Some would say it is the biggest drupa ever since the show first launched in
1951, and they would be right. With over 1.8 million square feet (170,000
square meters) of exhibit space, 1,800 exhibitors from more than 50
countries, and 400,000 visitors expected over the two weeks, it is indeed a
grand show.

Others are calling this the inkjet drupa, or the workflow drupa or the
digital drupa. Two new buildings, Halls 8A and 8B, are dedicated to
displaying the latest and greatest digital technologies, and the Innovation
Parc, debuted at drupa 2008 in a tent on the fairgrounds, is substantially
bigger this time, with more than 160 exhibitors in eight different sections.

We could also call this the "Green" drupa, with companies from all sectors
touting their environmental sustainability initiatives.

Perhaps this is the "print buyers" drupa. Messe Dusseldorf has constructed
a new building for use only during the show to house drupaCube, a display
highlighting the value of print in modern communications, complete with live
examples and in-depth seminars for buyers of print.

Regardless of how you categorize drupa 2008, this show is all about making
business more efficient in the printing industry. Whether visitors spend
their time looking at new, highly automated presses and bindery gear; the
latest and greatest toner and inkjet presses; or solutions for leveraging
the now-defacto-standard JDF process automation, all eyes will be focused on
taking time and steps out of the print manufacturing process and opening up
opportunities for new applications and new businesses through the
application of technology.

A week is a long time to spend at a trade show, but having made those plans
long ago, I am now worried about being able to take it all in during such a
brief period in light of the flurry of announcements we have seen in the
weeks leading up to the show, and those that we expect to see during this
mega-event.

As an industry, we have been struggling to find our footing in this
rapidly-changing business communications environment in a shaky and
uncertain economy. For those with vision and an open mind, this drupa will
be Future drupa ... an opportunity to follow a print job through the
process, from concept through delivery by making the journey from Hall to
Hall to uncover the new developments that can be leveraged to build a more
profitable business and gain a solid foothold in the printing industry of
tomorrow. With persistence and perseverance, visitors will be able to find
the puzzle pieces--large and small--that will help them complete the picture
of what can be.

For my part, I will, as usual, focus on the softer side of
print--web-to-print, variable data, workflow, applications such as Books on
Demand, and Print MIS and production management solutions. I will
especially be looking at how the suppliers to the market are making it
easier to manage hybrid offset/digital workflows, and what the paper and
consumables suppliers are doing to help ensure our environmental
sustainability. And even though it is more "big iron" than I usual focus
on, I will be paying special attention to the new products, technology
demonstrations, and strategy announcements related to inkjet technology,
from wide- and superwide format, to industrial, to production--a potential
game-changer for the future as we migrate to an increasingly digital
manufacturing process.

Welcome to drupa 2008, Future drupa, where you can see it all in a way that
is unmatched by any other industry event! I will enjoy sharing in this
space some of my thoughts, conclusions and discoveries as I wander from Hall
to Hall in the coming week.

Cary Sherburne
Senior Editor, WhatTheyThink