels, flexible packaging, hybrid integration and AI-enabled workflows will only deepen, and the buyer appetite for measurable performance, sustainability and brand value will keep driving the conversation.
Source: Labels & Labeling (https://www.labelsandlabeling.com/news/loupe-formerly-labelexpo/loupe-americas-2026-sets-new-benchmark)
The rebrand from Labelexpo Americas to Loupe is more than cosmetic. It signals an ambition to encompass the full spectrum of package printing rather than just labels, and the 2026 floor bore that out, with flexible packaging and folding cartons woven throughout. For exhibitors, the broader remit means more potential buyers per square foot; for attendees, it means a one-stop view of where the industry is heading.
The AI thread deserves emphasis. A year ago, artificial intelligence on the show floor was largely conceptual; in 2026 it was embedded in presses, quality systems and back-office agents. That rapid maturation suggests the next edition will feature AI not as a demo but as default infrastructure, quietly optimizing every stage from order to finished roll.
Geographically, the surging Latin American attendance points to where growth is concentrated. As near-shoring and regional supply chains strengthen, converters across Colombia, Costa Rica and Panama are investing, and Loupe’s ability to convene them with global suppliers is a genuine competitive moat for the event.
Sustainability also threaded through the show floor, from recycled substrates to low-migration inks and waste-reduction demos. As brand owners face tightening environmental regulation and consumer scrutiny, the ability to produce compliant, lower-impact packaging is becoming a purchase criterion rather than a nice-to-have. Loupe’s education program gave that theme the prominence it now commands.
The 2028 return date, locked in at the same venue, gives exhibitors and attendees certainty to plan. After a successful rebrand edition, expectations will be high, and the pressure will be on to deepen the flexible-packaging and AI story even further. If 2026 was the benchmark, 2028 will be the test of whether the new Loupe banner can sustain momentum.
