Digital age beckons for drupa

The world’s biggest trade fair drupa opens its doors today, promising to point the way forward for all participants in this global industry. Organisers expect to see more than 300,000 visitors, including a decent contingent of New Zealanders. As they stroll around the giant halls of the Düsseldorf Messe Centre over the next 11 days, they can ascertain whether or no the many exhibitors have the answers tor the question of where the industry must head to remain relevant in this digital age. Process automation looms as a major force, with technology developers taking human touch out of print production, and seeking to integrate print with digital. In terms of the technology itself, inkjet printing will feature hugely across the 19 halls; manufacturers have promised a plethora of new inkjet print systems. New Zealand Printer and Inky fingers readers will receive daily news updates direct from the show from Australasia’s most experienced reporting team, bringing all the latest developments as they happen. This drupa that does not have Heidelberg as the biggest exhibitor. That title goes to HP, which has the whole of Hall 17 at 6200sqm, where it will show more than 50 printing systems, covering a vast range of applications. Heidelberg sits in its traditional Hall 1, although it shares it with a number of partners. It will launch its B1 inkjet press, the Primefire, co-developed with Fujifilm, which will become the world’s first inkjet B1 press. Landa will have double the space it took in 2012, with Benny Landa himself giving five presentations a day in the Landa theatre, which will shoe three presses will be on show, including two B1 sheetfeds, one of which will be a perfector. Landa will not ship any presses for another year at least though. Fuji Xerox, Canon, Ricoh, Konica Minolta and Xeikon will all have new digital presses, most will be launching inkjet as well as toner. The big offset manufacturers KBA, Komori and Ryobi will also show digital presses, while manroland will have its folding superstructure on the back end of digital presses. Exhibitors have shared with the world’s print trade media their aim to get their software off individual printers’ servers and into the cloud. They claim it is less expensive, there are no upgrades required and it will be more secure.