My walk through Drupa 2024. Successful event despite lesser visitors!

After a gap of 8 years instead of the earlier 4 years, due to Covid 19, Drupa 2024, the largest printing equipment exhibition in the world, which is held every four years by Messe Düsseldorf in Düsseldorf, Germany, was held from 28^th of May to 7^th of June 2024. 

From the beginning of the show, the regular Drupa attendees could feel the number of visitors was less than usual, the final figures too confirmed this. 170,000 visitors from 174 countries attended this year’s Drupa while 1,643 exhibitors from 52 nations showcased their products and services. The number of international visitors was 80%. After Europe, Asia was the most strongly represented region with 22%, followed by America with 12%. As per official figure released, Drupa 2024 had 9149 visitors from India, making India the most important visitor nation after Germany, registering a marginal increase in the number of visitors over the last edition. This is while the overall number of international visitors declined.  

Compare this with Drupa 2016 figures: 260,000 visitors from 188 countries travelled to Düsseldorf. 1,837 exhibitors from 54 countries exhibited their equipment and products. At 76% participation of international visitors at Drupa 2016, it increased by 16% compared to 2012. The largest contingent in 2016 came from Asia with 17% (2012: 13.6%) participation, particularly from India (5%) and China (3%). The number of visitors was down by over 33%  and number of exhibitors was less by 10.5%. Apparently, the increased cost of travel, show tickets, and services was the main cause of reduced numbers. However, the exhibitors’ satisfaction from the quality of focused and highly relevant quality of visitors made this show successful. It is time for the organisers to rethink and structure the event such that visitors can visit cost effectively and add value to this important show.

The crowds at Drupa 2016

In 2016, in my article after visiting Drupa I mentioned the history and journey of this exhibition over the years. I reproduce the part of story: “DRUPA” derives its name from the German words “druck und papier” meaning print and paper, respectively. It was first inaugurated in 1951 spread over an area of 18450 square meters, 527 exhibitors from 10 countries and 195450 visitors. The main highlight then was the platen press. By 1962 the show had grown to 48000 square meters and letterpress printing was changing to offset printing. 1972 saw Drupa being held at the present site with a brand-new exhibition center and the size grew to almost 100,000 square meters. The next editions of Drupa up to the end of the new millennium more or so saw the growth and development in offset printing technologies. From smaller machines to bigger ones, UV inks, better ink control technologies, Web offset, CTP, Digitalization of equipment, etc., were the highlights. It was largely recognized as an offset printers show. Printers involved in processes like Flexo, gravure screen, etc. would not be a part of this show. The last decade of the last millennium saw some fast growth and activity in digital printing. 50years after the exhibition was launched a transformation in printing technology was evident at Drupa 2000. This was the peak of participation. The show had grown to 158,875 square meters and 428,248 visitors from 171 countries, the highest in Drupa’s history, came to the show. 1943 exhibitors from 50 countries showcased their products and equipment catering to diverse printing technologies. By 2004 the internet was providing immense possibilities to the printing industry by way of networking possibilities like data transfer which made life so much simpler for the printing fraternity. Digital printing was spreading its reach. 2008 Drupa did confirmed that digital printing is going to be the future. Leaders in digital like Océ, Canon, Agfa, Ricoh, Konica Minolta, Kodak and HP were present in huge floor spaces confirming their resolve to bring about that change from conventional to digital printing. In 2012, Benny Landa took inkjet to the next level by promising nano graphic-printing to be better than even offset. Landa’s showmanship and vision pulled hordes of visitors to the Landa stand the world was talking about it. The HP stand of 4950 sq.mtrs and large stands of Kodak and other companies exhibited a new trend of combining multiple print and converting technologies leading to hybrid machines. For this reason, Drupa 2012 was the initiation of making Drupa not just an offset printer’s show. However still people said digital to spread cost effectively and emphatically will take time. 

 

At the start of Drupa 2024

HP Stand

 

Drupa 2024 confirmed the forward march of digital printing industry HPs huge stand led the way in conveying the thought process.

 

 

Umesh Kagade of HP with HP-V12

The Uteco stand displayed their Digital with Flexo Hybrid press running flexo at 400 meters per minute, digital at 150 meters per minute and hybrid at 300meters per minute.

Linematic Stand

Flint-Xeikon Stand

Biku Kohli at his S P Ultraflex Stand

Cosmo Films

Kurz

With Amit Sheth at Pulisi Stand

Ranesh Bajaj at Rotatek Stand

With Kishore Butani at Robatech Stand

Acme Rolltech

With Ivan Bonev of Nikka

Sandeep Sharma of Acme Rolltech

G Technologies  UV, UV LED, IR and HOT AIR technologies

With Ramon Li and Leaf Zhang of Brotech

Rishab Kohli The Printers House

Natalia Tsamorina at Cartes Stand

Martin Automatic team

Daniele Barbui Ace Electrostatic

Manoj Kochhar Holoflex with Benny Landa

Weigang

Kuldip Goel and Naveen Goel with Amit Sheth at Pulisi stand

After a hard day at Drupa, chilling out at old town Alstadt

With the  entire team of Parksons Packaging led by Ramesh Kejriwal at Alstadt

Printers enjoy at the old town of Alstadt

The evolution of print in labels and packaging was evident at Drupa 2024. Merging of different printing, embellishing and converting technologies in web format was largely showcased. Sustainability, downscaling and waste reduction for environmental concerns, delivered the message that it has to be the way forward in creating a safer world for future generations. The next edition of Drupa will definitely have these concerns in consideration.

Written and collated by Harveer Sahni, Chairman Weldon Celloplast Ltd. New Delhi June 2024