The mother of all trade shows drupa will take place every three years following the 2016 show, with organisers keen to capitalise on emerging technologies as older ones downsize. The giant show first proposed a three year cycle in November 2012, but it was given short shrift at the time by the major exhibitors, with Heidelberg, HP and KBA all strongly against it, although Benny Landa was a big yes to three years.
However as print continues to change and as new markets emerge such as 3D, printed electronics and functional printing, the organiser has persuaded the drupa committee that three years is the way to go. The end of Ipex would also have played a part in the decision, traditionally the two shows alternated every two years, drupa would have seen its demise as freeing up some budget for exhibitors. Print trade show organisers in Australia and around the world are now digesting the decision by drupa to move to a three yearly cycle from its traditional four year term. Following the 2016 event drupa will take place in May 2019, 2022 and 2025. Ordinarily there would be a PrintEx scheduled for May 2015 and a PacPrint for May 2025. These clearly will not now take place at those times, the question for the shows’ owners – GAMAA and PIAA – is when to run the shows. And the Australians are not alone, every print show around the world will be impacted by the drupa decision, Igas for instance has a 2019 show scheduled. While 2016 drupa has its number of days reduced, down to 11 with only one weekend, from the 14 or 15 days of previous shows there is no word yet on the number of days for the three year shows, but they are unlikely to revert back to 15. This decision to switch to three years was taken by the drupa committee yesterday in Düsseldorf. Claus Bolza-Schünemann, chairman of the drupa Advisory Board and president of KBA says, “The entire print process chain has changed radically because of the internet and digital technologies. “New applications and solutions are developing and opening up new fields of business. At the same time, there is more focus on innovative technologies, such as 3D printing, printed electronics and functional printing. “It is more important than ever before that our customers have an overview of the latest technology, and are also inspired to use new business models and solutions. “drupa is the only specialist trade fair in the world to offer this– and will do so every three years in the future.”
Comment below to have your say on this story.
If you have a news story or tip-off, get in touch at editorial@sprinter.com.au.
Sign up to the Sprinter newsletter
