Drupa '08
- Published: April 01, 2008, By By Deborah Donberg, Assoc. Managing Editor
It's been four years since the last edition, so Drupa 2008 will need all of its 19 halls to showcase the many advancements in printing and converting that have appeared in the interim. More than 1,800 exhibitors from 50 countries will fill those halls at the 2008 print media fair, scheduled for May 29-June 11 at the Fairgrounds in Düsseldorf, Germany. The number of visitors is expected to reach 400,000.
Organized by Messe Düsseldorf, Drupa 2008's main product groups include prepress and premedia, printing, paper converting/package production, and materials. All printing technologies will be on display, and the area for digital solutions has expanded by approximately 107,600 sq ft of exhibit space.
And (Much) More
It's a good thing the show runs for two weeks, and not only because there are 19 halls to cover — the ancillary programs alone will keep many visitors busy.
Compass Sessions are two-hour intensive workshops staged daily, each covering a specific topic and each featuring four half-hour talks by industry experts. The Drupa innovation parc presented by HP, which debuted at Drupa 2004, will feature new software technologies with eight theme parks.
Guided tours will take visitors to six or eight selected exhibitors highlighting current developments on a specific topic, including workflow, digital printing, packaging production, and more. In addition, Messe Düsseldorf has organized the JDF experience parc and the JDF experience theatre in operation with CIP4.
Organizers are providing information on getting around Düsseldorf. Visitors and exhibitor passes will entitle holders to free use of all public transportation within Düsseldorf and neighboring cities on show days.
As a cooperating media partner, PFFC has been reporting on Drupa 2008 for almost a year in our print edition, on our website (www.pffc-online.com), and in our semi-monthly subscription newsletter (E-Clips). Check out the May issue for our Drupa New Product Digest, and keep an eye on future issues for other news from Drupa 2008.
For more information visit www.mdna.com or www.drupa.com.
An Advance Look
Katherine O'Brien, editor of PFFC's sister publication American Printer, attended the Düsseldorf Pre-Drupa Event in January and shared the following highlights.
Screen spent most of its presentation detailing its print-on-demand efforts. The company has launched new platesetters for the flexo industry (among others), and further models will be added for Drupa. Screen is committed to providing a CTP solution for the new generation of large-format presses that will come to market over the next few months, with details to be announced shortly.
While Xerox did not have any packaging announcements, Valerie Blauvelt, VP of marketing, Xerox production systems group, said the market “is unbelievably big.” Xerox distributes some EskoArtwork software in Europe and has placed equipment with major converters doing short-run pharmaceutical work and other applications.
Bring on the packaging press! Heidelberg will showcase its sheet-fed offset solutions in Drupa's Hall 1 (commercial printing) and Hall 2 (package printing). Highlights include the vendor's Anicolor keyless inking unit technology, Prinect workflow, and the first showing of the Speedmaster XL 162 (47.2 × 63.8 in.). Look for live folding carton production on the new packaging-format press as well as workflow demos in Hall 2's “Integrated Packaging Production” section. Show attendees will be able to choose among “HEI Light” tours that cover everything (general overview), a market specialty (such as packaging); technical overview (for operators and production managers); or profession (print buyers and marketing managers).
VUTEk dominated the EFI presentation. EFI has doubled the space dedicated to its Jetrion industrial inkjet research, development, and manufacturing in Ypsilanti, MI, from 35,000 to 70,000 sq ft. Black plate replacement on the Jetrion 3025 enables label converters to reduce operating expenses by using Jetrion inkjet technology in place of traditional flexo plates for printing short-run or fully variable black content such as text, numbering, or graphics. The Jetrion 3025 also supports e-pedigree production for pharmaceutical applications.
Most of the Kodak buzz centered on its forthcoming Stream inkjet technology. For packaging converters, Kodak is expanding the capabilities of the Flexcel NX Digital flexo system. The Flexcel NX system now will be able to produce plates up to a maximum size of 800 × 1067 mm, allowing converters to use it for a broader range of applications. Visitors can see the latest innovations in Kodak's no preheat positive plate technology.
Show hours
10 A.M.- 6 P.M. Monday through Friday
10 A.M.-5 P.M. Saturday and Sunday
