A 360-degree look at the new technology, tradeshow must see-ems, and the best ways to plan your personal time!

The Digital Imaging Association’s in-person and online meeting was held Wednesday, April 17, 2024. It explored all that’s new and exciting at the world’s largest printing industry tradeshow, drupa 2024, taking place May 28 to June 7 in Düsseldorf, Germany. Since its inauguration in 1951, drupa has been the world’s largest tradeshow for the printing, packaging print and related graphic arts industries, attracting over 260,000 visitors and over 1,800 exhibitors every four years. The DIA was privileged to have the following panelists pass along their unique expertise and guidance:

• Morten B. Reitoft is Editor-in-Chief of Inkish TV in Denmark and was the keynote speaker, discussing featured technology and exciting new products at Drupa 2024. He is a sought-after speaker at special events, conferences, and webinars, always delivering engaging and inspiring views on a variety of topics. Inkish is the only trade media that covers most of the worldwide printing industry. Founded in 2014, with over 2,500 films produced from China, India, Japan, the Middle East, Europe, South Africa, and North & South America, Inkish has earned a reputation as the No. 1 unbiased source of information for the global printing industry.
• Alexander Düring, Senior Project Manager in North America for tradeshow organizer Messe Düsseldorf, gave his ‘30,000-foot overview’ of the tradeshow (i.e. how many halls, how many square feet/metres, how many exhibitors, etc.) helping everyone with the often-overwhelming logistics of transportation at this massive event – from hotels to the show and more. As Project Manager, Alex is the main contact for drupa in the U.S., and with his colleagues, helps exhibitors and visitors alike with everything they need to know for a successful event.
• Mark Norlock, Account Executive at print-finishing specialist Sydney Stone (Mississauga, Ontario), is a veteran of no less than four Drupas! He will discuss an often overlooked but extremely important element of attending – organizing and maximizing your time. He brings more than 40 years of experience within the Canadian printing industry, working previously with Canon Canada as a Print Production Specialist for just over five years. Mark is also serves as the DIA’s Secretary Treasurer.
Here are some takeaways from this timely event
• drupa 2024 is expected to surpass 1,584 exhibitors and attract over 200,000 visitors from over 50 nations.
• The world’s largest tradeshow for the printing industry will occupy over 140,000 square metres throughout 18 massive halls, and you can expect plenty of exciting, live-running machinery.
• The top 10 countries by exhibit space will be Germany (40,887), China (23,652), Italy (13,351), Netherlands (9,543), Switzerland (6,004), UK (5,603), India (4,896), Japan (4,288), USA (3,566) and Spain (3,493).
• So far, 14 Canadian companies have booked exhibit space.
• Each hall will feature special educational forums that are free of charge.
• In advance of the tradeshow, organizers have already conducted a series of drupa previews called “drupa world tours.” Countries covered: the USA, Mexico, Colombia, Brazil, Algeria, Tunisia, Germany, Italy, Hungary, Turkey, Egypt, Uzbekistan, Kazakhstan, China, India Thailand, Japan, Vietnam, Philippines, and Indonesia.
• drupa has also undertaken a global, 360-degree promotional campaign that involves social media, an awareness campaign, paid media and programmatic advertising in various publications, content marketing, email campaigns, cooperation with universities and industry associations, and much more.
• drupa Cube will conduct 50 educational sessions which are also free of charge. Some of the topics covered will include global macro-economic trends and forces, fascinating brand stories, the future of print and packaging print, business transformation and resilience, and many more.
• Touchpoint Sustainability will be featured in Hall 14 and will include a close look at the circular economy, climate-neutral production, material compliance, carbon-neutral production, your carbon footprint, ecological colours, new production processes, energy and resource efficiency, artificial intelligence, and recycling design.
• Touchpoint Packaging in Hall 3 will include over 30 sessions exploring the latest trends – another must see, especially for brand owners. This forum for innovative packaging solutions will take a close look at global consumer habits and design trends, packaging tips for print-service providers, material suppliers, experts in print embellishments, curated guided tours, a brand owners’ focus, experts in the packaging chain and more.
• Another must-see, drupa DNA (Drupa Next Age), with a focus on networking for both global players and start-ups, advanced manufacturing, digital direct manufacturing, new materials, new business models, bioprinting, artificial intelligence, robotics, and much more.
• Drupa Touchpoint Textile in Hall 4 will take visitors on a fascinating odyssey exploring the integrated printed textile supply chain and important automated processes – everything from animation to virtual rendering, to final production processes. A special “Design Meets Technology” forum will review cooperation between the textile printing industry and leading universities.
• Other helpful resources available at www.drupa.com will include a drupa blog, newsletter, the drupa app, an event database and program, interactive hall plan, ‘My Organizer’, social media announcements, ‘Match-Making-Tool’ and the drupa ‘Ticket Shop.’ A huge variety of other helpful, time-saving tools are also available.
• Mega trends expected to emerge at drupa include workflow automation, advances in inkjet, robotics, new ways to achieve sustainability, AI, prepress innovations, the rapid growth of label printers, and much more.
• Inkish TV (https://inkish.tv) is an excellent source of objective information and drupa news, with over 100 articles already written, 25 media partners revealing their full program every day of the tradeshow, and a helpful 44-page digital magazine for North Americans flying to the event (a perfect read during your flight!).
• www.whattheythink.com will also have feature articles and visit selected booths during this major event.
• Other at-show events include a VIP reception and dinner, the drupa 2024 awards, meet the press, a global association reception, an entertaining exhibitor party, international delegations, national days, and more.
• Maximizing and allotting your time properly is traditionally the biggest challenge for drupa visitors due to the tradeshow’s massive size. However, bus service is usually excellent to help you get to your desired location.
Conclusion: This global event is a challenge to navigate and is unlike any North American tradeshow that you’ve ever experienced. So please plan ahead and make all your appointments well in advance with the people and exhibitors you want to see (and booths, and educational forums, and of course, parties!). Finally, do your body a huge favour and be sure to bring at least two pairs of shoes and plenty of socks! Good luck!

About the Digital Imaging Association (DIA)
The Digital Imaging Association is a group of printing and imaging specialists who meet regularly to share knowledge, learn from industry experts, and network. The goal is to keep member companies current with the latest information in the fast-changing printing industry, and to provide a forum for information sharing so members can grow their business in a planned and profitable manner. DIA members attend 6 free sessions throughout the year (mostly luncheon meetings) and the cost is included with their membership fee. Plus, they can bring as many employees as they like to each meeting. The only exceptions are the Annual Owners Christmas Luncheon & General Meeting, and Annual Golf Tournament. Both of these events also provide an opportunity to bring their customers to a thoroughly enjoyable and affordable social gathering.

To become a member of the Digital Imaging Association, please call Association Manager Marg Macleod at (416) 254-4941 or email her at [email protected]. 
To review the many benefits of joining, please visit www.digitalimagingassociation.com.