Business News
Sustainable growth in focus: Technology leaders prepare for drupa 2024
Wednesday 30. August 2023 - With challenges but also opportunities being omnipresent in the print industry, the impulses emanating from drupa are as valuable as ever. Only those keeping themselves abreast of technology trends and market changes, will tap into and leverage new potential for themselves.
Whoever wants to present themselves to the global sector comes to drupa. Like in 2024 when the most relevant trade fair for print technologies will take place again at last after a pandemic-induced eight-year break. One thing is clear already: the exhibitors will be offering innovative product presentations and riveting live demos.
“drupa 2024 is an important milestone for Canon,” says Marc Bory, EMEA Vice President, Digital Printing & Solutions Marketing & Innovation at Canon Europe, about the upcoming show. This confirms another key player in the industry when the global print & packaging industry finally meets again at drupa from 28 May to 7 June. “It allows us to deepen engagements with our print communities whilst demonstrating our innovation, technology leadership and commitment to accelerated growth in commercial and industrial print. We look forward to meeting with global print communities face-to-face again, to discuss how we can help them to grow and thrive sustainably for the future through technology and business innovation,” says Marc Bory.
With challenges but also opportunities being omnipresent in the print industry, the impulses emanating from drupa are as valuable as ever. After all, only those keeping themselves abreast of technology trends and market changes, will tap into and leverage new potential for themselves. Examples of this come care of Bobst, Canon, die Durst Group, EFI, Epson, Fujifilm, Heidelberg, Koenig & Bauer, Konica Minolta, the Leonhard Kurz Stiftung, Ricoh Europe PLC, and Windmöller & Hölscher. “We are delighted to take part in drupa again,” underlines Erwin Busselot, Business Innovations & Solutions Director at Ricoh Europe, and goes on to say: “We are delighted to be able to return to drupa. We are getting excited already about what we aim to bring to the show, and are sure that a visit to the Ricoh stand will prove to be a memorable experience.”
Also presenting their innovative solutions will be renowned SMEs and start-ups thereby creating an inspiring environment for companies that drive the market with their competencies.
Digitalisation as a key
New technologies and areas of application offer a wide variety of opportunities. “Digital printing remains a key growing force within commercial and industrial markets, as run lengths continue to come down and demands increase for sustainable production” says Olaf Lorenz, General Manager International Marketing Division, Konica Minolta Business Solutions Europe, in the run-up to the trade fair. One focus for optimising success here is undoubtedly digitalisation – one of the focal themes of drupa 2024. “Showgoers to our stand will be able to immerse themselves in a captivating Industry 5.0 tale, where scalability, capacity reliability, sustainability, and smart factory automation converge, all centred on the human experience. As a global technology leader, our mission is to help to identify and unlock the potential that digitalisation holds. We will also be inviting them to explore our strategic partnerships, enabling end-to-end ecosystems across multiple segments, from label to large format.” Lorenz goes on to say.
The Focal Themes 2024
Digitalisation is an enabler for processes and applications in the print and packaging industries. AI, platform economy, and the openness to new product solutions in the field of industrial applications play a key role. Furthermore, sustainability will characterise drupas agenda next year. With such topics as Circular Economy, Energy Efficiency and Resource Conservation it has become a pivotal factor for the industry as a whole.
In this dynamic context the exhibitors pitch their essential fields of action to an international audience comprising the print and packaging industries, agencies, trade, media and research. “As exhibitors we do our utmost to make the focal themes of Digitalisation and Sustainability perceivable. Digital solutions are the enablers for sustainable products, services and processes. With our Exceeding Print strategy we shine the spotlight on the topics that move both the print industry and society,” says Dr. Andreas Pleßke, Spokesman od the Board at Koenig & Bauer.
Diverse possibilities for participation
drupa is not only in demand as an indispensable, global industry platform but also place relevant and visionary themes and best practices centrestage in its Special Forums. Here, exhibitors will generate now business opportunities with their innovations, ideas and concepts.
At the drupa cube and at various touchpoints on the topics Packaging, Textile and Sustainability participants will be given in-depth insights into relevant themes and impulses for growth potential. Start-ups will find their platform at “dna – drupa next age” and can present themselves to an international expert audience.
At the same time as applications are approved the exhibitors database and the interactive hall plan will also go live at