中文You know a trade show means business when companies are lining up a year and a half before the doors open. drupa 2028 — the big one, the global summit of printing and packaging — has already pulled in exhibitors from 38 countries, and the registration deadline is not even until 31 October 2026. That is not a trickle. That is a statement.
For those who have never been, drupa happens in Düsseldorf, Germany, and it is the closest thing the print and packaging world has to a World Cup. The 2028 edition runs 9–17 May, and the early booking list already reads like a who’s who: Comexi, Esko, Fujifilm, HEIDELBERG, Horizon, Konica Minolta, KYOCERA, LEONHARD KURZ, Line O Matic, UPG and Windmöller & Hölscher, among many others. From established giants to emerging newcomers, the value chain is showing up.
Why the early frenzy? Sabine Geldermann, Director drupa at Messe Düsseldorf, puts it plainly: the high level of international participation sends “a strong signal from the market.” The exhibitor mix reflects the full breadth of the industry — technology leaders, specialised solution providers, and companies in emerging fields. Dr Andreas Pleßke, Chairman of the drupa Committee, adds that the sector is in a period of rapid technological change, where automation, artificial intelligence and connected production are reshaping value chains and opening new business.
That last point is the real story. drupa 2028 is not just going to be bigger; it is going to be different. The show will lean harder into end-to-end solutions, automation, robotics, AI, materials and the circular economy. The centre of gravity is shifting from standalone machines to interconnected systems where hardware, software, data and automated processes all talk to each other. If your business still thinks of a press as a metal box that prints, drupa 2028 is where you will see that worldview quietly expire.
There is also a smart opening-up happening. Beyond the usual technology providers and print service providers, drupa is now courting brand owners, designers and the creative industries. The new experience architecture — built around four clusters called “grow”, “create”, “learn” and “play” — is designed to put business, creativity, knowledge and community under one roof. The next generation gets a bigger role too, with young talent, start-ups and emerging tech firms connecting directly with established players and decision-makers.
For printers and converters reading this, the strategic implication is clear. The companies that thrive over the next cycle will be the ones treating AI and automation as core to their offer, not as buzzwords. drupa 2028 is shaping up to be the place to see those capabilities running live, in real production settings, rather than in a vendor’s slide deck. If you are budgeting for 2027–2028, a trip to Düsseldorf should be on the list — not for the free pens, but to see where your competitors will be investing.
The wider signal is reassuring for an industry that sometimes worries about its own future. 38 countries, 18 months early, across the entire print and packaging value chain — that is confidence. The world still believes in making things, and it believes in doing it with smarter, more connected, more sustainable technology. drupa 2028 is the proof, and it has not even started.
Source: WhatTheyThink
