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Drupa 2012 sends out Trendsetting Impulses for the Print Sector 

Trade Fair of Innovations and Investment 

Success across the Board: drupa innovation park and drupa cube presented by digi:media

Drupa 2012 is sending out key impulses for the worldwide print and media industry. The most important signal: print has potential and the sector is investing heavily in its future. This trend was already visible at the event’s half-way point and exhibitors reported the conclusion of numerous deals all over the world. This willingness to invest continued unabated in the second half of the trade fair.

314,500 experts from more than 130 countries came to drupa in Düsseldorf, 75,500 less than in 2008. “This drop does not come as a surprise for us and the sector as a whole. In Germany alone the printing industry lost some 3,900 operations with over 61,000 employees between 2000 and 2011. In the USA over the same period more than 7,700 printing operations closed,” explained Werner Matthias Dornscheidt, President & CEO of Messe Düsseldorf. “Against this backdrop it is not surprising that fewer visitors came to drupa 2012. However – and this is the key point – customers now no longer come to drupa as large delegations or on group corporate trips; it is much more top managers who travel to Düsseldorf. drupa is clearly the decision-makers’ trade fair and the trade fair for business.”

“drupa sent out key impulses in this difficult climate for our sector. This gives us optimism that the backlog in investment on many markets around the world is now gradually being overcome,” says Dr Markus Heering, Managing Director of the Print and Paper Technology Association within the German Engineering Federation VDMA. Numerous orders were placed during the fair. Both large printing machinery manufacturers and their suppliers posted orders. The number of enquiries also rose continually over the course of the trade fair which is why many exhibitors are now also looking forward to good post-fair business. 

This shows how drupa 2012’s is defending its position as the world’s most important and largest B2B trade fair in its sector – a fact also illustrated by the results of the visitor survey. drupa visitors come to drupa with specific investment intentions. Nearly 50% of all visitors place specific orders – and most of these right at the trade fair itself. This comes as no surprise as, after all, the proportion of top managers amongst visitors has grown significantly since 2008 (50.8% compared with 44.4% in 2008). 

The dominating themes at drupa 2012 were automation, packaging printing, digital printing, hybrid technologies, web-to-print applications and environmentally sound printing. For instance, 40% of visitors said they were interested in digital printing machinery and digital printing systems. Also attracting great attention was the future theme printed electronics which was highlighted at drupa in a variety of fields: at the drupa innovation park, drupa cube, in a Highlight Tour and at many stands of drupa exhibitors. 

The next drupa will be held from 2 to 15 June 2016.