Yes, there were some incredible launches. Of all the technology on show, the most relevant today was surely that first crop of machines in the production colour inkjet space, which will be such a major talking point at this year’s show.
No, the biggest keepsake from the 2008 show was the global financial crisis. Some say the collapse of Lehman Brothers marked the moment when the “credit crunch” truly morphed into the GFC. But for me, the real anniversary was the day the doors of the Messe Düsseldorf closed. The orders taken by noisily upbeat vendors evaporated as banks pulled down the shutters and printers failed to get the finance they needed for the next generation of printing technology.
They call the printing industry a barometer of the economy, so it is almost too neat that such a momentous collapse would come so swiftly after the major date in the industry calendar. But if we are allowed to wish for a neat and tidy order of things, I hope that we look back on Drupa 2012 as the moment when the clouds parted.
It might seem like wishful thinking, but there are signs. By world standards, Australia continues to be a miracle economy (though you wouldn’t know it from the pessimism that seeps through-out the country), but more importantly, the US economy – so shaky for the past four years – looks to be in recovery mode. It is cause for optimism. But in stark contrast to the sharp downturn that put us in this sorry state, the upturn will be a spluttering stop-start affair.
Besides dodgy bankers and even dodgier sub-prime mortgages, what got us into this glum economic situation was confidence, or rather, a lack of it. The little corner of the world economy that we call the printing industry can’t rebalance the scales on its own, but more confidence within our sector can hopefully kick-start a general feeling of optimism and perhaps help us write the kinds of business success stories we all sorely want to read.
The equipment manufacturers, who form such an integral part of our sector, look to be have done their bit. Just glancing through the pages and pages of this Drupa Preview edition is proof of the millions – billions – of dollars of R&D investment technology firms have made to release new products. If you are in the market for investment, I hope Drupa 2012 offers you technology to fulfil your business needs and drive a mini recovery wherever you trade.
If you are going to be at Drupa in Düsseldorf, I’d like to invite you to ProPrint’s Australian and New Zealand drinks reception, which will be held on the show floor on Sunday 6 May. Go to www.proprint.com.au/DrupaDrinks to register for a free place.
Steven Kiernan is editor of ProPrint
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