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General Print Supplies, Services for Printers
News Release from: Drupa Messe Dusseldorf
Edited by the Printingtalk Editorial
Team on 31 May 2004
Drupa Attendance Down But Show Beats
Expectations
Drupa 2004 more than exceeded expectations according to organisers Messe Dusseldorf, based on feedback from exhibitors and trade associations.
Drupa 2004 more than exceeded expectations according to organisers Messe Dusseldorf, based on feedback from exhibitors and trade associations Following the severe restraints on the industry in the last few years, the investment climate in the graphic arts industry has improved substantially, claimed the organisers
This article was originally published on Printingtalk on 29 Mar 2004 at 8.00am (UK)
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From the first day of the fair, many exhibitors reported deals closed - in some cases, the successes topped those of the 2000 global boom.
"Drupa 2000 went down in memory as the millennial event - Drupa 2004, however, has a more far-reaching significance for the entire industry.
It has brought about the return of optimism and a sense of new departures in the international print media industry," summarised Albrecht Bolza-Schunemann, Drupa president and president and chief executive officer of Koenig and Bauer (KBA).
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Over 394,000 people visited Drupa from 122 countries, with 3,350 journalists of 82 nationalities and over 30,000 service staff for the stands across 1,862 exhibitors.
"In light of the prevailing economic conditions, this result was a wonderful surprise, even for us.
After all, we couldn't expect to come within reach of the visitor numbers recorded in the 2000 boom (428,000).
This outcome is all the more gratifying," commented Werner Dornscheidt, the president and chief executive officer of Messe Dusseldorf.
International visitors made up 54% of the total attendance, compared with 47% in 2000.
Of the international visitors, 127,655 Europeans represented the largest contingent, whilst there were 42,552 Asian trade visitors.
Over one in four drupa visitors indicated an interest in packaging production and paper processing.
With 294 exhibitors spread across 23,276 square metres, it was the third largest market sector at Drupa 2004.
UK exhibitors at Drupa 2004 were equally impressed with the results and although some were reported to have gone to the trade fair with a few misgivings about visitor numbers, their worries proved unfounded said the organisers.
Ian Jaggard of Delphax Technologies said he had a huge response to the launch of the company's new digital press, which, at 50% faster than the previous model, attracted four very serious leads by the half-way mark in the show.
Similarly, Timsons launched a new flexo press - the first time a production model had been seen anywhere -and to they were surprised by their inundation by enquiries, it was claimed.
Wraps UK's, Ken Lovell, took an order from an Australia printer for a fully automatic wrapping system during the first week and was paid before the end of the second week.
Jo Andersen, marketing director of Ko-Pack International (Europe), was extremely pleased with the numbers of visitors, especially from India and Pakistan and also had plenty of interest from Germany and Eastern Europe in the company's new flexo press.
Raymond Hillhouse, general manager of AB Dick Ltd, used Drupa for the launch of a new chemistry free computer to plate maker.
"This was incredibly well received", he said, "we have 22 confirmed orders and still three more days to go." Phil Hall, the managing director of Troika Systems commented: "Our objective at Drupa was to get as many distributors in Europe and other areas of the world as possible.
By day three we had done that - it was an absolutely stunning show".
UV Technik International's Keith Lane added: "Drupa enabled us to launch the international side of our business and consolidate our position in our existing export markets." Primarc's operations manager Tom Bagley observed: "We saw more people than we imagined possible.
We had 240 good leads and enquiries in the first week alone." Paul Deane of Shuttleworth Business Systems and Yvonne Myhill of Epson Europe summarised their impressions of the show.
Deane commented: "If you want to be a successful international company in this business, you have to be seen at Drupa." Myhill added: "Drupa is the premier world reference point for print".
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