
The excitement for drupa 2024, the world’s premier trade fair for printing and packaging technologies, reached Mumbai on 12 December with the first India roadshow commencing at the JW Marriott Hotel.
The event, serving as a prelude to the main event in Dusseldorf, Germany, from 28 May to 7 June, 2024, aimed to inform and energize the Indian printing and packaging community about the upcoming industry’ showcase.
Indian industry veterans, Amit Shah of Bombay Master Printers’ Association and Prakash Canser of Mumbai Mudrak Sangh, kicked off the event by emphasizing the importance of drupa and encouraging attendees to strategically plan their visit for maximum benefit.
Andreas Plesske, drupa committee chairman and CEO of Koenig & Bauer, offered valuable insights into the current trends shaping the printing and packaging industry. He highlighted factors such as geopolitics, economic fluctuations, inflation, skill shortages, and the rising middle class in Asia-Pacific as major influencers.
Sabine Geldermann of Messe Düsseldorf shared impressive participation numbers for drupa 2024. With 50 nations already confirmed, China leads with 291 participants, followed by Germany with 252. Notably, India’s participation has nearly doubled compared to the previous drupa, with 74 companies booked and occupying 4,618 square meters of exhibition space.
Thomas Schiemann of VDMA presented insights into global printing market trends, providing valuable information for industry stakeholders.
The Mumbai roadshow marks the beginning of a nationwide journey, with upcoming stops in Delhi (13 December) and Chennai (15 December). These roadshows aim to generate widespread awareness about drupa 2024 and encourage participation from Indian companies and individuals.