EDITOR'S notebook
That's only part of the reason, though. I contend that this Drupa may very well mark the decline of the "international mega-shows." The role of trade exhibitions, in general, seems to be changing, especially those that appeal to an international audience. As was once a Drupa tradition, manufacturers typically can no longer wait for a once-every-four-years event to wow attendees with major technology launches, especially with today's short product life spans and narrow windows of sales opportunities. Likewise, manufacturers are beginning to question their return-on-investment in designing elaborate, often double-deck booths; shipping, setting up and then operating a plethora of machinery—even web presses by some manufacturers; and bringing in large numbers of employees from around the world to staff their booths. As an alternative, more suppliers are hosting open houses at either their own training/demo facilities or even at various customer sites.
- Places:
- Germany