3
PSI – The International Network of the Promotional Products Industry
PSI 2018 – The Leading European Trade Show of the Promotional Products Industry
9 to 11 January 2018, Exhibition Centre Düsseldorf
23 October 2017
Pure genius: New inventions at PSI 2018
- PSI as an inventors’ springboard to the promotional products market
Inventors know that it can be a long way from idea to finished product. And once you get there, the next challenge is finding a way into the market. What’s the right target audience? Where and how do I properly present my product? What should I take into consideration for the launch? PSI, the Leading European Trade Show of the Promotional Products Industry, is an ideal platform for tinkerers and inventors to introduce their ideas to an audience that appreciates creative, funny, bizarre and practical ideas. From 9 to 11 January 2018, up to twelve inventors have a chance at PSI to get their foot in the door of the promotional products market.
Eco-friendly problem solver
The Aalen-based company Geschmacksentfaltung had the courage to take the plunge at PSI 2017 already. It paid off: “Back then, we attended as absolute newcomers with very little trade show equipment, and we didn’t really know what to expect at PSI”, remembers managing director Jochen Gabler. “Nor did we know what the industry expected of us. By the time we skimmed through our notes at the end of the first show day, we were already able to answer that. We’d brought to PSI exactly what the promotional products industry had expected from us.” It was a results-producing idea: GREENSPOON, an eco-friendly combination of a spoon and a tea bag. It had taken three years to turn the idea into a TÜV-certified product. “We often view problems as something too far away, unchangeable, and accept them just like that. There are many little things in everyday life we’ve put up with for too long, without trying to find an alternative or solution”, says Jochen Gabler.
Kibonu Kugelbäumchen will present another “green” promotional products invention. Growing directly out of a moss ball rather than from a flower pot, their tree turns into a decorative eye-catcher. The handmade moss ball contains a special soil mixture and water-retaining granules to make cultivation a breeze. What’s more, various customisable packaging options turn the plants into sustainable brand ambassadors.
Yves Gallas, the inventor of the TopCan, found an economic solution to a commonplace problem. His invention makes it possible to securely reseal opened cans. The TopCan, which is both watertight and airtight, can even preserve the carbonation in fizzy drinks. According to the inventor, it’s a hygienic and comfortable solution for an everyday problem that fits on more than 90 per cent of European cans. “PSI is the perfect show for reaching all the key players of the promotional products industry”, the French inventor explains. “It’s THE place to bring new and efficient promotional products to market.” He’ll launch his own invention at PSI 2018.
Inventions to enhance safety in everyday life
SDI gifts aren’t brand-new to PSI, but they’ll be exhibiting for the first time. Headquartered in the Czech Republic, the company attended the trade show as visitors in the past three years while presenting their products at partner exhibition stands. The response has been so positive that the company decided to exhibit themselves as an inventor in 2018. “We believe that PSI is a fantastic place to make new contacts and introduce our new product portfolio to them as well as to our existing customers and their customers.” They’ll showcase not one but two highlights at PSI 2018. First there’s the Golchi 2-in-1 Bottle, a vacuum-insulated bottle that makes it possible to simultaneously transport two beverages at different temperatures. Secondly, SDI gifts will bring along the Loken Token, a dual USB stick that utilises a five-digit mechanical combination code to protect digital data from unauthorized access.
Guido Flaig, the inventor of Der-Schlenz®, targets corporate customers, major businesses, promotional products wholesalers, insurance companies and banks looking for an alternative to classic promotional items. For two and a half years, he tinkered with an idea to simplify the cutting of grilling sausages. “By guaranteeing the maximum cutting depth, Der-Schlenz minimises the risk of injury and the cracking and bursting of the sausages. It supports barbecue hobbyists and experts alike while adding a fun little element of surprise to any cookout”, explains Guido Flaig. The idea came to him years ago when a friend seriously injured himself cutting a sausage with a knife. “That’s when I attached a slider to the cutting edge in order to limit the cutting depth. A handle is attached to the opposite side of the slider, making the tool easy to use.”
Practical, clever, multifunctional
The inventors of the FlipPen will be making their PSI debut with this combined pen, highlighter and handheld toy. “Our hope for PSI is that we’ll set foot in the promotional products industry for the first time”, says founder Kim Eisenmann. “Our aim is to collaborate with successful promotional products distributors to revive the FlipPen as the hype gadget of 2018. That’s why we’re hoping for interesting contacts, potential business relationships and empirical values.” The two founders Kim Eisenmann and Sven Häuser had the idea for the invention during a learning period in 2016. The FlipPen is designed as an “everything-in-one-hand solution” to support daily tasks. “This novel office product now lets you take notes, highlight words, and busy yourself quietly and in a controlled manner”, explains Kim Eisenmann. In addition, the gadget is aimed at improving workflows, increasing productivity and boosting performance. “To date, no comparable products exist. Since we have utility model protection for the FlipPen, we’re the only company that’s allowed to sell this kind of product. Promotional products distributors with whom we work thus have an exclusive product they can offer to their customers.”
Strong partners for inventors
Not only inventors themselves but also the right contacts for them will be found in large numbers at the show. For example, Innovations-Forum, the German-language “magazine for idea finding and product development”, the Fraunhofer Institute for Industrial Engineering IAO and the IENA Trade Fair will present themselves in the Innovation Area in Hall 12. A new partner is Konektur, the self-proclaimed “expert for the design thinking process”. PSI partners in Hall 9 include the PSI Design Forum, the German Patent and Trade Mark Office (DPMA), German Customs and Aktion Plagiarius e.V. The crowdsourcing platform manugoo will be another point of contact onsite with a dedicated stand.
About PSI
At PSI, the Leading European Trade Show of the Promotional Products Industry, promotional products professionals gain an overview of the trends and innovations of the industry. In addition, special exhibits and show areas are dedicated to an in-depth look at promotional labelling, printing and finishing technologies, inventions and innovations, and much more. At PSI 2017, 988 exhibitors from 37 countries presented their companies to 18,094 visitors. PSI 2018 will take place in Düsseldorf from Tuesday, 9 January, to Thursday, 11 January.
www.psi-messe.com