Drupa, one of the biggest fairs in global printing sector, is held in Düsseldorf in 3-16 May. The fair, in which 1850 firms from 52 countries, is organized every four year. According to the fair figures in the week on which our magazine went to press, it has been stated that there were 95.000 visitors in the fair in total.
While % 60 of fair attendees were foreign visitors, Germany was on the top with its 123.000 visitors. India, Belgium, France, Holland, England, U.S.A, Switzerland and Italy followed Germany with 15.000 visitors respectively. The number of visitors coming from especially Brasilia, Central and South America has risen a lot compared to 2008. In total 2.400 journalists from 75 countries attended the fair.
Printing Sector Goes Through Difficult Times
The fact that there were less attendees in the fair than the fair in 2008 was accepted as very normal by managers. Messe Düsseldorf Manager and CEO Werner Matthias, saying that that the number of visitors decreased about 75.500 compared to the last edition ‘is not a surprise’, emphasized that in the last ten years 61.000 people have become unemployed just in Germany in the printing sector.
Matthias, saying that in this field 3900 firms stopped operating, continued his words;” Many companies could not handle with the crisis and the rivalry that the internet has brought. In this period, 7700 firms were closed in U.S.A. There were many unemployed people and the sector fell back. When we consider these processes, it cannot be evaluated as a situation in which the number of visitors has decreased. The important point here is that among the attendees there were senior executives in great numbers. Drupa has turned into a fair which the decision makers attend. This attracts attention at the same time as a development in terms of business and trade growth.”
Drupa acknowledged as a fair that determines the printing trends of 2012 is also seen as the fair in which designs devoted to future are exhibited. In this respect, in the statement Printing Press and Paper Technologies General Manager Dr. Markus Heerimg made, he emphasized that the sector had a successful fair in this difficult times.
Heerimg, saying that difficult times are experienced in many markets of the world, continued his words; “These difficulties will disappear in time. According to the surveys carried out with the visitors, it seems that people evaluates the printing sector’s future positively. The attendees come here with the aim of certain investments. %50 0f all the attendees left the fair by giving special orders. When we look at the senior executives of the companies, there are positive differences. The rate of senior executive attendees which was 44.4 in 2008 has risen to 50.8 in the 2012 edition.
Innovation Hall Attracts Attention
Heerimg, giving also information about the main themes of the Drupa 2012 Fair, stated that automation, packing printing, digital printing, hybrid technologies, web printing innovations, printings about environmental issues and printing operations enabling environment saving came forefront in the fair. Heerimg said that %40 of the fair attendees were interested in digital printing machines and digital printing systems.
With the Expert Guidance Program in the fair organization, there were events for informing the fair attendees. 130 attendee firms in total were interested in the innovations in the Drupa innovation garden. %20 of attendees visiting the innovation booth were interested closely in Drupa Cube. With this application, the focus was on the innovations made recently. Frank Omano from U.S.A Rochster Institute praised the Drupa innovation park. Omano said “It is enabled to think and shape the quality perception about the technologies in the future.
In the fair where many activities were held, another organization attracting attention was the congress program in German and English. Marketing and decision makers, the ones giving advertisement, publishers, designers and printers showed great interest in the congress. Approximately 1000 experts from 55 countries made presentations about media campaigns, institutional publishing, newspaper, book and magazine publication trends, dialog in marketing, packing, electronic printing and media.
Ruth Heynen Received The 2012 Drupa Award
In Düsseldorf Heinrich Heine University Art Faculty, Europe Drupa Award is given to the best doctoral thesis every year. The doctoral student Ruth Heynen received the award with his thesis. The award was given by Messe Düsseldorf Manager of Executive Board and 2012 Drupa Head Bernhard Schreier. At the top of the subjects handled in the thesis is to form the European identity. With this organization, both financial and moral support have been given to students since 1978. Jurymen of the organization in which 6000 euro is given to the winner comprise important people and important faculty members from the university.
Next Drupa Fair will be held in 2-15 2016.
