drupa 2028: Exhibitor applications open with a refreshed exhibition concept

Drupa 2028, one of the world's largest printing and packaging trade fairs, will be held in Düsseldorf, Germany, from Tuesday, May 9 to Wednesday, May 17, 2028. Messe Düsseldorf, the organizer, has announced that it has begun accepting exhibitor applications and has unveiled a new key visual and the "drupa insights" digital knowledge platform.

The next exhibition will focus on themes such as automation, artificial intelligence (AI), robotics, and the circular economy. The event aims to transform into an integrated solution platform, extending beyond traditional printing machinery exhibits to encompass a cross-industry event that includes software, workflows, brand owners, and designers.

Furthermore, the duration of the exhibition will be shortened from 11 days in the previous edition to 9 days. In recent years, there has been a strong trend among decision-makers, in particular, toward short, intensive visits, and the next exhibition will further clarify its character as a B2B trade fair.

Applications for exhibiting at the show have already begun, with a deadline of Friday, October 30, 2026. The exhibition is expected to cover a wide range of fields, including printing machinery, post-press equipment, label and packaging-related machinery, software, workflows, automation technology, materials, and branding/creative-related fields. The organizers are encouraging exhibitors to not only display equipment but also to utilize the event as a venue for proposing integrated solutions and fostering cross-industry collaboration.

Exhibitor applications are accepted on the official drupa website (https://www.drupa.com/). For inquiries within Japan, please contact Messe Düsseldorf Japan (☎03-5210-9951).