This year’s PSI Düsseldorf Show mirrored the current state of the European promotional products marketplace – small, incremental growth, but growth nonetheless.By Michele Bell

With a palpable sense of increased optimism in the European promo-tional market, this year’s

PSI Show, held at the Messe Convention Center in Düsseldorf, opened with a strong message: “Business is better.”

According to a recent PSI survey of 736 promo companies, 51% noted that business is increasing compared to last year. “The PSI Show puts a human face on the market and gives a voice to the industry, and this year’s show underscored that point in an impressive way,” said PSI Director Michael Freter as the three-day exhibition came to a close. With a total of

873 exhibitors (a 2.5% increase from the previous year) from 38 nations and 16,290 visitors (up .3% from 2014’s numbers), PSI cemented its status as Europe’s most important industry meeting place.

Many of Europe’s largest suppliers – PFConcept, MidOcean, New Wave, MACMA, Senator – who had refrained from exhibiting in recent years were back at the show as official exhibitors, join-ing such other prominent suppliers as Xindao, Elasto-Form and Giving Europe.

“PSI 2015 was a huge success,” said Serge Mertens, director of the BENELUX region of PF Concept International B.V. “We were absent for two years, so we were very happy

to be back. The show was very busy and crowded with lots of customers, and dur-ing the first two days we had more than 1,000 companies visiting our booth. Also, the quality of the meetings we had was extremely high. The atmosphere was very positive, so we believe that our customers are totally motivated for the future.”

Also underscoring this trend is the rep-resentative PSI Industry Barometer, a sur-vey of the European promo market’s health.

“For the upcoming year, 61% of respon-dents to our survey on the promotional products industry in Europe said they expect the growth trend to continue,” Freter said. “This indicates that after two difficult

years with massive drops in sales, the Euro-pean market is clearly gaining momentum.”

This industry trend is in line with over-all market data from the German-speak-ing countries: reaching EUR 3.48 billion (prior year 3.44 billion, an increase of 1.25%), sales in the promotional products sector set a new record last year, according to the results of the industry monitor tra-ditionally presented at PSI by GWW, the General Association of the German Pro-motional Products Industry. And many suppliers are forecasting strong medium-term increases in cross-border trade with Poland and Russia.

Regarding product design, eco issues are

very much on the forefront of discussions, much more so than in the U.S. Distributors at the show often queried exhibitors about the chain of a product’s development and if the items were created in a eco-friendly manner. Whether it’s a trendy canvas bag with an organic solar cell integrated into the “skin” that feeds its energy into a recharge-able battery system serving as a charging device and sending out promotional mes-sages via NFC code, or pens made from paper, mugs made from cork, notebooks made from cardboard or Xindao’s fabulous puffy coat made from recycled bottles – these items were the hits of the show, espe-cially among younger buyers.

“I found the PSI show to be very inspir-ing,” said Mark Ziskind, COO of Counselor Top 40 distributor CSE and a first-time attendee to the show. “The level of cre-ativity on the suppliers’ part, the retail- oriented product offerings, and the overall sense of fashion was amazing. You really need to attend the PSI show to get a full understanding of the global marketplace and how we can all collectively take this industry to the next level.”

Next year’s PSI Show will be held from January 13-15. For more information go to www.psi-network.de. Michelle Bell is editor of Supplier Global Resource and senior

editor of its sister publication, Counselor magazine.

Optimism, Growth & a Return of the Big Players

PSI 2015:

Following the eco-theme that was omnipresent on the PSI Show floor, this notepad is made from 100% recycled material, down to the spirals which are made from recycled plastic and the paper, crafted from salvaged cardboard, and the attached pen encased in paper. Available from Lainas; www.lainasproducts.com.

This entire button – including the clasp – is crafted from recycled compost material, making it the ideal item for clients with eco-centric promo programs. Available from BioButton; www.biobutton.com

The size of a postage stamp, this puffy screen cleaner attaches to your phone with the intent of keeping the screen scratch-, smudge- and dirt-free. We love the vibrancy of the four-color imprint, too. Available from MiniWipes; www.miniwipes.de

This twist-action retractable ballpoint pen has a shiny, full-body contour, a heavy metal chrome-plated tip and a colored, transparent crystal-like plug in the top for added pizazz. Available from UMA; www.uma-pen.com

One of the coolest little “why didn’t I think of that?” items we found at the PSI Show was this mobile ring stand. While the adhesive side sticks to the back of your smartphone, you can simply slip one of the rings on your finger to carry your phone around. When not doing that, the ring props up behind the phone as a handy phone stand. Available from LM Accessories; www.lm-accessoires.com

Ideal to protect commemorative coins given in honor of service anniversaries or employee gifts, it can be embellished with a metal plate perfect for an etched logo. Available from Numiscom; www.numiscom.de

A timeless design with a sporty edge and unconditional versatility, the Hamburg is the go-to jacket for urban and active lifestyles. The straight-cut body, made in sustainably-sourced XT Trend light polyester, is trimmed with wide 2×2 ribbing at the hem and cuffs to keep the drafts at bay. The minimalist style includes two hand pockets on the outside, two pockets inside and a headphone-out passage. The contrasting colored zipper teeth infuse a retro sporty aesthetic to a jacket that will excel in any environment. Available from XD-Apparel; www.xd-apparel.com

The ideal size for a sandwich and a juice box, this mini-cooler flattens out and then reforms into the shape of a little purse, all while being insulated and easily imprintable for a great branding message. Available from FlexiCooler by R3D; www.R3D.pt.

We love, love, LOVE this USB holder, designed to look like a retro cassette tape. In fact, the snazzy little gift boxes can be fully personalized in four-color art only limited by your clients’ imaginations. A clever way to make logoed memory sticks with the full branding package. Available from TwistKey; www.twistkey.com

The “Roll Air” translucent tape dispenser is designed with such a deft hand it appears as though the tape is floating in mid-air. Offered in an array of see-through colors, it is, of course, from Lexon. www.lexon-design.com.

By simply place the microfiber mobile wipe – the size of a 50-cent piece – on the back of your smartphone, it’ll always be handy to clean your smudgy screen. Moreover, it’s reusable and easily cleaned with cold water. Available from Kandinsky; www.kandinsky.de

Perfect for techies-on-the-go, this portable USB drive and key holder comes in 10 bright color options. Available from Inspirion; www.promotiontops.eu

Paper-thin though deceptively strong, this microfiber surface cleaner does double-duty as a mouse pad (yes, we tried it – it totally works!) and can also be a keyboard cleaner. Did we mention that you can print both sides with a vibrant, crisp four-color logo? Available from Pins & Mehr; www.pinsundmehr.de.

The “Clover” light is rechargeable and can be hung anywhere indoors or out as it’s rain-resistant. It has two light intensities and comes in red, blue, green, yellow and dark gray. Available from Lexon; www.lexon-design.com.

The “Stockholm” is the ideal padded jacket for versatile use as a standalone piece or for layering. The slim, long-sleeved jacket is made with Aria Thermore padding which boasts a soft and downy hand, superior warmth-to-weight and the ease of care and fast-drying properties of sustainable recycled polyester. Tight

quilting lines keep the jacket close to the body, while shaped seams

provide a more fitted look for women. Available from

XD Apparel; www.xd-apparel.

com

New from Penko, this compact brushed-metal pen has a textured barrel for comfort and a stylus tip for use with any smartphone. The barrel can be laser-etched for an upscale branding tool. Available from Penko; www.penko.net

Yes, it’s paper and shaped like a straw, but it’s actually an eco-friendly pen encased in thin recycled cardboard. Available from 4Merch; www.4merch.com.

The funky, rubber-accented “Cubissimo” clock pops open at the top to reveal the control buttons and has an LCD display showing the time, date, day and temperature. Available from Lexon; www.lexon-design.com.

A slim, insulated jacket with hood for added protection all year round, the “Warsaw” is a full-featured lightweight thermal layer that can be worn alone or layered when needed. The minimalist design is engineered for comfort, in regular fit for men and in an anatomical closer fit for women. The shaped hood fits snugly on the head and won’t impede vision. Lightweight Aria Thermore® insulation provides downy softness, exceptional heat retention without bulk, superior ease of care and it dries fast. Available from XD-Apparel; www.xd-apparel.com

The “Floyd” umbrella is designed with a convenient ring at the base to make for handy carrying, and is offered in a rainbow of colors. Available from Knirps; www.knirps.com.

Able to be easily connected to your smartphone, this company’s screen cleaners can be die-cut to match any retail product or branded item, making for a logoed message loaded with ROI. Available from Axxel; www.axxel.eu.

Always market leaders in Europe with its unique product offerings, ElastoForm gave a nod to its eco-friendly audience at PSI with a note holder – shaped like an oversized clothespin – made from reclaimed wood, and a tote that was ubiquitous at the show, made from felt. Available from ElastoForm; www.elasto-form.com

Two pieces from the new “Liquid” line of one of our favorite European suppliers, and certainly the one with the best sense of elemental design. Crafted to look like melting ice – the epitome of tres cool – the desktop organizer has compartments for one’s smartphone, writing instruments and business cards. The complementary “Peter” pen and holder share design DNA and are also offered in the same translucent colors: glossy black, green, pink, blue, crystal clear and smoke gray. Available from Lexon; www.lexon-design.com

The recipient of a recent international design award, Lexon’s “Flip” LCD rubberized alarm clock has a reversible display, ON/OFF faces and a touch-sensor snooze light. Available from Lexon; www.lexon-design.com

This little cube can be filled with facial tissues or toilet paper and is so convenient, it’s the perfect advertising vehicle at outdoor concerts and sporting events, where both can often run short. Available from Ten-Pack; www.ten-pack.de