The deal was was signed on Tuesday (9 May) on the Igepa booth, with Igepa and Krea having been in talks since March, according to Krea managing director Jörg Hippel.

“They know that we are absolutely reliable, it’s one of the great German traits. And we know that this is the biggest distributor, which delivers not only textiles to its customers but all its knowledge of the printing industry and knowledge of the inks,” said Hippel.

Roll-out of Krea’s products will begin after the show to Germany, Austria and Switzerland, and then to other parts of Europe, including the UK and Benelux, in the next few months. 

One of the products that will be distributed by Igepa is Krea’s Speedy Outdoor textile, which is being shown for the first time at Fespa.

The Speedy Outdoor backlit textile is made from polyester with a “special outdoor coating”, according to Hippel, who said price is “competitive”. It is compatible with UV and latex inks.

The product, which is waterproof and crease-free, is available commercially from the show but has been tested since the backend of last year by two high-volume users.

Hippel said: “Normally outside you only have PVC. Everybody was trying to take textiles for outdoor use but they are not suitable because the sun kills the textiles. Our material protects the textile against the sun.”

Krea is also using the show to launch a number of new products in its accessories range, including flag packs, belts, velcro straps, and also a new range of blank towels, which can be individually printed using a transfer sublimation process.