Return from Drupa 2024

The Return from Drupa 2024 conference took place in June 2024, shortly after the conclusion of the Drupa 2024 trade show in Düsseldorf, Germany. Drupa is the world’s largest printing equipment and supplies exhibition, held every four years, and the 2024 edition saw a number of significant trends and announcements.

Key Themes

The main themes that emerged from Drupa 2024 and were discussed at the Return conference included:

Accelerated Automation: There was a clear focus across Drupa exhibitors on integrating more automation and intelligent software into printing workflows. This included advancements in areas like automated makeready, predictive maintenance, and autonomous print production.

Sustainable Solutions: Environmental sustainability was a major priority, with many OEMs showcasing more energy-efficient, waste-reducing, and recyclable printing technologies. There was also growing adoption of alternative inks and materials.

Personalization & Customization: Exhibitors highlighted solutions enabling highly targeted, customized print products, responding to rising demand for versioned and personalized content across industries.

Digital Transformation: The continued transition from analog to digital printing processes was evident, with expanded capabilities in areas like high-speed inkjet, industrial print applications, and web-to-print workflow automation.

Key Takeaways

Some of the key takeaways and emerging trends discussed at the Return from Drupa 2024 conference included:

• Increased pressure on print service providers to invest in automation and data-driven technologies to drive efficiency and competitiveness.
• Growing emphasis on sustainable practices and environmental impact across the industry.
• Ongoing shift towards more personalized, customized, and versioned print products to meet evolving customer demands.
• Rapid advancements in digital printing capabilities challenging traditional analog processes in an expanding range of applications.
• Heightened competition and consolidation in the printing equipment and supplies market as vendors vie for a larger share.

Overall, the Return from Drupa 2024 conference provided industry stakeholders an opportunity to analyze the major developments from the trade show and strategize how to best position their businesses for the future of the evolving printing landscape.