drupa 2028: Dates, Themes and What to Expect

drupa 2028 will take place from 9 to 17 May 2028 at the exhibition centre in Düsseldorf, Germany. It is the world's largest trade fair for printing technology, held every four years, and the 2028 edition is shorter than before at nine days. The organiser has named automation, robotics, AI, materials and the circular economy as core themes.

This guide collects what Messe Düsseldorf has confirmed so far and explains why the fair matters even if you buy print rather than presses.

drupa 2028 dates, venue and opening hours

Messe Düsseldorf first announced the dates in a save the date release in September 2024. The official facts and figures page adds the practical details:

• Dates: 9 to 17 May 2028
• Venue: Düsseldorf Exhibition Centre, Halls 1 to 17 plus an outdoor area
• Visitor opening hours: daily from 10:00 to 19:00
• Organiser: Messe Düsseldorf GmbH
• Cycle: every four years

Ticket prices had not been published on the facts page when we checked, so plan your budget once the ticket shop shows them.

Why is drupa 2028 shorter?

The organiser explains that visitors at drupa 2024 stayed for a shorter time than in the past, and that the aim is to make visits as efficient as possible. According to the release, 76 percent of 2024 visitors were in top or middle management, and comparable fairs such as interpack and K work well with a similar length. The decision followed recommendations from the drupa committee, surveys of exhibitors and visitors, and feedback from associations.

For visitors, nine days still leaves plenty of time. For exhibitors, the organiser says the format still allows them to present products, machines and workflows in full.

What themes will drupa 2028 focus on?

The facts page lists seven focus areas, which give a good map of the halls:

1. Print Production
2. Packaging Production and Paper Converting
3. Industrial Print Applications
4. Materials
5. Print Creative and Solution World
6. Automation, Robotics, Digitalisation and AI
7. Sustainability and Regulations

End-to-end solutions and automation

In its release opening exhibitor registration, the organiser highlights end-to-end solutions, automation, robotics and artificial intelligence, along with integrated printing technologies and industrial applications. The idea is that hardware, software, data and automated production are increasingly sold as one system.

Materials and the circular economy

Materials and the circular economy are named as a core theme, and sustainability and regulation have their own focus area. Given new EU rules on packaging and product data, expect a lot of attention on recyclable substrates, inks and coatings.

A new identity and four clusters

The October 2026 press release on early exhibitor registrations introduced a new brand identity with an octopus and the motto "dive into the unseen". The visitor experience is organised around four clusters: grow, create, learn and play, covering business solutions, creativity, knowledge transfer and community. Brand owners, designers and the creative industries are to get more prominence, as are young talent, start-ups and emerging technology companies.

Who is exhibiting at drupa 2028?

By 20 October 2026, the organiser reported that companies from 38 countries had registered, about 18 months before the fair. Germany, China, Italy, India, Spain and Japan were the most strongly represented countries. Names mentioned in the release include Comexi, Esko, Fujifilm, Heidelberg, Horizon, Konica Minolta, Kyocera Document Solutions, Leonhard Kurz, Line O Matic, UPG and Windmöller and Hölscher. The exhibitor registration deadline was set at 31 October 2026, and the full list will only be known closer to the fair.

For reference, the facts page gives the figures for drupa 2024: 165,551 visitors, 1,614 exhibitors and 138,773 square metres of exhibition space.

Why drupa 2028 matters to print buyers, not just printers

drupa is mainly a machinery fair, but what is shown there shapes what printers and converters can offer you in the years after. Many printing companies time their investments around the fair, so new capabilities often reach the market in the following months and years.

Expect more automation in the supply chain

Automated workflows, robotic handling and AI-supported planning aim to cut setup time and waste. For buyers this can mean more competitive pricing on short runs and faster turnaround, but only where suppliers actually invest. Ask about the setup and proofing process when you compare quotes.

Sustainability claims will need evidence

With sustainability and regulation as a focus area, expect suppliers to talk more about recyclable materials and lower energy use. Ask for specifics: which certificate, which material declaration, and which part of the process is affected. Our guide to printing industry trends in 2026 covers the wider context.

Should you visit?

If you buy large volumes of printed packaging, labels or commercial print, a day at the fair can help you understand what your suppliers will be offering. If you buy smaller volumes, following the reports and asking your suppliers what they plan to invest in is usually enough.

How to prepare a visit

Seventeen halls are too many to see without a plan. Use the seven focus areas to pick the halls that match what you buy, book meetings with your existing suppliers in advance, and bring real jobs: a box you want to change, a label with a difficult colour, or a print run you would like to shorten. Questions about real products lead to more useful answers than general demonstrations. Hotels in and around Düsseldorf fill up early during large fairs, so book accommodation well ahead.

Finding print and machine suppliers before drupa 2028

You do not need to wait for 2028 to compare suppliers. On Flobid you can send a request for a digital production press or browse the machines and equipment category. For print jobs, our guide to toner and inkjet production presses explains what the different technologies mean for your order.

Sources

1. Save the date: Next drupa from 9 to 17 May 2028, Messe Düsseldorf (2024)
2. drupa 2028: Facts, Figures, Dates and Opening Hours, Messe Düsseldorf
3. Go-ahead for drupa 2028: exhibitor registration now open, Messe Düsseldorf
4. Strong start for drupa 2028 as exhibitors from 38 countries sign up, Messe Düsseldorf (2026)