Barcelona | Trump‑era tariffs continue to reshape the global ProAV and digital signage market, with costs, supply chains and competitive dynamics undergoing fundamental shifts. At ISE 2026, industry leaders will analyse how the sector must recalibrate to stay resilient - from hardware manufacturing to AI‑driven services and hyperscaler strategy.
ISE 2026: The Effects of Trump‑Era Tariffs on ProAV
The ripple effects of Trump‑era tariffs continue to reshape the global ProAV and digital signage industries. At ISE 2026, the Tradescape Megatrend Conference will take a deep dive into how import duties, supply‑chain restructuring and geopolitical pressures are redefining hardware, software and services across the market. Experts from The Wall Street Journal, Omdia, TD Synnex and invidis will analyse short‑ and mid‑term consequences – and explore how the industry must recalibrate in response.
Setting the Stage: A Market Under Pressure
invidis Managing Director Florian Rotberg will open the Tradescape Conference with a keynote examining the fundamental market shifts triggered by years of escalating trade restrictions. While the US market has been hit hardest by tariffs on imports from Asia, the effects have long since spilled over into EMEA and APAC. Costs for displays, LEDs, components and sub‑assemblies have risen, reshaping procurement strategies and accelerating the diversification of manufacturing footprints.
Rotberg’s keynote will provide a detailed market update, highlight best‑practice strategies for navigating tariff‑driven disruption, and outline how the industry must adapt – from AI‑powered supply‑chain optimisation to a growing reliance on hyperscalers and cloud‑native infrastructure.
ISE Tradescape Conference | Wednesday 04 February 1640-1740 | CC5.3
ISE 2026 Megatrends Pass are available for 99 Euro – pass holders gain access to all sessions and the opportunity to network with speakers and peers. The megatrends are AI, Cybersecurity, Robotics, Smart Spaces, Sustainability, plus the TradeScape megatrend, which examines the navigation of complex regulatory frameworks and fluctuating tariffs affecting supply chains.
Hardware, Software, Services: What’s Changing
Trump‑era tariffs originally focused on hardware imports, but their impact extends across the entire solution stack. Hardware manufacturers have shifted production to alternative regions, leading to new logistical realities and cost structures. Software vendors face increased operational challenges tied to US cloud-hosting provider, compliance and cross‑border data regulations. Service providers are adjusting pricing and delivery models as international rollouts become more complex and resource‑intensive.
The overarching question: How does the industry balance resilience, competitiveness and global scale under ongoing regulatory pressure?
Following the keynote, a panel of industry leaders from The Wall Street Journal, Omdia, TD Synnex and invidis will analyse how tariffs and regulatory frameworks are shaping manufacturing and distribution strategies worldwide. The discussion will explore global responses – from reshoring and nearshoring to collaborative procurement models – and examine how distributors and integrators can maintain competitiveness despite rising friction in international trade.
The panel will also look at how major AV and digital signage vendors are adapting their supply chains, and what lessons the industry can draw from other affected sectors such as consumer electronics and IT infrastructure.
A Market Recalibrating for the Long Term
Tariffs have become a structural reality – not a temporary disruption. The ProAV industry is shifting from short‑term coping strategies to long‑term transformation: more diversified manufacturing, deeper partnerships with hyperscalers, and a stronger focus on software‑defined architectures that reduce hardware dependency.
ISE 2026’s Tradescape Conference aims to provide clarity and direction in this evolving landscape – helping the global digital signage and ProAV community move beyond the “right to play” and toward the right to compete and win in a new regulatory era.
Experts from The Wall Street Journal, Omdia, TD Synnex and invidis will discuss all things tariffs at the Tradescape Megatrend Conference at ISE 2026. While the US-market has been hardest hit by tariffs on imports, the whole digital signage world is feeling the impact. invidis’ Florian Rotberg opens the Tradescape Conference with a keynote sharing an market update and presenting best practice in surviving the fundamentals shifts. What are short- and midterm impacts on hardware, software and services and how the market will need to calibrate – from AI to hyper scaler.
The invidis keynote is followed by a diverse panel of industry leaders examining the effects of Trump-era tariffs and regulations on manufacturing. Panellists from The Wall Street Journal, market researcher Omdia, global distributor TD Synnex and invidis share how global responses and collaborative strategies enable the industry to stay resilient and competitive in a shifting regulatory landscape.
