2012 DRUPA Expo

From 3^rd May to 16^th May 2012, DRUPA 2012, the expo once each 4 years, was on time grandly held in Düsseldorf, Germany, that attracted more than 190,000 foreign visitors, and the international focus of DRUPA continues at a very high level. What is striking here is the high number of trade visitors from India which, now reaching some 15,000, ranks as the second largest visitor nation after Germany (123,000 visitors). Following behind these two in the country ranking are: Belgium, France, the Netherlands, Great Britain, the USA, Switzerland and Italy. It is particularly gratifying to see the rising proportion of visitors from South and Central America (8.8% in 2012 compared to 7% in 2008) – and more specifically from Brazil.

At drupa

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.”

Visitors on the trade fair of DRUPA

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 drupa cube

Being the bellwether of traditional offset printing, drupa, under the impacts of digital media and internet, is meeting a transform era after the change of traditional imaging industry. Along with the rapid emergence of current inkjet printing, quick printing and new media (such as LCD or LED) coming up, the shortage of traditional offset printing is incessantly complemented as simplex it is. Hence, the signs industry will definitely obtain more opportunities since it is an organic application for digital imaging industry. As a result, this is also an opportunity for Sign-in-China.com and other signs players.

The press checking in at drupa 2012 is also highly international in nature: the approx. 2,400 journalists come from 75 countries.

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

Video link of drupa:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_embedded&v=uU8ImxJV098