drupa 2024 is well on track

“We create the future” drupa will serve from 28 May - 7 June 2024 as a global meeting point presenting the visions of the print and packaging industries

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drupa

Since February companies have been able to register for drupa 2024 and a very positive trend is now already emerging. Renowned global players and newcomers across the entire print and packaging value chain from a total of 32 countries are already on board.  

Drupa 2024 is gaining momentum and there is every indication that it will again underline its position as the No. 1 event for Printing Technologies. Under the motto “we create the future” drupa will serve as a global meeting point presenting the visions of the print and packaging industries. This edition will specifically focus on the megatrends of sustainability and digitalization as well as their influence on processes, products, sustainable business models, and the future of the industry.

“Current registration levels, exhibitor feedback on impressive stand concepts, scheduled product launches, and live demos of machinery all build suspense among the global community and are the reason for our great optimism,” delights Sabine Geldermann, project director of Print Technologies at Messe Düsseldorf, adds, “The industry has again proven its pivotal relevance with its broad-based applications on so many vertical markets – especially in times of crisis.”

Kurz to act as Platinum Partner for drupa 2024

After already acting as a Platinum Partner for virtual.drupa Kurz, a worldwide market leader in thin-film technologies, unequivocally demonstrates its strong commitment to returning as an exclusive partner of drupa 2024.

“drupa is the most relevant trade fair for the graphic industry,” explains Walter Kurz, board member of Leonhard Kurz Stiftung. “All decision-makers, innovators, but also providers and processors of progressive technologies come together here, present their solutions, and marvel at new trends – no market player can or wants to miss this date. We are already looking forward to presenting our innovative solutions in 2024 – first and foremost with a focus on sustainability.”

For interested firms, drupa offers its exclusive ‘Platinum Exhibitor’ packages (which are already sold out), alongside its ‘Golden Exhibitor’ and ‘Silver Exhibitor’ packages in limited numbers.

Full steam ahead

Although there are just under two years to go until the start of the trade fair, planning is already in full swing. Operative planning of global marketing initiatives, special forums, and networking events has already gotten off to a dynamic start. Likewise, the partners operating the touchpoints and the Special Forum drupa next age (dna) – the innovative technology driver to connect industry newcomers, young talents, explorative start-ups, and well-established enterprises – have already submitted their conceptual ideas and involvement of exhibitor partners.

Young Talents at drupa

“Promoting young talent and the ‘next generation of print’ is especially dear to our hearts just as it is to our partners and customers,” explains Sabine Geldermann. “Against this background, we will design a fascinating paper artwork for drupa 2024 together with the Academy for Fashion & Design from Düsseldorf, in cooperation with other universities such as Stuttgart Media University as well as vocational training colleges such as FHBK Dortmund we will move the importance and fascination of this industry with its highly attractive job profiles to the foreground.”

2023 promises an interesting ride for print in India

Indian Printer and Publisher founded in 1979 is the oldest B2B trade publication in the multi-platform and multi-channel IPPGroup. While the print and packaging industries have been resilient in the past 33 months since the pandemic lockdown of 25 March 2020, the commercial printing and newspaper industries have yet to recover their pre-Covid trajectory.

The fragmented commercial printing industry faces substantial challenges as does the newspaper industry. While digital short-run printing and the signage industry seem to be recovering a bit faster, ultimately their growth will also be moderated by the progress of the overall economy. On the other hand book printing exports are doing well but they too face several supply-chain and logistics challenges.

The price of publication papers including newsprint has been high in the past year while availability is diminished by several mills shutting down their publication paper and newsprint machines in the past four years. Indian paper mills are also exporting many types of paper and have raised prices for Indian printers. To some extent, this has helped in the recovery of the digital printing industry with its on-demand short-run and low-wastage paradigm.

Ultimately digital print and other digital channels will help print grow in a country where we are still far behind in our paper and print consumption and where digital is a leapfrog technology that will only increase the demand for print in the foreseeable future. For instance, there is no alternative to a rise in textbook consumption but this segment will only reach normality in the next financial year beginning on 1 April 2023.

Thus while the new normal is a moving target and many commercial printers look to diversification, we believe that our target audiences may shift and change. Like them, we will also have to adapt with agility to keep up with their business and technical information needs.

Our 2023 media kit is ready, and it is the right time to take stock and reconnect with your potential markets and customers. Print is the glue for the growth of liberal education, new industry, and an emerging economy. We seek your participation in what promises to be an interesting ride.

– Naresh Khanna

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