Diana Varma, Columnist for Graphic Arts Magazine, Instructor at the School of Graphic Communications Management at Ryerson University in Toronto, and owner of ON-SITE First Aid & CPR Training Group (a health and safety company that provides training to the graphic arts industry), is on the drupa tradeshow floor and will be sending first-hand reports over the next few days.
Today I received my first taste of the huge event called drupa that takes place in Dusseldorf, Germany every four years. It was very difficult for me to grasp the enormous size and scale of drupa until I actually saw it in person. It was like being a kid in a very large candy store. I was awestruck and not sure where to look first. There’s so much to see and experience at the show thanks to the hundreds of exhibiting companies from all over the world, showcasing their technologies across 19 buildings. I’m here on the show floor for the next several days to take it all in and share it with you.
Today’s visit gave me a good overview of what the entire event has to offer and there are a few big-picture trends that I observed. First, digital technologies are present throughout the show and perhaps most notably, in HP’s hall. (Yes, they have an entire building to themselves!). When I walked through HP’s space, there was a definite buzz in the air created by the impressive equipment and technology, as well as amazing samples showcasing HP’s wide range of digital capabilities. From book printing, to flexible packaging, to labels, to security solutions, to fabric printing, outdoor signage, and self-adhesive vinyls (to name a few), HP’s portfolio of capabilities is as diverse as it gets. According to the drupa daily, HP has already secured the sale of 50 units of their B2 Indigo 12000 – half of which have been secured by massive web-to-print provider, Shutterfly, where the deal is estimated to be approximately €25 million.
Also, Landa’s nanotechnology for printing is continuing to impress attendees – and even conventional press manufacturers are getting in on the digital action. Komori has introduced the Impremia NS40, a 40-inch sheetfed Nanographic printing system that uses Landa’s technology. This digital press can print up to 6,500 sph and it can handle a wide range of media including paper, paperboard and plastic substrates. Lastly, a major trend I observed was the increasingly present inline or near-line finishing capabilities (such as coating and die cutting, for example) for a number of conventional and digital presses. The ability to do more in a single machine seems to be a key feature engineered by many manufacturers.
Wish me luck in the days to come as I dive head first into all that drupa has to offer!
Live report from the show floor: Drupa – go big or go home!
