drupa confirms Dr Andreas Pleßke as new chairman

Dr Pleßke will contribute in making further developments of drupa

February 12, 2022

193

Dr Andreas Pleßke, member of the Koenig & Bauer Executive Board since 2014 and chief executive officer since 2021, is the new chairman of the drupa committee Photo: drupa

As part of the constitutive meeting of the drupa committee on 8 February 2022, Dr Andreas Pleßke, chief executive officer at Koenig & Bauer, has been appointed chairman of this body. Wolfgang Poppen, managing partner at Freiburger Druck and President of the German Printing and Media Industries Federation (Bundesverband Druck und Medien eV), was again confirmed as his deputy. Both candidates were elected unanimously.

Dr Andreas Pleßke succeeds Claus Bolza-Schünemann in office, the former chief executive officer of Koenig & Bauer, who had chaired the drupa committee from 2012 and retired at the designated age. “It is a special honor for me also to succeed Bolza-Schünemann in this circle, and I would like to thank the committee members for their trust,” stresses Dr Pleßke and goes on to say, “I am delighted to pro-actively contribute to shaping the further development and global standing of drupa in my new position to strengthen its unique selling proposal as the world’s leading trade fair.”

Also delighted at his re-election as deputy, Wolfgang Poppen echoed this view, “drupa stands for innovations and technology premieres and will definitely again prove a key milestone in a constantly evolving industry.”

The next drupa will be held at the Düsseldorf Exhibition Centre from 28 May to 7 June 2024 and will focus on the trends of digitalization and sustainability. Applications for exhibitors are now open online at www.drupa.com.

The drupa committee was founded as part of the first drupa in 1951 and is composed of equal numbers of exhibitors and visitors. Its task is to advise Messe Düsseldorf on the further conceptual development of this leading trade fair to stay relevant for the sector.

The personal dialogue with important experts and multipliers on the part of manufacturers and users in the industry takes on a very special significance, especially in view of the industry’s continuing changes, particularly due to the continued impact of the global pandemic. The future orientation of drupa is decisively influenced by these developments. At present, the personal members of the committee represent six industry associations –

Fachverband Druck- und Papiertechnik im VDMA eV (Printing and Paper Technology Association within the VDMA)
Bundesverband Druck und Medien eV (German Printing and Media Industries Federation)
Wirtschaftsverbände Papierverarbeitung (Paper Processing Trade Associations)
Die Papierindustrie eV (The Paper Industry)
Verband der deutschen Lack- und Druckfarbenindustrie e.V. (Association of the German Paint and Printing Ink Industry)
DFTA Flexodruck Fachverband eV (DFTA Flexographic Technical Association)

The committee for drupa 2024 at a glance –

Chairman – Andreas Pleßke, chief executive officer, Koenig & Bauer AG (VDMA)
Deputy Chairman – Wolfgang Poppen, managing partner, Freiburger Druck GmbH & Co KG (bvdm)
Paul Albert Deimel, chief executive officer, bvdm – Bundesverband Druck und Medien e.V. (German Printing and Media Industries Federation)
Ralph Dittmann, general manager, WKS DRUCKHOLDING
Werner Drechsler, managing partner, Druckstudio
Martin Drews, head of Raw Materials, Legal Divisions, Die Papierindustrie eV (The Paper Industry)
Markus Frick, managing director, Baumann Maschinenbau Solms & Co KG & Perfecta Schneidemaschinenwerk Bautzen
Gunther Gerlach, chairman of the board, Epple Druckfarben
Markus Heering, managing director of the Printing and Paper Technology Association within the VDMA, Mechanical Engineering Industry Association
Martin Kanert, general manager, VdL – Verband der deutschen Lack- und Druck-farbenindustrie eV (Association of the German Paint and Printing Ink Industry)
Nicola Kopp-Rostek, managing director, DFTA Flexodruck Fachverband eV (DFTA – German Flexographic Technical Association)
Walter Kurz, Board of Management, LEONHARD KURZ Stiftung & Co KG
Falco Paepenmüller, chief technology officer, Windmöller & Hölscher KG
Thomas Pfeiffer, managing director, WPV – Wirtschaftsverbände Papierverarbeitung e.V. (Paper Processing Trade Associations)
Bernd Sauter, managing director, Kama
Martin Schorn, director, Technical Customer Service News & Retail (N&R), UPM Communication Papers

The impact, resilience, and growth of responsible packaging in a wide region are daily chronicled by Packaging South Asia.

A multi-channel B2B publication and digital platform such as Packaging South Asia is always aware of the prospect of new beginnings and renewal. Its 16-year-old print monthly, based in New Delhi, India has demonstrated its commitment to progress and growth. The Indian and Asian packaging industries have shown resilience in the face of ongoing challenges over the past three years.

As we present our publishing plan for 2023, India’s real GDP growth for the financial year ending 31 March 2023 will reach 6.3%. Packaging industry growth has exceeded GDP growth even when allowing for inflation in the past three years.

The capacity for flexible film manufacturing in India increased by 33% over the past three years. With orders in place, we expect another 33% capacity addition from 2023 to 2025. Capacities in monocartons, corrugation, aseptic liquid packaging, and labels have grown similarly. The numbers are positive for most of the economies in the region – our platform increasingly reaches and influences these.

Even given the disruptions of supply chains, raw material prices, and the challenge of responsible and sustainable packaging, packaging in all its creative forms and purposes has significant headroom to grow in India and Asia. Our context and coverage engulf the entire packaging supply chain – from concept to shelf and further – to waste collection and recycling. We target brand owners, product managers, raw material suppliers, packaging designers and converters, and recyclers.

In an admittedly fragmented and textured terrain, this is the right time to plan your participation and marketing support communication – in our impactful and highly targeted business platform. Tell us what you need. Speak and write to our editorial and advertising teams! For advertisement ads1@ippgroup.in , for editorial info@ippgroup.in and for subscriptions subscription@ippgroup.in

– Naresh Khanna

Subscribe Now

As 2023 begins and FY 23-24 unfolds, will you support us?

What lies in store for the packaging industry in India and South Asia this coming year? Inflation, disruption of supply chains or environmental regulation? Or the resumption of high rural demand, continued investment and industry consolidation? Whatever happens, Packaging South Asia will be there, providing clarity and independent technical and business information in India and South Asia and around the world. We are a compact Indian organization bringing a window of fair and rigorous technical and business information that the industry can access this year and beyond. Please support us with your advertising and subscriptions, to keep us going and growing.

Thank you.