drupa 2016 Mega Trend: Print 4.0 and Digital Networking of Machines and Systems
CHICAGO — March 15, 2016 — drupa 2016, the leading international trade fair for print and cross-media solutions, will soon start with a new strategic focus, improved scheduling over 11 days, a new look and shorter frequency (held every three years). With the motto "touch the future," drupa will highlight the industry's innovative power and provide a platform for future technologies. The focus will especially be on next-generation with themes such as print, packaging production, multichannel, 3D printing, functional printing and green printing. The event will take place from May 31-June 10, 2016, at the fairgrounds in Düsseldorf, Germany.
"With this strategic reorientation and its focus on the future and highlight themes, we are obviously on the right track. Because the response of international upstream suppliers to the industry has been very good — which was not a given in view of the difficult market environment," explains Werner Dornscheidt, president and CEO of Messe Düsseldorf. Some 1,650 exhibitors from over 50 countries will impressively prove the versatility and innovative power of their sector in all 19 exhibition halls.
"International global players and market leaders will present themselves alongside aspiring newcomers and innovative companies from throughout the world. The complete spectrum of print and cross-media exhibits and topics will be represented. Such a comprehensive 360° view of the entire industry is provided by nobody but drupa," underlines Dornscheidt.
According to Claus Bolza-Schünemann, chairman of the drupa committee and chairman of the board at Koenig and Bauer AG, the mega trend at drupa 2016 will be Print 4.0: "Print 4.0 enables individualization and personalization in digital printing. In view of high-quality packaging and the rapidly diversifying range of solutions in industrial and functional printing, this digital networking of machines and systems offers the solution and guarantee for efficiency and competitiveness. Print 4.0 is the mega trend at drupa 2016. This is very clear even at this early stage."
Added Value: Technical Ancillary Events
The program of accompanying technical events, including the drupa innovation park, drupa cube, the brands PEPSO (Printed Electronics Products and Solutions), 3D fab + print and "touchpoint packaging" is a substantial enhancement offering target visitor groups added benefits.
One of the most important highlight themes at drupa 2016 will be packaging production. According to current forecasts, the packaging market will grow to $985 billion by 2018. The dedicated Special Show "touchpoint packaging" consisting of some 20 participating exhibitors, will reflect the relevance of this market. This special forum in Hall 12 (Stand B53) has been designed and organized in close cooperation with the European packaging design association (epda), Europe's leading association of brand and packaging agencies. To cater even better to the special needs of the various user industries, "touchpoint packaging" is divided into four "future labs:" "food and beverage," "non-food," "pharma" and "cosmetics."
Another highlight theme at drupa 2016 will be 3D printing. The potential of these additive manufacturing technologies for any vertical markets should not be underestimated. "The spare parts business in mechanical engineering or packaging design offer particularly great opportunities for machinery producers and users but also for print service providers," says Sabine Geldermann, director of drupa. The touchpoint 3D fab+print featured in Hall 7A (Stand C41) will reflect this spectrum. As part of this special show, the latest technical developments will be presented, as well as visions and examples of best-practice. Technology suppliers and users, exhibitors and visitors, visionaries and practitioners can all meet there for dialogue and drive this exciting subject forward.
Another major future theme at drupa 2016 will be functional printing. Across the globe there are many application examples for printed electronics. Touch sensors on furniture surfaces, Bluetooth loudspeakers made from paper or conductive inks are no longer science fiction due to innovative printing technology. drupa 2016 will pick up on this highlight theme at several points:
- Under the PEPSO brands, various exhibitors will showcase developments on the theme of Printed Electronics Products and Solutions.
- The OE-A (Organic Electronics Association) will cover the topic with its members at "dip" (Hall 7.0).
- ESMA - the European Association for Screenprinting, Digitial and Flexoprinting Technologies, will address this issue with a program in Hall 6 (Stand C02) and Hall 3 (Stand A70).
- VDMA - German Engineering Federation will offer a number of activities at its "Showcase Industrial Printing" (Hall 7A, Stand B13).
Impulse-generating innovations and business case studies for process-driven print and publishing solutions will be center stage at drupa innovation park, where young companies and start-ups, as well as global players will present pioneering solutions. The "dip" in Hall 7.0 will offer visitors the possibility to explore trend-setting innovations, solutions and business case studies on an easy-to-manage area. Presentations, lectures and interviews at the "dip energy lounge" will round off the ranges displayed by about 130 exhibitors.
The drupa cube will have a new approach with the heading "Entertaining, Educating, Engaging." This event and congress program (Hall 6, Stand D03) will concentrate on the innovative power of printing and the multi-faceted possible applications of printed products across a multitude of industries and spheres of life. The organizers were able to enlist the multi-national The Medici Group as an innovation partner. Its founder and CEO Frans Johansson was quite a sensation with his 2004 book "The Medici Effect" and has been associated with thinking and acting out of the box, known since then as the "out-of-the-box principle." In addition to two keynotes on May 31 and June 2, the agenda will consist of some 40 lectures by international experts.
Opening times for drupa 2016 will be from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. on weekdays and 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. on weekends. One-day tickets cost Euro 45 online and Euro 65 on show site. Three-day tickets are available online for Euro 120 (Euro 175 on show site) while five-day tickets are Euro 190 (Euro 290 on show site). drupa tickets include free use of all public transportation within the Rhein-Ruhr (VRR) and Rhein-Sieg (VRS) networks to and from the fairgrounds (on non-supplement trains, 2nd class).
