OUTPUT

We are caught up in a frenzy of pre-drupa news, and it can start to feel more than a little overwhelming. However, receiving so much information in advance is a great aid to forward planning. It helps prospective visitors to the show get the most out of their time at drupa, reducing stress and the likelihood of early burn-out and sore feet.

But planning depends on maximising the amount of new product information you can get in advance. Reading the trade press and participating in webinars, such as the one HP has scheduled for tomorrow (March 14th), are vital aids for your drupa experience. 

Make sure that you pre-register at this link if you want to attend tomorrow's webinar, which takes place at 3pm GMT.

HP plans to present its drupa news via a special webinar in order to give drupa visitors advance notice of what they will see on its stand in May. It's a good idea, because HP has rapidly moved to be one of the industry's major players with long fingers in many pies – so there will be a lot to see on its drupa stand. HP touches so many parts of the industry from data to wide-format displays, and is advancing steadily in all areas of print media, from labels and packaging production on Indigo presses through to signage and banners on the new L26500.

In its webinar we expect HP to update us on its penetration into all areas of print, including packaging, working with partners such as EskoArtwork. We are also waiting to hear some major announcements related to the HP Indigo press technology.

When it comes to digital press technologies, much of the industry's attention in the last couple of years has been on ink-jet. HP has invested heavily in its ink-jet web press, but the company has also continued to put money into developments for the Indigo line of electrostatic engines, so it'll be interesting to see what advances are announced in its webinar.

The sheer enormity of drupa makes it impossible for visitors to see everything on show. It is the industry's most important event and it only happens every four years. Extracting maximum value from your time in Düsseldorf depends on a strategy and on knowing as much as possible in advance about what you want to see – so exhibition previews and webinars are handy tools for your drupa armory. Make sure you exploit them fully.