Printing Industries supa drupa tour participants looking for innovation should start their physical conditioning from now following Messe Duesseldorf’s announcement that its drupa innovation parc (dip) has expanded from its 800 sq m in 2004 to 3,300 sq m for 2008.

The showcase has moved out of its previous “mobile” structure into one of the 17 halls that make drupa the biggest print industry trade show in the world. The dip is being promoted as “the world’s largest micro-platform for innovative young companies supplying the print and media industry with digital solutions,” and will feature 160 exhibitors.  That still leaves some 1800 exhibitors throughout the remainder of the 170,000 sq m Messe Düsseldorf complex.

drupa Project Director Manuel Mataré said that innovation needed a special presentation platform at drupa catering for large and small exhibitors alike.

"The drupa innovation parc is the hotspot for digital innovations. Here, visitors can discover new applications for today and tomorrow and companies with great ideas can promote them in the perfect environment,” he said.  

“Dip will be subdivided into eight different sections, each with a highly topical theme revolving around current developments in the print and media industry as well as related fields.”

The following theme parks are in the pipeline:

• Print buyer integration parc
  Solutions and applications for web to print, print on demand, campaign planning tools, online catalogue production as well as tracking and production integration software.
• Creative production parc
  Creative applications catering to all things Web 2.0, computer generated imaging, contemporary typography, creative image retouching as well as professional illustration.
• Document production parc
  The latest solutions for professional document management, professional output for transaction printing, conversion solutions and corporate mailing solutions (sako).
• PDF + XML production
  Software products dedicated to PDF, XML and Microsoft XPS, in addition to PDF applications, PDF forms and PDF output solutions as well as the XML single source publishing system.
• Digital picture parc
  Professional + creative photography, as well as digital camera applications and photo printing systems are the focus here – the park is being coordinated by the Arbeitskreis Digitale Fotografie (digital photography work group – ADF).
• Online communication parc
  New digital services and online products such as ASP applications, Web providing, CRM, media asset and content management, as well as file transfer services
• Print + publishing parc
  The whole world of publishing – desktop tools, workflow and editing systems, colour management and proofing solutions – server applications and solutions for professional scanning.

To help get you there, Printing Industries official industry supa drupa tour still has some return flight seats around the $2,000 mark and accommodation packages starting from $1321. Packages range from three to five star with a choice of seven tour dates.

Drupa is held from over two weeks from 29 May - 11 June 2008 in Düsseldorf, Germany.  To discuss tour options and your requirements contact Gerd or Helmut at Landmark Travel on (02) 9977 7100 or click here.