drupa halls almost fully booked

Next year’s giant drupa trade fair is almost fully booked, with organisers expecting all available halls to be sold out by the time the expo opens its doors next June.

Some 1800 exhibitors from 50 countries are expected to appear at drupa 2020, with around 30 per cent of them new to the show, including several of the big online print businesses seeking to attract resellers.

The organiser says businesses of all types are participating, from global industry players to ambitious small companies and promising start-ups.

The profile of the event is clearly structured and split into defined groups, encompassing prepress/print; premedia/multichannel; post press/converting/packaging; future technologies; materials; and equipment/services/infrastructure.

Sabine Geldermann, director of drupa. is convinced that the trade fair will demonstrate the dynamism and innovative capabilities of the entire printing industry.

“drupa stands for cutting-edge technologies and solutions that reach target groups in a wide range of markets. It has become apparent in recent years that the appeal of print products is growing as the technology steadily advances. Print is conquering new dimensions with haptic elements, innovative materials and finishing techniques that engage the senses in previously unknown ways for an entirely new experience.

“What is more, global trends such as the circular economy, artificial intelligence, the platform economy and connected consumers are forces that will have a growing influence on processes in the industry,” she said.

The various megatrends will take the lead at drupa with special forums or Hot Spots, drupa cube, dna - drupa next age, touchpoint packaging, touchpoint 3D fab+print, and touchpoint textile. They provide a setting for transferring knowledge and sharing experiences that reflects the competence and creativity of the industry. Beyond the special forums, innumerable exhibitors will also be showcasing new solutions in these segments at their stands.

The show will run from 16-26 June 2020 at its usual location in the Düsseldorf Messe Centre. Regular visitors will notice a new entrance and new Hall 1. drupa is the world's biggest industrial trade fair; the fairground is so big it has its own bus service.