A yet-shorter, nine-day DRUPA will be held from May 9-17 2028, maintaining the Düsseldorf trade show’s four-year cycle.

This year’s event was 11 days.

Organisers say they are responding to a “dynamic transformation” of the printing and packaging industry that requires industry events to evolve as well.

Messe Düsseldorf chairman and chief executive Wolfram Diener says the 2024 event was “more international than ever”, its positive atmosphere reflecting the industry’s determination to drive profound change in order to make the industry more sustainable through automation, AI and strategic partnerships.

“These are exactly the kind of important goals that will continue to require a reliable platform such as DRUPA in future,” he says.

However, he says the length of stays at the show has become shorter.

Diener says 76 per cent of this year’s visitors were top or middle management, adding that presentation of cutting-edge technology in operation remained a USP of DRUPA.

“The new rules for trade fair duration will continue to allow exhibitors to effectively present and stage wide-ranging product portfolios, machines and workflows as well as an impressive stage programme.”

DRUPA committee chairman and chief executive of press maker Koenig & Bauer Andreas Pleßke supported the decision: “We expressly welcome the new trade fair duration starting in 2028, as it will meet changing industry requirements without limiting the international scope of the trade fair,” he said. “This is also demonstrated by the fact that visitors from 173 countries attended DRUPA, emphasising the global appeal of the event. No other format generates such a high level of interest from the industry.”

DRUPA director Sabine Geldermann says the shorter show follows committee recommendations and feedback from exhibitors, visitors, partners and associations.

Concepts, new key visual and other plans are to be announced next year. In the meantime, “selected results” from 2024 exhibitor and visitor surveys and key data are available in a post show report and at www.drupa.com.

Pictured: Koenig & Bauer’s stand at the 2024 show