Even half-way through, this trend became clear, and exhibitors were reporting numerous business deals around the world. This readiness to invest has continued uninterrupted in the second half of the show.

"Drupa was a complete success for the industry. The show is breathing new life into the sector. Numerous business services and innovations were on display, and overall these resulted in high levels of investment," is how Bernhard Schreier, president of Drupa 2012 and chairman of Heidelberg summarised the impact of the show.

He continued: "What the 1,850 exhibitors have presented here over the past two weeks will strengthen the potential for development for the printing and media industry in the long term.

"Here in Düsseldorf, business transactions have been agreed and the groundwork has been laid for the industry’s successful future."

By this evening, 320,000 experts from over 130 countries will have visited drupa – 70,000 fewer than 2008. "This drop is not a great surprise to us or the sector overall. In Germany alone, the printing industry lost over 61,000 workers from around 3,900 firms between 2000 and 2011. Over 7,700 printing companies closed in the US in the same period," explained Werner Matthias Dornscheidt, chairman of the board at Messe Düsseldorf.

"In this context, it is not surprising that there were fewer visitors to drupa 2012. But – and this is the key thing – customers are no longer coming with large delegations or as part of a company trip to drupa. Rather, it is top-level management who are travelling to Düsseldorf. Drupa is clearly the show for decision-makers, the show for business."

This claim confirms Drupa’s position as the world’s most important and largest business-to-business show in the sector.