Organisers IIR said that, while Ipex 2010 would be dominated by digital, offset litho equipment will still occupy 26% of the floorspace on offer.

Trevor Crawford, of IIR, said: "The recession has hit the litho presses. All organisations need to look carefully at their investments like Ipex.

"Digital press production has seen a growth whereas litho press output has fallen. I think that litho press manufacturers are taking significant stands at Ipex, but they are going to be slightly smaller," he added.

Heidelberg, for example, has halved the amount of floorspace it will take from 5,000sqm to 2,500sqm.

Press manufacturer KBA stressed that its reduced floorspace did not mean a smaller offering. Managing director Christian Knapp said: "While we have reduced our space from 2006, we are compensating for that with double-decker stands."

Knapp added that KBA would showcase up to four presses with four- to six-colour configurations.

Ipex will also feature Komori and Heidelberg who had decided not to exhibit at Graph Expo exhibition in Chicago earlier this year as they thought Ipex more important.

Philip Dunn, European marketing manager at Komori, added that visitors to its stand would be able to see live demonstrations of the official Ipex Daily newspaper, produced by PrintWeek, coming live off the press.