What the PrintWeek global team has to say about Drupa

The future starts here
By Jo Francis, UK
Everyone knows that the financial crisis hit after Drupa 2008, leaving many printers reeling and vendors with a devastating fall-off in orders. That was then, and this is now. Here at Drupa 2012 there is a distinct feeling that those companies that have weathered the financial battering are ready to reinvest. Savvy print bosses are basing their investment decisions on what’s right for their business today, rather than holding back. It’s great to come to Drupa and see glimpses of print’s future, but most important of all is the here and now.

Eyes on the future
By Darryl Danielli
Shows like Drupa are manna from heaven for technology watchers keen to gaze into future of print.But what’s interesting about this year’s show is the sheer number of people signing up, and in many cases paying hefty deposits, for technologies that aren’t anywhere near being commercial products. So anyone looking for proof positive that the print industry is looking to the future, rather than dwelling on the past, need look no further, because hordes of companies are not only planning for tomorrow – they’re actually willing to invest in it.

Offset still reigns
By Noel D’cunha, India
The talk of the halls is already ‘will this show be Inkjet Drupa 2.0?’ If that’s to be the case, there’s one question that needs to be answered first: is inkjet fast and economical enough to really challenge offset? There’s little doubt that on both fronts, inkjet is improving exponentially. But right now, for me at least, the answer is no. If you were to ask the same question in five years’ time, I might have a different answer. Whatever your view though, the threat for print – offset, inkjet or toner – is the changing needs of consumers. The sooner print bosses see that, the better.

Small is beautiful
By Thomas Fasold, Germany
One of the most frequently heard words on the show floor is ‘nano’, which comes from the Greek word nannos and means dwarf. Benny Landa, known as one of the fathers of digital print, is usingthese tiny particles to give digital print new momentum. Nano-pigments, when dissolved in waterand transferred in a thin film onto substrates, are poised to open up new dimensions in quality andspeed. Several press manufacturers have announced collaborations with Landa in the new field of Nanography.

Drupacity proves print is not dead
By Steven Kiernan, Australia
A miniature city has appeared in the Messe Düsseldorf. We, the citizens of this temporary capital,represent a tiny fraction of the global print population. So if print is dead, someone has forgotten to tell us. When people say printed magazines are dead, I send them to look inside a newsagent. In the same way, I’d like to take all the doubters who say print is doomed and time how quickly they can do a full circuit of the technological marvel that is our Drupacity, then tell me print is dead.

Coming together
By Imke Laurinat, Germany
While the market, with its tightly squeezed margins and rapidly advancing digital technologies, is ensuring stiff competition in the industrial supply sector, some players are taking the opportunity to work together more closely. It is not just offset suppliers who are looking to collaborate with digital print manufacturers; the talk in the trade show halls, across virtually all sectors, is of collaboration. It’s clear that many things are coming together at Drupa 2012, and it is exciting to see the opportunities arising from the merging of different skills. One thing is certain: customers will reap the rewards.

Spotlight on substrates
By Jo Francis, UK
At Drupa it’s easy to be dazzled by the array of new equipment on show. That is understandable when the industry’s manufacturers have gone to such great lengths and expense to put on such captivating shows. But Drupa is also a great place to catch up with developments in substrates: not just paper, in all its wonderful varieties, but also alternative materials, such as synthetics that can stick to smooth surfaces without the need for adhesive, and the latest in lightweight eco-boards that can be used for everything from packaging to, well, exhibition stands.

Giants are not unusual
By Imke Laurinat, German
Installations of the first 96-page giant printing presses have sparked some intense discussion in the troubled web offset scene. There are now five of these high-volume machines in operation in Germany alone and, according to insiders, this is no bad thing. The most recent deal at Drupa with a coupled 160-page configuration tops the lot. This is likely to see the unit cost falling a little further. Whatever your views on these developments, in web printing, size clearly seems to be one of the few tangible criteria to offer a good chance of survival.

Winning at half-time
By Thomas Fasold, Germany
The printing and paper technology companies in the German Engineering Association(VDMA) have seen positive interim results for the first half of Drupa. Their cautious expectations have been exceeded, said association director Markus Hering. And statements from individual members show they agree with his appraisal. Testimonials range from “Investment is on the rise again” to “We are on track” through to “We are very satisfied”. There is no half-time break at Drupa, but ifthere were, the coach would urge his team to victory with words such as: “We are clearly the best;now we just need to seal the deal!”

Turn on to automation
By Samir Lukka
Finishing seems to have gained traction. What is interesting is, how an industry that could traditionally afford as many hands as needed – whenever, wherever – has started to automate. Among the post-press manufacturers, there are some common themes: just-in-time labour, pressure on productivity and assurance of accuracy. This is the buzz among the book printers in search ofbinding or even gathering systems. Drupa has put on display systems with high levels of in-process quality control, integration plus eco-approved adhesives.

No more greenwash
By Imke Laurinat, Germany
It has been four years since Drupa raised the green flag for the first time. However, in the cold light of day, it was difficult back then to distinguish the marketing bluster from the genuine efforts towards eco-friendly print production. A lot has changed since then. Throughout the trade fair halls, you will find products made from renewable resources or without harmful chemicals. There are inks with natural binders, printing blankets produced without solvents or even entire offset printing machines that are CO2-neutral as standard, and much more. Constantly rising energy prices and efficiency efforts in printshops have helped give the topic of sustainability more substance. We have made a start, but there is a long way to go!

Mutation drupa
By Jurg Marti
Speculation has been rife over the label to stick on this year’s Drupa. ‘Inkjet Drupa’, ‘B2-DigitalDrupa’ and ‘Nano Drupa’ have been the favourites. No way! This is ‘Mutation Drupa’: sheetfed feeders supply black boxes, which usually hide inkjet technology. On HP’s stand, the main attraction has not been the T-Series, but the Megtec roll changer, which has dimensions, familiar from commercial web offset. Despite its size, 42in, 1,000kg paper rolls are changed on the fly at a still modest 244 metres a minute. These mutations will be followed by others: as a result jobdescriptions will change and a whole industry will be turned on its head.