Digital print technology manufacturer Screen joined several high profile companies in withdrawing from next year’s rescheduled global print expo drupa (April 20-28, Düsseldorf), saying the Covid-19 risk is too great.
Meanwhile, decorative coatings leader Kurz confirmed it would continue a company tradition dating back to 1954, describing its participation at drupa as “very important.”
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| (From Screen video [Japanese] released as company said it was dropping out of drupa |
In a brief statement, Screen Graphic Solutions (Screen GA) said: “We have made this decision based on sensible precautions after considering the current circumstances of the COVID-19 pandemic and the growing opportunities for virtual experiences provided by new communications technologies.
“With both market and social conditions undergoing such drastic changes, SCREEN GA believes it is essential to accelerate timely communication with our customers and partners. We are continuously creating both virtual and physical communication opportunities designed to ensure the best possible experience.”
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| Peter Scott, MD Screen Australia |
Screen Australia MD Peter Scott says: “It must have been a hard decision to arrive at but I believe it is the right decision in view of the safety of customers and staff. Screen has always been a strong supporter of drupa and we have always enjoyed a high number of visitors from Australia and New Zealand. However, the road forward for a safe, pandemic-free Europe is by no means clear and in some areas, a second wave is apparent. Trade shows and especially drupa are all about meeting, networking and socialising and I can’t see this working as early as April 2021, even if planes are flying and borders are quarantine-free.
“Personally, I have great fondness for drupa and the way Düsseldorf becomes ‘drupa city’ and welcomes the print and communications world, I will miss it but I fear it will be at least another year before the health and safety situation can be deemed normal. Planning for participating in events such as drupa takes months or years, so the decision had to be made well in advance. Not to have done so would have been an unacceptable gamble. Personal safety comes first and foremost.”
“I look forward to more certain times and the return of the drupa we know and love!”
Screen is one of the world’s largest manufacturers and suppliers of production systems for the prepress and printing industries. It’s range includes the Truepress Jet series of large format inkjet printers, UV inkjet label presses, sheet-fed and web-fed inkjet presses, the Equios workflow system, RIPs, and computer to plate systems.
Screen GP Australia, established 1987, based in Macquarie Park, Sydney, is responsible for markets in Australia, New Zealand & the Pacific Islands. Screen GP Australia currently has a stand at the Virtual Trade Show organised by industry supplier association Visual Connections.
Leonard Kurz, a global leader in thin film technology with over 5,500 employees, confirmed its attendance at next year's drupa in a statement from its headquarters in Fürth, Germany (pictured above):
“The company has been consistently represented at drupa since 1954, and this will not change in the coming year. Being the world's leading trade fair for the printing sector, drupa is an important platform for Kurz to exhibit its latest finishing solutions.”
KURZ – which includes Kurz Australia, with offices in Sydney and Melbourne, and Auckland-based Kurz New Zealand - develops and manufactures decorative and functional coatings that are applied to carrier foils and employed for a wide variety of products: for automotive components, cell phones, TVs, washing machines, furniture, packaging, books, textiles, bottle labels and more.
“After seeing the detailed hygiene and infection protection concept presented by the trade fair organizer, Kurz is convinced that drupa can take place under safe conditions for visitors and exhibitors alike,” the company said. “The planned measures include physical distancing by issuing limited tickets, controlling the flow of people, a ventilation system that will ensure fresh air of the same quality as the outside air, and special requirements on the design of booths.”
Kurz plans to provide current news online and to present upgrades and the latest innovations at drupa 2021. “Further developments in the areas of hot stamping, cold and digital transfer, the latest finishing machines, and sustainable decoration solutions will be demonstrated at the trade fair. The company anticipates that drupa 2021 may not be as internationally attended as in the past. Nevertheless, it regards its participation at drupa as very important.”
Chairman Walter Kurz added: "Discussions with our customers have indicated that they do not want to miss out on this unique industry gathering and the inspiration that drupa provides. Now, especially, the printing industry is looking for new ideas and ways to expand the order books. We have creative solutions to present and look forward to engaging with our customers and partners.”
In July, drupa organisers Messe Düsseldorf trimmed the length of the rescheduled trade fair from eleven to nine days, from April 20-28, 2021. The move followed the withdrawal of big name exhibitors including Heidelberg, Xerox, Bobst, Manroland, Komori and Chili Publish
In March 2020, as COVID-19 spread across Europe, the drupa show scheduled for 16-26 June 2020 was postponed to April 2021, following a recommendation by the German Federal Government.
Trade fairs this week resumed at drupa venue Messe Düsseldorf Hall in Düsseldorf with the nine-day Caravan Salon 2020.
