drupa 2012: innovation park and drupacube to be star features

The drupa innovation park 2012 presented by digi:media (dip) will be the absolute focus of attention for impulse-generating innovations and the latest top themes in the digital printing sector and media industry. Here, particularly young companies, start-ups or key sector players with ground-breaking solutions and applications are provided with an outstanding opportunity to be at drupa 2012 and present their ideas for tomorrow’s markets. While in the 19 fair halls, the spotlight of drupacube is aimed at the printed product. But there is one major difference: Everything seen in hall 7A refers to the use of printed products for communication, as empowered by marketing. This change in paradigms offers one unbeatable advantage. The respective heads of marketing, or publishing houses, manufacturing experts, contact persons and creative arts directors may pick up comprehensive information regarding print products on combined markets. drupacube 2012: focusing on international print buyers and the communication sector

Introducing the drupacube in 2008, the drupa fair launched a decisive change in perspectives that proved to be a trailblazer for the entire sector: pure technology moves into the background in favour of applications. This very approach also was the central message of digi:media (www.digimedia.de) organised very successfully by Düsseldorf Fair for the first time in April this year. As per Manuel Mataré, the director of digi:media and drupa, “This step from drupacube to digi:media represented a logical development of this very concept, because this triad which brought together content, technology and business both in the offer presented by the fair and in the range of offers for specialists was completely in line with the market requirements of the print and media sectors.” But how can this concept which also embraces the digi:media philosophy be integrated into drupa? In the words of Mataré, “We bring about both a conceptual and a spatial dovetailing of drupacube and the drupa innovation park.” The drupacube, which in 2008 was still positioned in the free area between fair halls 2 and 3 shall be relocated into fair hall 7A, directly contiguous with dip hall 7.0. This closeness of spatial location allows for a still closer combination of technology and content.

As in the 19 fair halls, the spotlight of drupacube is aimed at the printed product. But there is one major difference: Everything seen in hall 7A refers to the use of printed products for communication, as empowered by marketing. This change in paradigms offers one unbeatable advantage. The respective heads of marketing, or publishing houses, manufacturing experts, contact persons and creative arts directors may pick up comprehensive information regarding print products on combined markets. This helps bring very heterogeneous target groups closer to drupa, that is, printed products.

The heterogeneity of the needs of this target group is matched by the variety of the drupacube offers. Conferences held every morning reflect the greatest possible difference in topics. Every day features a specific motto. Plans feature a ‘Magazine Day’ or a day of books as well as a ‘Dialogue Marketing Day’, a ‘Packaging Day’ as well as a ‘Corporate Communication Day’. The programme of activities aimed at specific target groups shall be enhanced by the very latest topics, such as ‘Green Printing’, ‘Functional Printing’, and ‘Social Media’. In the evening, the drupacube site shall be used to host exhibitor parties.

drupa innovation park 2012: digital innovations for the print and media industry

The drupa innovation park 2012 presented by digi:media (dip) will be the absolute focus of attention for impulse-generating innovations and the latest top themes in the digital printing sector and media industry. As mentioned above, here particularly young companies, Start-up’s or key sector players with ground-breaking solutions and applications will be provided with an outstanding opportunity to be at drupa 2012 and present their ideas for tomorrow’s markets. “With the drupa innovation park 2012 we are consistently continuing the success story of dip. Whereas in the past it was mainly the degree of technical innovation which was the focal point, today dip is picking up the top themes in the sector and increasingly placing the focus on the connection between content, technology and business models,” said Manuel Mataré, director of drupa.

The drupa innovation park occupies exhibition space of over 3,000 square metres in Halls 7.0 and is structured in nine exhibition segments. The themes are the very latest and are based on dynamic developments and trends in the print and media industry and its environment.

The planned theme parks include: Print Automation Park – process optimization and the greatest possible efficiency in the print process aided by planning systems, shop-floor management systems, and MIS systems working in concert with JDF and server applications; Asset Management Park – from database to paper or any other medium systematic management and use of digital content and documents; Dynamic Publishing Park – a single source for all media – strategies and solutions for multichannel publishing applications for print and web, web-to-print, print-to-web, print on demand; Print meets Mobile Park – applications for mobile devices like mobile tagging, QR codes and augmented reality solutions for the future of print in combination with mobile communication; Digital Imaging Park – innovations for striking worlds of digital images; Marketing Solutions Park – tools for targeted communication, ranging from campaign management and transactional advertising to white space marketing; Print Product Innovation Park – innovative print products, from print finishing solutions to secure printing; Printed Electronics/ Functional Printing Park – print is more than publishing – print in process, engineering is becoming increasingly important; Green Printing Park – innovations for sustainable print production.

For more details, visit: www.drupacube.de, and www.dip.drupa.com