Highlights 2022 – Part 2: Let’s Create the Future Together

In the first part of our review, you traveled the world with us. While doing so, we always had a clear goal in mind: drupa 2024. Now you can read how far we have come on the road towards our upcoming edition in 2022.

On the Way to drupa 2024

In February 2022 we introduced the new head members of the drupa 2024 Committee, Koenig & Bauer CEO Dr. Andreas Pleßke! He has been leading the Committee since then, while Wolfgang Poppen, the managing director at Freiburger Druck, was reappointed as the deputy chairman.

In line with this, the new key visual for drupa 2024 was also unveiled: The design is intended to symbolize how both drupa and the printing industry are constantly adapting flexibly to the dynamic developments of our time and facing up to challenges such as the climate crisis or new demands in the world of work. It visualizes our 2024 main topics of digitalization and sustainability on three levels and plays an important role for our communicative activities. With our exhibitor brochure, for instance, we also address our main topics by keeping their ecological and carbon footprint as low as possible. This includes water-saving measures in the production of the printing plates or heat recovery processes based on hot air being recycled back into the press circuit which reduces the radiator intensity as a result. We also made sure that CO2 gas emissions were compensated. This enabled us to have them certified as climate-neutral by the Bundesverband Druck und Medien e.V.

Another important publication was the 8th edition of the drupa Global Trends Report once again shedding light on industry and global megatrends, market potential and innovations in all key areas of the print industry. It showed that the global print industry is recovering from pandemic effects and building up resilience to new challenges. The survey, which we have conducted regularly since 2013 and is available here, allowed for a better understanding of the shifts in the post-pandemic market.

A further reason to celebrate was when we handed over the drupa Prize, which has been awarded for 44 years to honour exceptional achievements in the humanities at Heinrich-Heine-Universität’s Faculty of Philosophy, to Friederike Danebrock for her outstanding thesis “Frankenstein. On Making Fiction”. An additional award ceremony this year was the Druck&Medien Awards 2022, organized by Der Deutsche Drucker (print.de), which saw MyPostcard.com GmbH take first place in the drupa-sponsored category Crossmedia Service Provider of the Year. 

The Momentum is Building up

With the official registration deadline in autumn, an exchange on the current status of drupa 2024 with our 76 international offices was of course a must, allowing our colleagues from overseas to support our participants in the best possible way to have an unforgettable experience at the worldwide largest trade fair for printing technologies.

The inspiring special platforms such as touchpoint textile, dna – drupa next age, touchpoint packaging and drupa cube will certainly also contribute to this. You will definitely be able to follow how we push and refine these forums here on the blog and on our social media channels in the coming months, after we have already reported on the exciting kick-off meetings for touchpoint textile and touchpoint packaging.

At touchpoint textile’s inaugural event committed companies such as Assyst, Mitwill Textiles or ZÜND drove the strategic development of this special area, that we co-host with the Deutsche Institute für Textil- und Faserforschung Denkendorf and at which the partners will present a microfactory. The same applies to touchpoint packaging, where ambitious partners will push innovative packaging solutions. At the end of the year we presented its concept together with the European brand and packaging design association epda. Participants such as BOBST, Esko, EFI and SAUERESSIG discussed the packaging opportunities awaiting the industry in 2024 and listened to keynotes by Benjamin Punchard from Mintel on consumer trends and David Strack from the Central Agency for Green Commerce GmbH on the SUSY check system. Inspiration on how the topic of sustainability could be explored in greater depth at drupa 2024 was provided by our partner association VDMA with the Circular Economy Forum at K 2022.

At the end of 2022, we counted a number of around 900 registered exhibitors from around 45 countries, who have already booked a total of 100.000 square meters of space – a promising interim status that allows us to look positively to the coming months. Or to put it in Sabine Geldermann’s words:

“A turbulent 2022 came to an end: geopolitical challenges, energy crisis, labor shortages, inflation and the impact of the pandemic have challenged us all tremendously. And yet, every crisis offers opportunities and the printing industry has been largely robust and resilient, innovative and solution-oriented. Trade fairs are a reflection of their respective industries and 2022 has clearly shown that trade fairs remain highly relevant and indispensable – as business and investment platforms, innovation drivers and economic facilitators. We will definitely do our utmost to ensure that this unique selling proposition is maintained and secured.

 

On behalf of team drupa we would like to thank you for the trust you have placed in us over the past few years. The great success and response to trade fairs in 2022 on our fairgrounds in Düsseldorf and the impressive booking status of drupa 2024 both nationally and internationally encourage us to be highly optimistic and confident for the future. And, we look very much forward to intensifying our contact with you next year and to supporting you with all your plans and questions on the way to drupa 2024.

 

We wish you, your family and your team a good start into a new, successful and prosperous year 2023!”

Those who have read this far will agree with our summary: there was really much going on in the drupa universe in 2022. And we also have many plans for next year. Besides a lot of exciting content around our next Global Trends Report, you can look forward to interpack from 4 to 10 May 2023, PRINT & DIGITAL CONVENTION on 16 and 17 May 2023 (both Düsseldorf, Germany), PACK PRINT INTERNATIONAL (Bangkok, Thailand) from 20 to 23 September 2023, Pack Print Plas Philippines (Manila, Philippines) from 5 to 7 October 2023, All in Print (Shanghai, China) in October 2023 and the start of our world tour. You see: There are great gatherings coming up and we would be pleased to meet you there!

Which highlights do you like to look back on and which dates have you already marked in your calendars for next year?