Some parting shots and observations on the global print event that is drupa.

While attendance was down slightly from initial projections (something like 391,000 visitors), the biggest number reported by organizer Messe Dusseldorf was the 10 billion Euro ($15.6 billion) in sales transacted on the show floor. That seems a little optimistic, according to exhibitors who spoke with me. Granted, my contacts are more package printing than commercial printing, which is the heart of drupa.

And, after its “on again, off again” relationship with package printing and converting over the past decade, the heart of our industry seems to have finally made a home at drupa. All the big names in wide-web flexographic and gravure printing were there along with many suppliers of packaging prepress hardware, software and materials as well as downstream equipment for carton finishing and bag- and pouchmaking.

When it came to breakthrough technology, several alpha systems were demo'd, and many beta systems went commercial. Among the concepts: High-speed EB-curing of CI-flexo printing; faster, wider, more colorful digital printing for labels, flex packs and corrugated; and LED UV-curing of inkjet printing for variable-information labels.

Even with the weak US dollar, Messe Dusseldorf said North American attendance was level with four years ago at 6 percent. That may be true; I just know that when visiting some stands, the staff said to me, “Holy Cow, an American! Don't let him get away.” Fortunately, after they realized I wasn't there to buy something, they still wanted to talk.

And lastly, if you've ever been to a drupa show, you know the city and Messe Dusseldorf go nuts with red banners and posters and signs everywhere hailing “drupa this” and “drupa that.” So, it wasn't too much of a surprise to run into this Jack Russell terrier (above) sporting his own “drupa dog” T-shirt. The dog's name (and I'm not making this up) is Poopsi. His owner was just getting into the spirit of the show.

And speaking of trade shows, it's only two months until Labelexpo Americas hits the Rosemont, IL, Convention Ctr. again. To warm up our tag and label (and other narrow-web) converter readers, we've brought back our Narrow Web Niche column. For the next couple of months, Mike Fairley, director of strategic development for the Labels Group of show organizer Tarsus, will provide his insights into trends and technology impacting this sector of the industry.