"Many innovative exhibitors and their successful customers would very much like a more frequent event. However, the supplier industry plans its entire trade fair marketing activities within a global concept. Dependable planning is of the utmost importance here in view of the current economic climate and the situation in international sales markets," said Kai Büntemeyer, chairman of the Printing and Paper Technology Association within the VDMA, one of the key members of the Drupa committee.
The move to stick to four years will be welcomed by the vast majority of exhibitor’s who stated that a switch to a three-year cycle would have increased their costs at a time when their margins were already under sustained pressure.
Last month PrintWeek broke the news that Messe Düsseldorf was set to recommend a change in frequency to three years from 2015 and shorter duration to the Drupa committee on the 2 November. However, the vast majority of the vendors that the magazine spoke to in the ensuing days were firmly in favour of the show sticking to its four-year cycle, but universally welcomed the proposed reduction of the show's duration to around 10 days.
Drupa has responded to exhibitor feedback by not only deciding to stick to a four year cycle, but also by reducing the show’s duration to 11 days, with the 2016 event running from 31 May to 10 June.
Werner Matthias Dornscheidt, chief executive of Messe Düsseldorf said the move to a shorter duration reflected the changing needs of exhibitors and visitors, and an evolving demographic of the latter group.
"At this year’s Drupa 78% of the international visitors and 52% of German visitors came from top management; respectively this is 4 and 5 percentage points more than in 2008. This makes running over two weekends unnecessary. With eleven days – i.e. one weekend and nine working days – we perfectly cater to the needs of both supply and demand," Dornscheidt added.
The decision to leave the show’s cycle at four years will also be welcomed by rival exhibitions, as a move to three-years could have had far-reaching ramifications for other events on the global print calendar in the short term, including Ipex 2014 and Igas in 2015. It would also have raised the spectre longer term of many events having to amend their cycles in line with Drupa’s now aborted proposed new format.
Meanwhile, Friday’s Drupa committee meeting also approved the appointment of KBA chief executive Claus Bolza-Schünemann as chairman of Drupa 2016.
"I am delighted to assume the presidency at such an exciting time. Our sector is developing at a rapid pace and Drupa 2016 will represent a key milestone on the path into the future," Bolza-Schünemann said.
