The show’s organisers, Messe Düsseldorf, made the announcement this week – just over 17 months before the exhibition opens on 31 May 2016.

A host of top exhibitors have lined up to back the event, which has reshaped its offering in the light of changing market environments. The duration of the show has also been shortened from 14 to 11 days.

With a theme of 'touch the future' the next Drupa will put a lot of emphasis on what is described as “future-oriented technologies”, including industrial inkjet printing, 3D printing and printed electronics.

Messe Düsseldorf president and chief executive Werner Dornscheidt proclaimed: “No other industry event worldwide – neither the small, regional niche events nor national trade shows – can offer what we can.”

KBA president Claus Bolza-Schünemann, who is chairman of the Drupa exhibitor advisory board, acknowledged there had been much discussion about the usefulness and future for trade shows in a digital age. But, he said, “the internet simply cannot replace direct contact with people and ideas… or indeed direct experience of the latest technologies and solutions for this enormously varied market.”

Landa Digital Printing, which was the highest-profile exhibitor at Drupa 2012 where it launched its Nanographic inkjet printing concept, intends to almost double its exhibition space to circa 2,600sqm.

Ila Bialystok, the firm’s vice-president of marketing, said Drupa 2016 would be “another historic milestone on the road to the digitisation of the printing industry.”

The firm, founded by Indigo founder Benny Landa, pushed back its original roll-out schedule after Drupa 2012.

It is now set to begin beta-tests in the first half of next year, and is expected to show fully functioning Nanography presses at Drupa 2016.

Heidelberg, which has long been Drupa’s single-biggest exhibitor, is being coy about its plans for the show. The firm’s executive board member for sales and services Harald Weimer, who is also a member of the Drupa committee, said: “In line with current market requirements we will be demonstrating innovative solutions alongside our partners in Düsseldorf.”

PrintWeek understands that Heidelberg will still occupy Hall One, but will do so in a different format with “friends and family” co-exhibiting alongside the press manufacturer. It is likely to retain its Sternberg Lounge customer hospitality venue.

Heidelberg is also expected to show a sheetfed inkjet press at Drupa 2016, as a result of its partnership with Fujifilm.

Executives from Drupa’s top 10 exhibitors, including HP, EFI, and Konica Minolta, also spoke out in support of the event.

The deadline for initial applications for space at Drupa 2016 passed on 31 October, and the Messe team will now spend the coming months sifting, planning and allocating all the applications together with requests for special positions.

After this process is completed, the initial floorplans and exhibitor list should be agreed and published by next September.