The German press giant, which has switched its focus from publishing presses to packaging presses over the past decade, said it had been especially pleased with the volume of German and Indian deals signed at the Messe.

“This was the most successful Drupa for us since 2000,” said senior vice-president for marketing Klaus Schmidt, who is attending his seventh and final Drupa ahead of retirement next year.

“In 2000, the industry was publishing oriented, but today the packaging businesses are booming. The fast-developing countries such as India and China, where populations are growing and consumer welfare is improving, have huge potential.”

In one of the manufacturer’s big ticket deals, New Delhi-based KBA agent Indo Polygraph Machinery (IPM) sold six high-end KBA presses, three of which will go to packaging giant TCPL, a deal which included a country first.

“The six-colour plus coater Rapida 106 conventional press with a top speed of 20,000sph, is an India first for KBA,” said IPM managing director Aditya Surana.

J Thomson Colour Printers, in Glasgow, UK, Centrum Printing in Sydney, Australia, NRG Printing & Packaging in Artotec, Pakistan, and NRE Printing & Packaging, Bangladesh are among the other clients who signed up.

Schmidt said KBA had also sold a web press to an Austrian newspaper printer and further web deals “with their roots in Drupa” are expected to be finalised by the end of June or July.

He also praised the quality of the visitors: “A lot of visitors came. Most of them came for a maximum of two days but there’re more decision-makers and fewer people running around looking for posters.”