Around 18 exhibition halls of Messe Düsseldorf were brimming with 1,643 exhibitors from 52 nations, presenting an outstanding showcase of innovations. However, the number was down from 1,828 exhibitors at the previous drupa in 2016.

 

Meanwhile, the international share of visitors was 80%, 5 percentage points higher than the previous edition, with attendees from 174 countries, a record figure according to a drupa press release (die deutschsprachige Pressemitteilung finden Sie hier). 

 

After Europe, Asia was the second most strongly represented region with 22%, followed by America at 12%. Asia, along with Latin America and the MENA region, are markets with great growth potential, as reflected in the significant increase in exhibitors’ presence and order books.

 

Around 96% of all visitors confirmed that they had fully achieved the objectives associated with their visit, drupa mentioned in the release. More than 50% of visitors came from the printing industry, followed by the packaging industry, whose share has significantly increased and was the focus of many exhibitors as a growth driver. In total, 170,000 trade visitors attended drupa 2024, down from 260,165 in the previous edition.

 

Industry decision-makers highly satisfied

Erhard Wienkamp, Managing Director at Messe Düsseldorf, is highly satisfied with the course of the trade fair.

 

“drupa has underpinned its position as the industry’s leading trade fair in a remarkable way,” he said. “The international flair and the high decision-making competence of the visitors ensured in-depth and well-founded technical discussions at the trade fair stands. This also led to many direct investment decisions.”

 

Wienkamp said that large-volume purchase agreements were signed during the 11-day show.

 

Key players such as Bobst, Canon, Fujifilm, Heidelberger Druckmaschinen, HP, Horizon, Koenig & Bauer, Komori, Konica Minolta, Kurz, and Landa reported signing contracts that significantly exceeded expectations. In some cases, the sales targets were achieved in the first few days of the trade fair, the organiser stated.

 

“drupa was an excellent opportunity for Kodak to demonstrate its commitment to innovation across its complete portfolio of both offset and digital solutions. Printers who visited the Kodak booth learned how Kodak can help make their businesses more efficient and profitable in today’s era of print. Kodak is able to serve its customers comprehensively with both innovative digital technology and modern, highly automated solutions for traditional offset printing. As a result, we have achieved strong sales for our digital and traditional portfolio during the show.”

Automation took centre stage at this year’s drupa, with a strong focus on AI and smart workflows, including software solutions. It became clear that digital and analogue technologies complement each other and derive mutual benefits.

 

Traditional industry leaders showcased a wide range of digital solutions, while digital pioneers integrated conventional components into their offerings. Robotics played an important role in the exhibition halls, illustrating the path toward the smart factory, drupa stated.

 

Sustainable technologies in focus

Technology is the key to achieving sustainability goals, as illustrated by exhibitors through numerous practical developments and concrete solutions. Top priority is given to resource efficiency and the transition to a functioning circular economy.

 

Touchpoint Sustainability by the German Machinery and Equipment Manufacturers’ Association (VDMA) presented best-practice use cases. It offered a far-reaching outlook into the future of a sustainable printing industry.

 

Valuable knowledge transfer

The extensive supporting programme, featuring five special forums, including drupa cube, drupa next age, was well received, according to drupa. In an era of constant change and evolving business models, these forums facilitated knowledge transfer and provided necessary guidance.

 

Alongside its partners, drupa emphasised industry expertise and addressed future topics relevant to its target groups. Guided tours on various key themes rounded off the trade fair experience.

 

The next drupa is scheduled for 2028.