DRUPA organiser Messe Düsseldorf has partnered with Iran's Printing and Packaging Industry Exhibition to bring an upgraded show to Tehran.

IPAP Tehran "powered by DRUPA" is being held from October 12-15 the Shahr-e-Aftab exhibition centre in cooperation with Iranian organiser BRP.

The show will target suppliers along the entire value chain for printing technologies from prepress/print, premedia/multichannel, postpress, converting and packaging; materials, equipment, services and infrastructure.

The event is being held at the same time as pacprocess Tehran and iFood Expo.

Messe Düsseldorf's global head of print technologies Sabine Geldermann says Iran has been an extremely attractive market since international sanctions were eased early last year, as its economy faces backlog demand in every area.

"Counting over 32,000 offset print shops, to the tune of 50,000 digital print service providers and some 65,000 other upstream suppliers to the printing industry the Iranian market holds attractive potential for further business development," she says. "IPAP - Iran's Printing and Packaging Industry Exhibition is a well-established trade fair already, which until now was held in Mashhad, the country's second largest city, located approximately 850 km east of Tehran. Moving to Tehran and cooperating with DRUPA opens up new opportunities for growth and greater international reach."

Iran is part of an emerging region with some 80 million inhabitants and 12 per cent economic growth expected by late 2017.

Even though the local printing industry is quite well developed by comparison with some other neighbouring markets, it has now come under high pressure to invest. Offset and digital presses are of particular interest because of the need for them to be imported.

Shahr-e-Aftab (Exhibiran International) is Iran's latest and biggest exhibition centre, located between Tehran City and the international airport with good motorway and public transport connections. Capacity is 120,000 m2 in 16 exhibition halls with the latest technical equipment combined with traditional Persian landscaping as well as comprehensive services and multi-storey car parks.

Visitors from neighbouring states as Iraq, Afghanistan, Turkmenistan and Tajikistan, which have traditionally maintained close commercial ties, are expected.

For further information on IPAP Tehran and contact details go to www.drupa-global.com.