After months of speculation that the drupa print show in Germany would change its frequency, the organiser has decided to keep to the current four yearly cycle.
However future events will run for fewer days: 11 instead of 14, with the show starting on a Tuesday instead of a Thursday so that there will only be one weekend taken up. The next drupa will therefore be held from Tuesday 31 May to Saturday 10 June 2016, in the usual Düsseldorf Messe venue.
The decision was taken by the 20-member drupa committee at a constitutive session on 2 November. ‘Many innovative exhibitors and their successful customers would very much like a more regular/frequent event. However, the supplier industry plans its entire trade fair marketing activities within a global concept. Dependable planning is of the utmost importance here in view of the current economic climate and the situation in international sales markets,’ said Kai Büntemeyer, chairman of the Printing and Paper Technology Association (Fachverband Druck- und Papiertechnik) within the VDMA (German Engineering Federation) and president of Global Print. Founded in 2008, the international association Global Print promotes the global exchange of information on developments in the print and paper industries.
Another factor, said the organiser, was the ‘four-yearly international trade fair cycle.’ While not mentioned by name, the UK Ipex international print show is also on a four-yearly cycle, held in the two year gap before and after drupas. This is the largest print show in the world after drupa. Other print shows worldwide are often on a two or four year cycle. If drupa were to move to a three yearly cycle, as was apparently considered, that would disrupt the other shows and clash with them in some years.
Holding drupa for fewer days is also a response to visitor and exhibitor requirements, said Werner Matthias Dornscheidt, CEO at Messe Düsseldorf. ‘Visitor structure at drupa has changed. While in the past large groups travelled to the fair – preferably at the weekend – drupa is now increasingly developing into a B2B fair with a high proportion of top decision-makers,’ he said. ‘At this year’s drupa 78% of the international visitors and 52% of German visitors came from top management; respectively this is 4 and 5 percentage points more than in 2008. This makes running over two weekends unnecessary. With eleven days – ie one weekend and nine working days – we perfectly cater to the needs of both supply and demand.’
The same meeting saw Dipl Ing. Claus Bolza-Schünemann, CEO of Koenig & Bauer AG, appointed as the president of drupa 2016. ‘I am delighted to assume the Presidency at such an exciting time. Our sector is developing at a rapid pace and drupa 2016 will represent a key milestone on the path into the future,’ he said.
Contact: www.drupa.com
