A conversation about where the GSA-ISLE relationship stands, and where it’s heading

In March 2026, four representatives of the Global Signage Alliance travelled to Shenzhen for ISLE, one of the world’s leading exhibitions for LED, digital signage and display technologies. That visit is now the foundation for a new delegation returning in 2027.

 

We sat down with the GSA Treasurer and Board Member, Bastiaan Amsing, to discuss what the relationship looks like from GSA’s side, and what the alliance expects from the year ahead.

 

 

 

How would you describe the relationship between GSA and ISLE at this point?

“Still developing, but with a real foundation underneath it. The 2026 visit was more than a single trip to an exhibition. GSA representatives attended ISLE’s VIP dinner, gave an interview to ISLE about the alliance’s role in connecting integrators and service partners internationally, and spent two days working the exhibition floor. That gave both sides a genuine introduction to how the other operates, and it’s that introduction GSA is now building on rather than starting over.”

 

Why continue the relationship rather than treat 2026 as a one-off?

 

“Shenzhen’s position in the industry is hard to overstate. It’s where much of the world’s LED and display technology is developed and manufactured, and ISLE brings manufacturers, integrators and technology developers from across that ecosystem into one place. For an alliance whose value depends on connecting international companies and service partners, staying close to that market matters. A single visit opens a door. Returning shows the relationship is worth investing in.”

 

 

What did the 2026 visit reveal about connecting the Chinese and international signage markets?

“Mostly the scale of what’s on offer, and how much ground a small delegation has to cover. ISLE spans several halls covering LED technologies, control systems, display innovation and content platforms, more than any one group can take in together. In 2026, the GSA delegation split up along company lines, 4infinity’s representatives focusing on integration and global service delivery, ScreenCom Group’s on their own areas of expertise, and compared notes afterwards. It’s a practical approach that made sense given the size of the show, and it’s likely how the 2027 group will work too.”

 

 

What can international companies and professionals learn from engaging more with the Chinese signage market?

“A clearer picture of where the underlying technology comes from and how fast it’s moving. Many GSA members deal with Chinese-manufactured hardware and components without much direct exposure to the market producing them. Time on the ISLE show floor closes some of that gap, and conversations like the ones GSA had during the 2026 VIP dinner tend to surface details that don’t come through in spec sheets or supplier calls.”

 

 

What should readers expect from the 2027 delegation?

“The details (who is travelling, the schedule, which parts of the show will get particular attention) are still being finalised, so it would be premature to say too much. We are still accepting sign-ups, and the GSA delegation gets up to three nights’ hotel accommodation covered.”

 

 

What made the 2026 visit worthwhile beyond the exhibition itself?

 

“The time outside the formal programme. Conversations at the VIP dinner, informal exchanges between sessions, even the extra days some of the delegation spent in Shenzhen once the main event wrapped up. That mix of structured programme and informal exchange is often where the more useful connections happen, and it’s expected to be part of the 2027 trip as well.”

 

 

What would make the 2027 visit a success?

“Turning the introductions made in 2026 into more specific, ongoing conversations, with ISLE, and with the companies and contacts the 2026 delegation met. A returning relationship allows for that in a way a first visit doesn’t. Beyond that, GSA hasn’t set out a detailed roadmap for what comes after 2027, and it wouldn’t be accurate to claim more structure exists than actually does. But the fact that the alliance chose to return is itself a signal of how the 2026 visit was received.

 

More details on the 2027 delegation, including who is travelling and the planned schedule, will follow closer to the event, and the GSA team is always available for any questions that our members may have regarding this event, but all other events that we are partnering with.”