It’s been eight long years since the Halls of Messe Dusseldorf have rung to the hum and whirr of printing and finishing machines but here it is, live and open, and in a pre-opening media walkabout, looking fantastic! Andy McCourt’s first impressions.
HP gave us a sneak peek at this Latex-wrapped McClaren F1 car, as driven by Richard Milles
Drupa even has a song written for it: 'Let's Create the Future', we know you can't wait so here it is, get in the groove, slip a disc and high-five- we're going to drupa and it's soooo cooool!
You can feel the vibe and pent-up energy already as the final touches are put to the stands. This is drupa and it is back all-singing, dancing and wrapping (or should that be rapping?). The next eleven days with be a barometer for the industry, which according to an industry report (Smithers) released as drupa opened its doors, is already recording 2.1% annual grown - double that of a the past five years. It says: "In a current study industry analysts assume that the global print industry will achieve annual average inflation-adjusted growth of over 2.1% over the coming five years after posting 1.1% growth over the past five years. This development, will mainly be driven by the labels and packaging segments."
Counting 1,642 exhibitors from 52 nations, drupa is the world’s biggest trade fair for print technologies. Around 200,000 trade visitors from over 180 countries are expected at the eleven-day event. Nearly 75% of customers now come from abroad, outside of Germany. "With these figures, drupa underscores its position as the most important hub for the global print industry," says Sabine Geldermann, Director drupa, Portfolio Print Technologies Messe Düsseldorf: “drupa brings the global ranges of innovative technologies, latest market developments and information together in one place. Drupa occupies the entire Düsseldorf Exhibition Centre on more than 140,000 m² net exhibition space in 18 halls."
Numbers are only marginally down from 2016, approximately 200 fewer exhibitors, about 18,000 square metres less exhibit space (158,235 m2 in 2016) and target visitors a little over 200,000 versus 2016's 260,000 but it is still a sizeable show and the buzz is definitely the good old drupa buzz.
It's surreal to be back here again but a feeling of security and, well as the song goes, a future for our industry in all of its forms. Stay tuned for more! We think this drupa will be full of surprises. - Andy McCourt
