drupa – no. 1 for printing technologies

Heidelberg: Driving digital forward Dr. Frank Schaum, Executive Vice President of the Print Division at Heidelberger Druckmaschinen AG, explained how the company is responding to the evolving needs of customers in the digital printing sector. The focus is on end-to-end optimisation, with automation, data expertise and intelligent software solutions at its core. 📈 In order to meet the growing demand for high-volume production, Heidelberg is improving its scalable systems, colour management and scheduling capabilities, and integrating 🤖 AI to support planning and decision-making processes. 🎯 The long-term goal is clear: to achieve greater efficiency through zero-touch workflows and smart process control, from job intake to final output. 💬 What role do you see for software and AI in the future of print? Let’s discuss this in the comments 👇

From showcase to serious potential: Single-pass printing gained new traction at drupa 2024 At this #drupa2024, EFI brought single-pass technology to the forefront – and it captured attention across the packaging industry. The reason? It delivers speed, scale and sustainability in one streamlined process. With solutions like the EFI Nozomi platform, single-pass printing offers: ⚙️ Industrial productivity at full digital speed 🌍 Reduced environmental impact with water-based inks and energy-efficient design 📦 Consistent, high-quality results for fast-moving packaging demands What do you think? 💬 Can single-pass redefine digital production – or is it just part of a broader evolution in print? We’d love to hear your perspective in the comments. 

What comes to your mind when you hear the phrase 'career in print'? 📘 Before a card, a leaflet or a book lands in your hands, many skilled professionals have been involved in the process. Yet most people have little idea of just how many different careers exist in the print industry. Which roles spring to mind when you think of a career in print? We’re curious to know which profession you most strongly associate with the industry. 🗨️ Vote below – and add more in the comments if we missed your favourite!

🚀 A new era for textile production: when digital meets end-to-end. At drupa 2024, industry leaders from across the print sector gathered to explore the future of the industry. 💡 The three Touchpoints – touchpoint textile, touchpoint packaging and touchpoint sustainability – proved to be powerful hubs for innovation, hands-on demonstrations and forward-thinking dialogue. 🎥 In this clip, Mike Scrutton, Adobe's Director of Print Technology & Strategy, talks about what impressed him most about touchpoint textile: the fully digital workflow from fabric printing to garment manufacturing, executed on a small scale yet with implications that will shape the industry. This kind of cross-disciplinary perspective is exactly what makes drupa a magnet for the brightest minds in print and production. ❓ Were you at one of the Touchpoints? What did you take away, and how do you see the concept evolving? We’d love to hear your thoughts.

🌱 Sustainable Inks that perform and protect. ✨ From recyclability to food safety, printing inks play a much bigger role in sustainable packaging than their weight suggests. Our latest blog post on the drupa website breaks down the findings of a comparative study by Teodora Tasip, an intern at the NVC Packaging Centre. The post reveals the key trade-offs between water-based, UV-cured, soy-based and algae-based inks and explains why there is no single perfect solution (yet). This is essential reading for packaging converters, brand owners and print innovators as 2026 regulatory deadlines draw closer. Read the blog 👉 [https://xmrrwallet.com/cmx.plnkd.in/dMCpQJRn]

🎥 Watch it. Hold it. Experience it. What sets drupa apart from other trade fairs? Nowhere else will you find so many machines – from compact desktop models to hall-filling giants – live in action. But it’s not just about watching. You can actually hold the results in your hands – right there, on the spot. This gives you a unique opportunity to experience and directly compare different suppliers first-hand. In this example, Marc Verbeem, Product Management Supervisor at Mimaki Europe, demonstrates the production process at the Mimaki Europe B.V. stand at #drupa2024: printing, cutting, and creating the final product, which you can touch, test, and assess. 📦 It's a real-world experience that defines what drupa is all about! Were you impressed by the live demonstrations? Share your drupa experience in the comments.

Energy. Focus. Commitment. Preparing for drupa 2028 When the drupa committee met at the VDMA in Frankfurt this week, it was more than just a meeting with a packed agenda – it was a powerful demonstration of shared purpose and commitment. 🎯 In times of rapid transformation, one thing is clear: only by working together can we anticipate change, understand the evolving needs of our global and diverse community, and strengthen drupa's unique role as the essential global industry platform. 📊 The discussions were as focused as they were forward-looking: How is the global print and packaging industry transforming? Which technologies will shape tomorrow’s business models? And how can drupa 2028 create real value and direction in this evolving landscape? 🤝 Once again, we witnessed how expertise, vision, and personal dedication converge within the drupa committee – chaired by Dr. Andreas Pleßke – to co-create the future of our industry. With Wolfram Diener, CEO of Messe Düsseldorf, and drupa Director Sabine Geldermann contributing to and building on these valuable insights, the partnership between the industry and its leading platform continues to grow in strength and relevance. drupa 2028 is gaining momentum – driven by substance, collaboration, and a shared ambition to move forward. Together. 💭 What are your expectations for drupa 2028? We look forward to hearing your thoughts in the comments.

🧩 Personalisation at scale without the storage headache? Print-on-demand (POD) is changing the way e-commerce businesses offer product variety. No longer just a niche model, POD has become a key enabler of customised, on-demand products, eliminating the need for large inventories or upfront investment. 🎯 Advances in automation and digital printing are making highly flexible production accessible to businesses of all sizes, whether via established service providers or increasingly via in-house solutions. At drupa 2024, exhibitors showcased everything needed to start a POD business in your workshop, including compact modular setups, fully automated production lines and services that connect you to your customers, demonstrating just how diverse and scalable POD technology has become. 🏭 👉 Have you already embraced POD? Maybe after reading this: [https://xmrrwallet.com/cmx.plnkd.in/dsfBVJTW]

Think beyond the square. ✨ When creativity meets cutting-edge technology, anything is possible. At drupa 2024, Stuart Fox and CEO of Kongsberg Precision Cutting Systems, encouraged the industry to reconsider the purpose of cutting tables, viewing them not as simple machines for basic shapes, but as creative platforms. Fox demonstrated how Kongsberg Precision Cutting Systems solutions exceed expectations. From constructing complex structures to enabling seamless end-to-end workflows, the company showcased how automation, precision and versatility are transforming finishing processes at its abundantly creative drupa booth. 🏆 "Don’t think of a cutting table as something that just cuts squares. It cuts pretty much anything you want.” With these words, Fox described not just a tool, but also a mindset that invites innovation. How much do your expectations shape what your machines can achieve? Share your thoughts – what’s the most surprising thing you’ve seen (or done) with a cutting system? 💡

🖨️ Digital printing on the rise Technological advances and a growing focus on sustainability are driving change in the printing industry. Digital printing enables companies to respond flexibly to market changes while offering more environmentally friendly production methods. But how will this dynamic develop in the coming years? 📢 Frank de Jonge, Commercial Director at NEOS Industrial Inkjet Printing, gives his assessment in this video. Will digital replace traditional methods? 🤔