Drupa 2004 Exceeds Expectations; Global Print Industry Anticipates Improvement

Published: May 21, 2004, By pffc-online.com

PRESS RELEASE

CHICAGO, IL, USA—Messe Düsseldorf North America (MDNA) reports exhibitor representatives, trade associations, and show organizer Messe Düsseldorf have agreed unanimously Drupa 2004 (held 6-19 May in Düsseldorf, Germany) has more than exceeded their expectations.

"Following the severe restraint of the last few years, the investment climate in the graphic arts industry has improved substantially and as early as the first day of the trade show, exhibitors reported numerous closed deals—in some cases, the results surpassed those of the global boom year 2000," states MDNA's post-show release.

States Drupa president (and CEO/president of Koenig & Bauer) Albrecht Bolza-Schünemann: “Drupa 2000 will always be remembered as the millennial event; Drupa 2004, however, has a more far-reaching significance for the entire industry. It brought back optimism and a sense of a fresh start for the international print media industry."

Drupa 2004 Stats
MDNA reports more than 394,000 visitors from 122 countries came to Drupa 2004 to view and order the products of the 1,862 exhibitors from 52 nations.

“Considering the prevailing economic conditions, this result was a wonderful surprise, even for us," remarks Drupa president/CEO Werner Dornscheidt. "After all, we couldn’t expect to come within reach of the visitor numbers recorded in the boom year 2000 (428,000 visitors). This outcome is all the more gratifying!”

Pronounced Asian Participation
MDNA says international interest in Drupa 2004 was high: 54 percent of all visitors came from outside of Germany (compared to 47 percent at Drupa 2000). The majority of the non-German visitors came from other European countries (127,655) and from Asia (42,552). Compared to Drupa 2000, the Asian visitor participation at this year’s drupa increased from 9 to 20 percent.

On the exhibitor side, 60 percent of the companies were from countries other than Germany. With 184 companies, Italy was the leading foreign exhibitor nation, followed by Great Britain with 155 exhibitors, the US with 130 companies, and Switzerland with 92 exhibitors.

According to MDNA, the US figure includes 38 companies exhibiting within the two successful US Pavilions, organized by Messe Düsseldorf North America (MDNA) and co-sponsored by NPES—The Association for Suppliers of Printing, Publishing and Converting Technologies.

As expected, Drupa 2004 visitors were mostly interested in the printing technologies and products of the 515 companies in this exhibit category, states MDNA. One in four Drupa visitors was interested in the packaging production and paper processing products of the 294 exhibitors in this category, adds the organizer.

Manufacturers of machinery, equipment, and plants for the printing and paper processing industries also were satisfied with the results of Drupa 2004. “Visitor response in all segments of the printing and paper processing industry was strong,” says Kai Büntemeyer, the new chairman of the specialized section for printing and paper equipment and supplies within the Federation of the Engineering Industries (VDMA). “Drupa 2004 has more than lived up to its expectations," he adds. The Central Association for Paper and Plastics Converting (HPV), one of drupa’s supporting organizations, also was pleased with the outcome of the trade fair, reports MDNA. "Together with the German Pulp and Paper Association (VDP), HPV presented the German paper industry at a joint booth where numerous domestic and international visitors could get information about every link in the value chain—from raw materials, manufacturing, and processing to the broad range of papers and paperboards. The strong visitor interest indicates paper and paperboard materials (and their products) have not lost their significance in the IT (information technology) age.

Even though visitor participation in their sector declined slightly, paper manufacturers have also taken a positive stance on Drupa 2004, reports MDNA. “Our initial assessment gives us reason to smile, thanks to the quality of enquiries, specialist discussions, and the positive reaction to the industry’s range of products,” says Klaus Windhagen, director general of the VDP.

Drupa 2008 is slated for May 29 - June 11, at the Messe Düsseldorf fairgrounds. For further information on visiting or exhibiting at Drupa 2008, contact Messe Düsseldorf North America at:

Visit MDNA at mdna.com.