Page 70 - Print21 Jan-Feb 2020

Association News
News updates from the printing industry
2020 – year of the drupa (and much more)
PrintNZ CEO Ruth Cobb looks ahead to a big year for Kiwi print.
Happy New Year. It is hard to believe that it is now 20 years since we were all breathing a sigh of relief that Y2K turned out to be a non-event. Whether it was all the preparation, or whether it was all hype we will never know – but it certainly seems like such a distant memory.
By virtue of our time zone, New Zealand was the first country to celebrate the new millennium. The year 2000 certainly had some memorable moments, from the highs of Team New Zealand being the first non-American team to successfully defend the Americas Cup, to the lows of our dollar being worth just 39 US cents.
In 2000, New Zealand had a female Prime Minister of
a Labour Government who made substantial reforms
to Employment Relations legislation – oh, wait, that sounds just like 2020.
Another thing that happened in 2000 and is happening again in 2020 is drupa. This will be the sixth drupa since the turn of the century. The biggest printing show in the world remains exactly that, but I know that what will be on display
at this drupa will have little resemblance to headline acts at drupa 2000.
As will the way we plan and manage our trips to drupa. In 2000, for the first time, you were able to buy show tickets
to drupa using a credit card – something we take for granted for most of our purchases today. It was also the first time those tickets became your free pass for public transport in Düsseldorf.
In 2000 drupa also announced it was moving back from a five-year cycle to a four year cycle, recognising the increased speed of innovation in the industry, and it heralded
Busy year: Ruth Cobb, CEO, PrintNZ
“We need to ensure that everyone understands the value that print adds to a product, and the role it plays in providing information and promoting success.”
a shift of focus to recognise an emerging digital infrastructure in the printing industry. Major releases of new products were always held back for drupa, but with the speed of change, these were becoming more difficult to hold off and so the shorter cycle began.
In 2000, digital printing machines all sat alongside a
full quota of analogue presses
– in 2020 the balance will
be different, with the digital companies producing the headline exhibits, and the support acts being things we had never even dreamed of in 2000.
The show continues to use
all the halls at the fairground, and the walking needed to
cover them is not for the faint- hearted. It runs for 11 days and will see close to 300,000 visitors from more than 180 countries. Planning ahead is definitely key so you can maximise your time and minimise the wear and tear on your feet.
In 2020 the theme is ‘embrace the future’, and
the show will focus on the
new dimensions that print is conquering, alongside global topics such as the circular economy; artificial intelligence; the platform economy; and connected consumers. These
will all influence the future of print, and drupa provides the opportunity to look at these areas of increasing importance.
For those that want to see where print is heading next, and to look for opportunities for your business to evolve, then drupa is the show to attend. It is on in Düsseldorf
in Germany from 16-26 June. If you are fortunate enough to attend, open your mind to what our industry might look like
in another 20 years, and what drupa 2040 could look like. Meanwhile, back in New
Zealand, 2020 will see a
full calendar of events for
the industry with Training Graduations, Apprentice of the Year, Pride In Print Awards, Real Media Awards, Women In Print, and golf days all having a place on the calendar.
The role of PrintNZ in promoting print continues to take centre stage, as we stay
on the crusade to make sure that the people making the decisions about purchasing print understand the long term effectiveness and sustainability of print. We need to ensure that everyone understands the value that print adds to a product, and the role it plays in providing information and promoting success. There is amazing collateral available, and it is up to everyone in the industry to get this information out into the world.
Training will get its share
of headlines this year as the vocational education reforms start happening, and PrintNZ will be working hard to ensure that the quality and volume
of our industry training
remains unaffected. With low unemployment and restricted immigration, training will play a key role in ensuring you have the workforce you need in the future, and we will make sure it remains available for you to access.
It will be a busy year, and the PrintNZ team looks forward to seeing you out and about in 2020.
For more detail on any events or to get involved, please email ruth.cobb@printnz.co.nz. 21
70 Print21 JANUARY/FEBRUARY 2020