Heidelberg pulls out of Drupa 2021

Heidelberg was one of the major exhibitors with presence in the brand new Hall 1 at the Messe Dusseldorf along with partners Masterwork Machinery and Muller Martini.

According to Heidelberg press release, the company will now focus on new, virtual trade fair concepts and regional events. The first Innovation Week event will kick-off from 19-23 October 2020 with a slogan – Unfold your potential. Heidelberg will be presenting a wealth of product innovations that focus on packaging and commercial, including autonomous printing, end-to-end solutions, smart print shop and push-to-stop.

Speaking to Printweek’s Jo Francis, Heidelberg CEO Rainer Hundsdörfer had said, Heidelberg CEO Rainer Hundsdörfer told Printweek: “We all love Drupa… it used to be a festival but this is not going to happen next year with distance and masks. “Our customers say they will most likely not come, and what sense does a festival make if the guests are not coming?”

Echoing a similar sentiment, Heidelberg India president, Samir Patkar said, Drupa has always been a festival, even for print CEOs from India. “How can one celebrate with people moving around in masks? Besides, the general feeling is that with so many restrictions, particularly travel, not many visitors will venture out to visit the show.”

Patkar said as far as India is concerned, the cases are only rising. “We do not know if people coming from certain countries will be allowed entry, plus there are the isolation and quarantine practices in many countries. There are too many uncertainties floating around. If the risk persists, nobody will want to travel.”

In India, Heidelberg has been conducting virtual seminars. “We have conducted 70 Zoom seminars since the lockdown, giving live demonstrations of the various solutions.”