Record number of deals sealed during drupa 2024

Recently concluded drupa 2024 exceeded all expectations. It received top marks from visitors from all over the world, who left the trade fair with new ideas and clear prospects for the future. Numerous contracts signed and technological innovations inspired the print and packaging industry. The 11 days of the show impressively demonstrated the progress of an entire sector and gave proof of the operational excellence of the industry, with 1,643 exhibitors from 52 nations presented an outstanding showcase of innovations at Meese Düsseldorf. The international share of the visitors was 80 percent, with attendees coming from 174 countries – a record figure. After Europe, Asia was the most strongly represented region with 22 percent, followed by America with 12 percent. Asia as well as Latin America and the MENA region are markets with great growth potential, which was reflected in the significant increase in exhibitors’ presence and order books.

Many key players, such as Bobst, Canon, Fujifilm, Heidelberger Druckmaschinen, HP, Horizon, Koenig & Bauer, Komori Konica Minolta, Kurz and Landa, reported having signed contracts that significantly exceeded expectations. In some cases, the sales targets set were already achieved in the first few days of the trade fair.

Exhibitors praised the high level of decision-making competence of visitors. They, in turn, gave top marks to the range of products and services on offer in the 18 exhibition halls. Around 96 percent of all visitors confirmed that they had fully achieved the objectives associated with their visit. At over 50 percent , most of them came from the printing industry, followed by the packaging industry, whose share has increased significantly and which was the focus of many exhibitors as a growth driver. Many well-known brand owners were welcomed at the trade fair stands. In total, 170,000 trade visitors attended drupa 2024. Automation took centre stage at this year’s drupa, with a strong focus on AI and smart workflows, including software solutions.