When you try and explain Drupa to someone outside of the industry, it really is difficult to put it into perspective. The sheer size of the event is astounding, let alone the number of exhibitors and visitors you get to meet along the way. As a self-confessed Drupa virgin, I was also unsure of what to expect – thinking ‘it can’t really be that big can it?’—but how wrong I was.

One the way to the Messe on day one, I was full of hope and anticipation of what I was about to experience. The route from our hotel to the Messe was adorned with red, fluttering Drupa flags, with wide-format work and signage also helping publicise the event. Arriving at the Messe, I saw for the first time why manufacturers value the event so highly.

The seemingly never ending hall space, visitors queuing out the door and enough equipment to keep people talking for a long time. Full of anticipation and hope, nothing could prepare the industry for what we were about to witness on day one in Düsseldorf.