Are you a seasoned sign maker or budding garment decorator? If so, then there is only one place to be in 2025 and that’s the NEC in Birmingham.

Sign & Digital UK returns to the NEC in Birmingham in February, along with the co-located Printwear & Promotion LIVE! for another inspiring three-day exhibition.

2024 saw the two exhibitions co-locate at the NEC, in what was a successful first for both the visual communications sector and the garment decoration industry. The co-location attracted record visitor numbers with more than 8,000 attendees taking the time out of their busy working schedules to discover all that the two exhibitions had to offer. Visitor numbers for SDUK alone were up by more than 2,000 when compared to 2023.

With the two shows moving into Halls 19 and 20, they will be immediately adjacent, so once inside it will look and feel like one big event, rather than separate shows. Visitors will be able to walk freely between the two halls, without the need to have to register for the other event.

Next year, sign makers and print services providers will be able to explore and discover a wide range of exhibitors displaying everything from wide format printers to illuminated signs to digital printable media. Key names already confirmed for 2025 include; Epson, Quality Print Services, Premier, Very Displays, Vivid Laminating Technologies and Roland DG. Although exhibitors are yet to reveal what products they will be showcasing, it is anticipated there will be some exciting industry debuts where visitors will be among the first in the UK to see these new innovations live.

Recent new additions to the floor plan come in the form of; Baltled, a provider of LED signage solutions, L&M Imaging Systems, a supplier of imaging technologies, and Premier Bond, a supplier of signage solutions. These exciting additions are just one of many reasons why you should attend SDUK in February.

The exhibitor list is growing month by month, with some well-known names in the pipeline! You’ll be able to view the exhibitor list and floor plan when it becomes available online in October.

As with previous years a full and varied line up of expert speakers from across the industry is also planned, with a myriad of interesting and informative sessions currently in the works. Sessions from 2024 centred on advice for managing your sign business and daily panel sessions covering topics such as supplying branded clothing and supporting mental wellbeing, so expect more of the same in February.

Printwear & Promotion LIVE!

A trip over the threshold into Printwear & Promotion LIVE! will open the world of garment decoration to a sign maker. Exhibitors here will be showcasing the latest in garment decoration and product embellishment technology, along with the newest and freshest blank garments ready to be adorned with vibrant prints and intricate embroideries.

Familiar names to the sign and digital sector exhibiting in Hall 20 include; Resolute, Grafityp UK, Nova Chrome UK, Amaya Sales UK, TheMagicTouch, Roland DG and YES Group.

A small step into Hall 20 from Hall 19, is where you will find Grafityp. This well-known exhibitor will be displaying a wide selection of equipment and media aimed at both industry sectors, so a visit is definitely a must to discover what’s new, regardless of whether you are a sign maker or a garment decorator. A bit further into Hall 20 and you will find Nova Chrome UK. Earlier this year, Nova Chrome was appointed a distributor of Mutoh products in the UK, so as well as dye sublimation equipment and supplies, expect to see wide format printers also showcased. As well as exhibiting in SDUK, Roland DG is also exhibiting in P&P LIVE! Both stands will be displaying a different suite of products relevant to each specific market, so a visit to both stands is essential.

And visits to Resolute, Amaya Sales UK, YES Group and TheMagicTouch will open your eyes to a variety of direct to film systems, direct to garment printers and other garment decoration processes. Experts on stand will be available to talk you through all of the options available to help find a solution that fits in perfectly with your exact needs.

If this is a sector of the print industry that you are looking to develop or break into then a visit to P&P LIVE! is a must when you attend SDUK in February.

Derek MacHale, SDUK’s head of sales, said: “Our second co-located event is one I’m looking forward to immensely, following the success of the 2024 shows.

“With both halls adjacent to each other next February, allowing for much greater access and freedom of movement, I feel 2025 will give us one of the busiest, energetic and successful events for years.

“A successful event is about bringing people together, helping to create lasting relationships, exchange knowledge and ideas, creating a positive experience for visitors and exhibitors alike, and the sustained, positive collaboration of Sign & Digital UK alongside Printwear & Promotion LIVE! into the future allows us to continue to build on these principles, enhancing our exhibitions and our communities for years to come.”

The Sign Industry Awards
As if all of this wasn’t enough, Datateam Business Media, the organiser behind SDUK, has launched The Sign Industry Awards. Entries are now open and we hope that as many of you from within the sign industry as possible will get involved and enter. This is your industry and your choice.

Categories cover everything from Outstanding Vinyl Application to Excellence in Craftsmanship.

The full list of categories and criteria can be found online at www.thesignindustryawards.co.uk, along with the entry form.

This inaugural event will take place during the evening of Monday, February 24 after day two of SDUK. Tickets for this much-anticipated event will be available to purchase soon.

Save the date!
Visitor registration for both exhibitions will open in the autumn, but in the meantime make sure you mark the date of Sunday, February 23 to Tuesday, February 25 in your diary.

You simply cannot miss out on attending Sign & Digital UK 2025 and Printwear & Promotion LIVE! 2025 if you are looking to develop and grow your business.