drupa 2028 Guide: Print Industry Exhibitors & Attendee List
By Ilyas Kerbal,
drupa is the world’s number one trade fair for printing technologies, and it only happens every four years. The next edition runs from 9 to 17 May 2028 at Messe Düsseldorf, the first drupa to run for nine days. In 2024 it drew around 170,000 visitors from 173 countries and about 1,600 exhibitors, and 76% of visitors were top or middle management.
That last figure is the one sales teams should remember. drupa is a senior audience, and the long gap between editions means buying decisions build up for years.
drupa 2028 at a glance
| Detail | Information |
|---|---|
| Industry | Print & packaging |
| Venue | Messe Düsseldorf |
| City and country | Düsseldorf, Germany |
| Next edition | 9–17 May 2028 (first nine-day drupa) |
| Frequency | Every 4 years (2024, next 2028) |
| Does it move? | No. Always Düsseldorf, every four years. |
| Scale | ~170,000 visitors from 173 countries; ~1,600 exhibitors (2024) |
| Organiser | Messe Düsseldorf |
| Typical ticket price | ~€60–70/day; multi-day ~€150+ (estimate) |
| Event app / platform | drupa app + drupa online platform |
| Website | drupa.com |
What drupa covers
drupa is the global meeting point for print and print-related industries:
- Commercial, digital and inkjet printing
- Packaging and label printing and converting
- Print finishing, post-press and workflow software
- Industrial and functional printing (electronics, textiles, 3D)
- Paper, substrates and consumables
Vendors such as HP, Heidelberg, Canon, Koenig & Bauer and Bobst plan their launches around drupa. The 2024 edition placed strong emphasis on packaging, sustainability and automation.
Where it takes place
drupa never leaves Messe Düsseldorf. Between editions, Messe Düsseldorf runs smaller print events and a year-round digital community. Düsseldorf hotels fill up quickly and get expensive in drupa years.
Who attends drupa
| Audience | What they’re evaluating | Opportunity for sellers |
|---|---|---|
| Print-service providers and packaging converters | Presses, finishing, automation | Capital equipment and software buyers |
| Brand owners and packaging buyers | New packaging capabilities | Influence on converter choice |
| In-plant print managers at large companies | Efficiency and cost | Corporate accounts |
| Publishers and media companies | Production and workflow | Shrinking but still relevant |
| Top and middle management | Strategy and investment | 76% of 2024 visitors |
drupa print trade fair at Messe Düsseldorf. Photo: Ra Boe, CC BY-SA 3.0, via Wikimedia Commons.
Preparing for drupa 2028? I build enriched drupa exhibitor and visitor lists with company size, segment, job title and LinkedIn, ready for HubSpot, Salesforce or Pipedrive. Book your nine days of meetings before May. Request your drupa list.
Tickets
Prices for 2028 are not published yet. Past day tickets cost roughly €60–70 online, with multi-day options around €150 or more (estimate). Many exhibitors give free ticket vouchers to customers.
The drupa app and drupa online
drupa offers an official app and a digital platform, drupa online, with exhibitor search, matchmaking and content between editions. These help visitors plan their route. They do not hand exhibitors a list of the converters and print buyers who will turn up, nor do they offer exports with decision-maker data.
How to prepare for drupa
- Group exhibitors by technology (digital, offset, packaging, finishing, software) to see who you compete and partner with.
- Build a target list of converters and print-service providers by country and size.
- Add brand owners if you sell packaging innovation, since they increasingly push converters to invest.
- Spread meetings across the nine days. The longer format reduces crowding, so use it.
- Feed everything into your CRM with a drupa 2028 tag. Equipment deals often close many months later.
Pros and cons
| Pros | Cons |
|---|---|
| The only truly global print show | Only every four years |
| Very senior audience | Fewer exhibitors than a decade ago |
| Nine-day run spreads the crowds | Düsseldorf hotels fill and get expensive |
Frequently asked questions
When is drupa 2028?
drupa 2028 runs from 9 to 17 May 2028 at Messe Düsseldorf.
How often does drupa take place?
Every four years. The last edition was in 2024.
Who visits drupa?
Print-service providers, packaging converters, brand owners, in-plant print managers and publishers. In 2024, 76% were top or middle management.
Can I get a drupa attendee list?
drupa does not publish visitor data. An enriched list combines exhibitor data with researched decision-makers in your target segments.
Get your drupa list ready
Four years between editions means a lot of pent-up demand. If you want your drupa 2028 targets mapped and enriched in advance, send me a request from the Prospector home page.
Related event guides
- interpack 2029 Düsseldorf: Packaging Fair & Attendee List
- FachPack 2027 Nuremberg: Packaging Fair Guide & Attendee List
- K 2028 Düsseldorf: Plastics Fair Guide & Attendee List
Sources
Image credits
- Cover image: Photo: Ra Boe, CC BY-SA 3.0 de, via Wikimedia Commons. Exhibition hall at drupa 2012 in Düsseldorf.
- In-article image: Photo: Ra Boe, CC BY-SA 3.0, via Wikimedia Commons. drupa print trade fair at Messe Düsseldorf.
