drupa 2008, print media trade fair, will be the largest ever in its more than 50-year history: 1.8 million square feet of net exhibit space in 19 halls have been reserved by over 1,800 exhibitors. drupa 2008 will occupy the entire Düsseldorf fairgrounds - including all new halls - from May 29 – June 11, 2008. Exhibit space increases of leading international technology suppliers and large joint presentations from Asia are the major factors influencing this result. “The registration figures confirm the status of the trade fair as the world’s No. 1 event for the print and media industry,” commented Werner M. Dornscheidt, President and CEO of Messe Düsseldorf. “The complete range of the global market’s offerings and each link in the value chain, from design to the finished printed product, will be showcased in Düsseldorf. Industry leaders and global players will share the floor with small, innovative companies at drupa.”

The drupa 2008 registration results also reflect the industry’s development. “What’s most striking is the increase in participation by suppliers of digital solutions. Compared to drupa 2004, this focal area will grow significantly and take on a key role in the trade fair’s overall concept,” explained Manuel Mataré, drupa 2008 Project Director.

For easy visitor orientation, the layout at drupa 2008 will be according to exhibit categories. The two new halls 8a and 8b will primarily house exhibitors in the field of digital solutions (including Xerox, HP-Indigo, Agfa-Gevaert, Fujifilm) as will the neighboring halls 5 and 9 (including Kodak, Konica Minolta, Ricoh). The other drupa 2008 cornerstones will be:

 -Halls and 2: Heidelberger Druckmaschinen AG, Polar-Mohr;

-Halls 3 and 4: printing, materials, services;

 -Hall 6: PrintCity and other international exhibitors active in print finishing;

 -Halls 10 - 12: paper converting, packaging production (incl. Bobst, E.C.H. Will, Bielomatik);

 -Halls 12 - 14: bookbinding, print finishing (incl. Müller Martini, Horizon);

-Halls 15 - 17: printing machinery, bookbinding and finishing (incl. Koenig & Bauer AG, Ferag AG, Windmöller & Hölscher, Kolbus, Mitshubishi, Komori, Ryobi, Cerrutti).

drupa 2008 will again feature an extensive ancillary program, including the drupa innovation parc (workflow, publishing, PDF, XML, etc.) and the printbuyer integration parc (topics relating to all printing sectors) coordinated by ZIPCON Consulting as well as the JDF experience parc and JDF experience theatre organized by Messe Düsseldorf in operation with CIP4. Also planned are Compass Sessions by the German Printing and Media Industries Federation and Highlights Tours organized by the Deutscher Drucker trade magazine.

For further information on visiting or exhibiting at drupa 2008, contact Messe Düsseldorf North America, 150 North Michigan Avenue, Suite 2920, Chicago, IL 60601. Telephone: (312) 781-5180; Fax: (312) 781-5188; E-mail: info@mdna.com. Or visit the web site at http://www.mdna.com.

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