Printers get in training for the drupa Olympics

Briefings which took place in Sydney and Melbourne saw representatives from Printing Industries, Fuji Xerox, Agfa and Paperlinx speak about their past experiences at the global trade show along with some subtle hints about new technology which they intend upon launching.

From consuming as much beer as is humanly possible through to finding a translator, each of the speakers all agreed that drupa is an intense and often exhaustive experience. Running from 29 May till 11 June, the event has grown and 2008 will see two new halls that together form 25,000 square metres. "Don't bring your new shoes," warned Manuel Mataré, drupa project director.



Garry Muratore, (pictured) Oceania marketing manager, Agfa was reluctant to delve too deeply into what the company would be launching, saying only that: "Our vision for drupa is 'the power of print'" and would focus on hardware; software; consumables; offset and flexo printing. "Industrial inkjet printing will for a large part of the stand," he said.

Elliot Harper, workflow marketing manager, Fuji Xerox told audiences that: "Fuji Xerox's key focus will be digital printing." Some of the company's stand will feature the newly launched Nuvera 288 and digital on-demand newspapers along with a strong focus on free flow.

Held in the vibrant town of Düsseldorf, Mataré advised audiences that: "Düsseldorf changes into the printing city." With the last drupa drawing a crowd of 900,000 people, he describes the trade show as , "the Olympics of the printing industry."

As any Olympic athlete will advise, a gold medal isn't possible without the right training. Ron Paterson, general manager of Victorian Printing Industries urged all those attending to consider the importance of "planning, planning and more planning."


Pictured: Manuel Mataré, drupa and Rudi Barth, Barth Trade Consulting.




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