drupa 2028 in Düsseldorf

9–17 May 2028
Venue: Düsseldorf Exhibition Centre, Halls 1–17 and outdoor area
City and country: Düsseldorf, Germany
Organiser: Messe Düsseldorf GmbH

drupa is an international trade fair for printing solutions, packaging production and paper converting. Its 2028 concept connects print production, industrial print applications, materials, creative solutions, automation and services. The organiser is developing the event around integrated processes and end-to-end solutions, bringing technology providers, print service providers, converters, brand owners, designers and creative businesses into the same professional setting.

The 2028 event is scheduled for nine days. The official Facts & Figures page lists visitor opening hours as 10:00–19:00 daily. Messe Düsseldorf identifies Halls 1–17 and the outdoor area as the venue footprint. The detailed 2028 product nomenclature is still to be released; use the themes below to set priorities, then check the organiser’s current exhibitor and product information before finalising meetings.

drupa 2028 at a glance

The core dates, venue and visitor hours are published for 2028. The detailed supporting programme and updated product nomenclature were still being developed in the organiser’s October 2026 announcement.

Why drupa matters to print and packaging professionals

See connected production in context

Print equipment, software, materials and converting processes increasingly need to work as parts of a wider production system. drupa’s 2028 concept emphasises end-to-end solutions and connected processes. For production leaders, that makes system integration, workflow compatibility, throughput, changeover requirements and support arrangements useful points of comparison—not just headline machine specifications.

Compare applications, not only machines

The official themes include print production, packaging production and paper converting, industrial print applications, materials, creative solutions, automation and sustainability. Visitors can organise their time around a product or process question: a new print application, a packaging format, a finishing bottleneck, a substrate requirement or the connection between equipment and workflow software.

Meet a wider value chain

The 2028 event is intended to reach beyond equipment suppliers. Messe Düsseldorf identifies print service providers, converters, brand owners, designers and creative industries among the stakeholders gaining prominence. That combination can help visitors test how technical capabilities relate to customer requirements, design decisions and production realities.

Latest published scale

• 165,551 visitors at drupa 2024, including visitors from 173 countries; organiser-published figure.
• 80% international visitors at drupa 2024; organiser-published figure.
• 1,614 exhibitors from 49 countries at drupa 2024; organiser-published figure.

These 2024 figures indicate the scale and international reach of the previous edition; they are not forecasts for 2028. The official 2028 announcement reported that exhibitors from 38 countries had registered by 20 October 2026.

Exhibition themes and product groups at drupa

The organiser has announced the broad 2028 themes but said the new detailed product nomenclature would be published later. The groups below are a practical framework for planning comparisons, not a confirmed list of 2028 exhibitors or products.

Print production

Use this theme to assess how equipment and workflows fit the work you produce or plan to produce.

• Digital and conventional print-production systems
• Prepress, job preparation and production workflows
• Colour management and process control
• Print finishing and production-line interfaces
• Connected equipment and integrated process solutions

Packaging production and paper converting

For converters and packaging buyers, focus on the relationship between print quality, material handling and downstream conversion.

• Packaging print and converting processes
• Paper and board handling for packaging applications
• Format, finishing and converting requirements
• Connections between printing, converting and finishing stages
• Material-efficiency and recyclability considerations

Industrial print applications

Industrial and functional print applications bring process requirements beyond conventional publishing into the conversation.

• Functional and application-led printing
• Print integrated into industrial production workflows
• Substrate and process compatibility
• Production control and repeatability requirements
• Application development with technology and material partners

Materials

Material choices can affect print performance, finishing, packaging design and production conditions. Compare samples against the requirements of the intended application.

• Paper and board substrates
• Films and other print substrates
• Printing inks and toners
• Coatings, varnishes and finishing consumables
• Materials and consumables used in converting workflows

Automation, robotics, digitalisation and AI

These are explicit 2028 focus areas. Buyers can assess how each proposed solution fits their existing production environment and workforce.

• Robotics and machine-assisted handling
• Automated production sequences
• Digital workflows and connected systems
• AI-supported production processes
• Data exchange, control and integration needs

Print creative and solution workflows

The 2028 concept gives greater prominence to creativity and collaboration. Designers and brand owners can use this theme to connect creative intent with production choices.

• Design-to-print workflows
• Creative and application-led print solutions
• Coordination between design, preproduction and output
• Print applications for brands and creative businesses
• Collaboration across technology and service providers

Sustainability, regulations and services

The organiser includes sustainability, regulations and services in its announced themes. Use these areas to examine the practical implications for a complete production project.

• Material use and production efficiency
• Packaging design and recyclability considerations
• Testing, measurement and process support
• Software, consulting and technical services
• Installation, maintenance and lifecycle support questions

Who should visit drupa?

Print service providers and converters

Useful if your company needs to evaluate production capacity, improve workflow integration or extend the range of print and packaging work it can deliver.

• Compare relevant production and finishing systems
• Check material and substrate compatibility
• Examine how equipment connects across a production line
• Ask about service, parts, training and installation requirements
• Assess automation against actual staffing and throughput needs

Bring representative job specifications, substrate details, quality tolerances and constraints from your current workflow. The 2028 focus on connected production makes the interfaces between systems as important as individual machines.

Technology buyers and production decision-makers

Useful if you are responsible for specifying, purchasing or operating print, converting, automation or software solutions.

• Compare suppliers against a defined investment requirement
• Ask how a proposed system integrates with existing equipment and data
• Evaluate service coverage, training, installation and operating needs
• Distinguish demonstrated functions from features that need further testing
• Record the evidence needed for a later technical and financial review

Production managers, engineers, procurement teams and owners can make the visit more useful by agreeing evaluation criteria before arriving.

Brand owners, packaging buyers and designers

Useful if you influence packaging, print specifications, product presentation or the relationship between design and manufacturing.

• Explore print and packaging production options
• Compare substrates, finishes and converting approaches against project needs
• Discuss how design requirements affect production choices
• Identify questions to take back to suppliers and internal teams
• Review the implications of packaging-life-cycle rules for relevant products

Designers, brand teams and packaging decision-makers should bring the intended use, format, performance requirements and sustainability criteria for their projects.

Exhibitors, manufacturers and solution providers

Useful if your company supplies print or packaging technology, materials, automation, software or related professional services and wants to assess participation in an international industry setting.

• Present equipment, materials or services to relevant professional audiences
• Explain where a solution fits within an end-to-end workflow
• Prepare technical evidence, application examples and service information
• Clarify the company’s target customer groups and meeting priorities
• Plan follow-up for contacts and requests gathered during the fair

Messe Düsseldorf’s published exhibitor-registration deadline was 31 October 2026. Companies considering participation after that date should confirm current availability and terms directly with the organiser.

Why visit drupa?

1. Compare production technologies: assess print systems and integrated workflows against your real job mix, quality requirements and capacity plans.
2. Evaluate packaging production: examine how print, paper converting and finishing choices relate to your formats, substrates and production sequence.
3. Investigate automation: ask how robotics, AI and digitalisation work with existing equipment, data and operating practices.
4. Explore industrial applications: use the industrial print theme to consider application requirements and the technology or material questions behind them.
5. Connect design and production: brand owners and designers can explore how creative decisions interact with print and packaging processes.
6. Build a supplier shortlist: use direct product and workflow comparisons to identify companies whose capabilities merit a more detailed post-show review.

Why exhibit at drupa?

drupa is relevant to manufacturers and providers across print production, packaging and paper converting, industrial print applications, materials, automation, software and services. The organiser’s October 2026 update said registered companies represented 38 countries at that point and described the intended audience as extending across technology providers, print service providers, converters, brand owners, designers and creative industries. Those are organiser-reported registration and positioning details, not a promise of particular meetings or business results.

Before committing to a stand, define the products and applications you intend to present, the customer groups you need to reach, the technical staff required and the follow-up capacity available after the event. Confirm stand options, participation terms, deadlines and eligibility directly with Messe Düsseldorf; the published 31 October 2026 registration deadline has passed.

• Show how your products fit into connected print or packaging workflows.
• Prepare clear specifications, operating requirements and integration information.
• Use product demonstrations or samples only where the format and organiser rules allow.
• Plan conversations for buyers, converters, brand owners or designers relevant to your offer.
• Consider how international enquiries will be handled, including service, installation, training and distribution.

For companies entering Germany or the wider EU, check product- and role-specific requirements before making a market commitment. The packaging section below summarises a relevant EU rule; it is not a substitute for assessing a particular product or company.

What makes drupa different?

The 2028 concept frames printing as a connected solutions environment, not just a display of individual machines.

Messe Düsseldorf says the event will place greater emphasis on end-to-end solutions, automation, robotics, artificial intelligence, materials and the circular economy. It also describes four experience clusters—grow, create, learn and play—bringing business and solutions, creativity, knowledge transfer and community together. Further details of the supporting programme and new formats were due to be announced in early 2027.

The organiser’s 20 October 2026 announcement named established exhibitors including Comexi, Esko, Fujifilm, HEIDELBERG, Horizon, Konica Minolta, KYOCERA Document Solutions, LEONHARD KURZ, Line O Matic, UPG and Windmöller & Hölscher as registered at that date. This is an early registration snapshot, not a complete or final exhibitor list. For visitors, the useful distinction is the event’s intended connection of technology, applications, materials and decision-makers across the value chain.

How to prepare before drupa

1. Set a decision, not a sightseeing goal

Write down what you need to decide: replace a press, improve a converting process, automate a task, assess a substrate or develop a new application. A clear decision helps you filter a broad technology programme.

2. Build a shortlist from the current exhibitor information

The 2028 product nomenclature was not yet published in the reviewed announcement. Check the organiser’s latest exhibitor and product information when planning, then group relevant companies by product, application and role in your workflow. Do not rely on the previous edition’s list as a complete guide to 2028.

3. Rank companies and meetings

Divide prospects into three groups: A—essential to a current project; B—useful for supplier comparison or market intelligence; C—explore if time allows. Request meetings where possible through the organiser’s current tools, and reconfirm any arrangements directly.

4. Prepare specific technical questions

• Which job types, formats and substrates is the system designed to handle?
• What output quality, speed and changeover conditions can be demonstrated?
• How does the equipment connect to prepress, workflow software and finishing?
• Which interfaces, data formats and controls are supported?
• What installation, utilities, operator training and maintenance are required?
• How are spare parts, service response and technical support handled in your market?
• What evidence is available for material efficiency, waste reduction or recyclability claims?
• Which testing or documentation is needed before a production or packaging specification is approved?

5. Prepare a comparison record

For each solution, capture Company → Product → Application → Compatibility → Evidence → Next action. Record the model and configuration discussed, not just the brand name. If a sample or demonstration is important, note what was actually shown and what still requires a formal trial.

How to make the most of the exhibition

drupa covers several connected themes and uses Halls 1–17 plus an outdoor area. Avoid trying to see everything equally. Start with the suppliers and themes tied to your decision, then use remaining time for adjacent technologies that could change the full workflow.

• At a machinery stand, compare the process before and after the equipment, not only its headline speed.
• For print and packaging materials, record the substrate, finish, application and handling conditions attached to each sample.
• For automation or AI solutions, ask which production stages and data sources are involved and what operational changes are required.
• For design-led applications, connect creative intent to print method, material, converting and production constraints.
• At the end of each day, group contacts into immediate project follow-up, supplier comparison and longer-term market learning.

Use a consistent note format: Company → Product → Why relevant → Evidence or specification → Contact → Next action. This makes later review more reliable than collecting brochures without recording why a solution mattered.

Plan your time at drupa realistically

The fair runs for nine days, but the right visit length depends on your objectives and the meetings you can arrange. Visitors focused on one defined investment may prioritise selected halls and supplier discussions. Teams comparing several process stages may need more time to cover equipment, materials, automation and creative applications. Confirm the final hall plan and daily details before travelling.

• Before the visit: choose priority themes, identify target companies and schedule the conversations that matter most.
• During the visit: keep time for planned meetings, demonstrations and notes; leave a smaller block for unexpected but relevant discoveries.
• At day’s end: review open technical questions and arrange next steps while discussions are fresh.

Beyond the drupa exhibition floor

The 2028 supporting programme is being developed. The organiser said that stages, interactive formats and knowledge-sharing opportunities would bring technologies, applications and industry participants together, and that further details would be announced in early 2027. The next generation of professionals, start-ups and emerging technology companies are also intended to have a more prominent role.

The announced experience clusters are grow, create, learn and play. Treat these as the organiser’s framework for the new concept; check the released 2028 schedule for confirmed sessions, speakers, formats and locations before building a daily agenda.

drupa visitor profile and business opportunities

These are planning lenses based on the organiser’s stated 2028 stakeholder groups and themes. Choose the rows that match your own role rather than treating every category as equally relevant.

Travelling to drupa

The official visitor information provides guidance for travel by car, train and public transport, plane, taxi and other modes, with site and car-park information. Messe Düsseldorf also lists accessible-travel guidance. Check the organiser’s current travel and access instructions before departure, including the appropriate entrance and transport arrangements for the hall or meeting you plan to visit.

The venue information for 2028 identifies Halls 1–17, the outdoor area and several entrances, including North A, North B, North D, the CCD South Congress Centre, East and South. Confirm the latest site plan and entrance arrangements as the event approaches.

Practical information for international visitors

Arrange travel documents, accommodation, transport and payment planning well in advance. Entry and visa requirements depend on nationality and individual circumstances; check the relevant official requirements before booking.

After drupa: turn comparisons into decisions

Within a short time after the visit, review notes while specifications and conversations are still clear. Sort contacts into three groups:

• A — Current project: request the missing technical, commercial or compliance information needed for a decision.
• B — Potential supplier or partner: compare the solution with alternatives and clarify service, installation and distribution arrangements.
• C — Market intelligence: retain useful observations about materials, automation, applications and industry direction.

For machinery, confirm configuration, throughput assumptions, utilities, integration, operator training, service coverage and total project requirements. For packaging and materials, record specifications, intended use, finishing, recyclability evidence and any regulatory responsibilities that apply to your role. For creative projects, connect sample quality and design intent to a production method that can be tested.

drupa visitor checklist

Before the fair

• ☐ Define the business or technical decision you want to advance.
• ☐ Check the current event dates, visitor hours, tickets and access information.
• ☐ Build a shortlist from the current exhibitor and product information.
• ☐ Prepare job specifications, material samples or project requirements as appropriate.
• ☐ Arrange priority meetings and confirm travel and entry requirements.

During the fair

• ☐ Compare solutions against consistent requirements, not just headline claims.
• ☐ Record product configuration, evidence, compatibility and service questions.
• ☐ Distinguish what was demonstrated from what needs a later test or written confirmation.
• ☐ Prioritise relevant halls and leave time to review notes.

After the fair

• ☐ Sort contacts into current projects, possible suppliers and market learning.
• ☐ Send specific follow-up questions and request outstanding specifications.
• ☐ Compare solutions against operational, commercial and regulatory requirements.
• ☐ Assign owners and dates for each next step.

Is drupa worth visiting?

drupa is most useful for professionals whose work touches print production, packaging, paper converting, industrial applications, materials or the technologies that connect them. The 2028 emphasis on automation, robotics, AI and end-to-end solutions is particularly relevant to teams evaluating process change, while brand owners and designers can examine how creative and packaging decisions meet production capabilities.

A visit is more valuable when you arrive with a defined project, a shortlist and questions that expose differences between solutions. The breadth of the event is an advantage for cross-process comparison, but an unplanned walk through a large fair can make it difficult to separate relevant suppliers from general interest.

Closing question for drupa visitors

What print, packaging or production decision can you make better by comparing technologies and people face to face? Choose the question, plan the route, capture evidence and follow through: Discover. Compare. Evaluate. Decide. Follow up.

Print and packaging opportunities in Germany

Market context and demand indicators

Across the European Union, paper and cardboard represented 40.8% of packaging waste in 2024, according to the European Commission. This is a measure of waste composition across the EU, not a German market-value or demand figure. It provides relevant context for print and packaging businesses considering material use and end-of-life requirements.

Regulation and commercial questions

Regulation (EU) 2025/40 on packaging and packaging waste has been in force since 11 February 2025 and applies from 12 August 2026. The European Commission describes requirements spanning packaging manufacturing, composition, reusable or recoverable characteristics and waste management. Its stated aims include making all packaging on the EU market recyclable in an economically viable way by 2030, increasing recycled plastics safely and reducing virgin-material use. These EU-wide requirements also apply in Germany; specific duties depend on the packaging, product and company role.

• Packaging design and materials: converters, brand owners and material suppliers may use the fair to compare print, substrate and converting approaches against relevant packaging requirements. Product performance and compliance need to be assessed for the intended use.
• Production and converting equipment: technology buyers could examine whether equipment and workflow choices support their required formats, material handling and production control. The regulation itself does not establish demand for a particular machine.
• Supplier documentation: buyers and exhibitors may need to clarify which company is responsible for applicable product information, testing and compliance evidence. Obligations depend on the supply-chain role and the product.

What this means for exhibitors

Packaging and print exhibitors may frame product discussions around measurable material properties, production capabilities and evidence relevant to customers’ packaging decisions. Companies should verify the obligations that apply to their products and role before making claims or entering the market; the EU-wide waste indicator is context, not proof of German demand or sales potential.

What this means for visitors

Visitors can use drupa to compare materials, converting and print solutions against a defined project, then ask suppliers for performance data and role-specific compliance documentation. The most useful next step is to assess each option against the intended packaging use and applicable requirements rather than treating a broad policy direction as a product approval.

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