Held every four years, drupa is a massive, eleven-day trade show that draws a significant number of attendees. This edition was particularly special as it marked the fair’s return after an eight-year break, with the previous event having been canceled due to the COVID-19 pandemic. The organizers did a phenomenal job, ensuring that the event was perfectly planned and executed, attracting an impressive 170,000 visitors from 174 countries around the globe. The fair included 18 fascinating halls, featuring 1,643 exhibitors from 52 countries, all eager to showcase the latest innovations in printing technology.
This year’s drupa fair was a remarkable event. Sticker Builder also played a significant role in making this event special. In collaboration with Print Media Centr, Deborah Corn, and Roland, the #wearedrupa project was created. This initiative was the first of its kind, aiming to encourage participants to actively engage in creating a large community mural that showcased their connection to #wearedrupa. During the fair, an impressive 2,865 designs were created by the attendees, resulting in a total of 22,923 stickers being printed.
The Vision Behind the #wearedrupa Project: Building Community and Sharing Knowledge
The #wearedrupa project was designed to create a space where fair attendees could actively participate in creating personalized face cut-out stickers. The process involved designing graphics using the specially crafted Sticker Builder tool, which allowed users to upload their photos or take selfies during the event. The tool then automatically cut out the participant’s face from the image to create a sticker design. Users could change the sticker’s outline color, apply photo filters, and approve the final design. The approved designs were then automatically printed on a Roland BN2-20 printer with a cutter, integrated with a software and were available for pickup within minutes. Attendees eagerly stuck their smiling faces on the wall, gradually filling the #wearedrupa community banner with vibrant and personal contributions day by day.
The #wearedrupa project provided an excellent opportunity for printers and online stores to explore the functionality of the Sticker Builder tool and the process of designing, printing, and cutting die-cut stickers. It served as an inspiration for print shop owners and entrepreneurs looking to establish or expand their businesses in this area. Participants gained insights into the design process and the technological solutions available for integrating the system to make order fulfillment almost fully automated. Customers can create their designs and pay for their orders seamlessly. This project highlighted the market potential of the stickers, as a large number of people were eager to participate and showed great interest in these products. It clearly demonstrated the product’s promise and appeal in the industry.
Automation in Custom Stickers: Innovative and Mind-Blowing Solutions
The automation of work in fulfilling custom sticker orders has met with immense interest from sticker sellers. It turns out that this solution is particularly helpful for companies handling large quantities of small orders, as automating the process significantly speeds up their work. When customers design their stickers using the provided Sticker Builder tool and, after approving and paying for the order, the system automatically sends the ready-to-print files to the printing machines’ workflow, the company’s employees begin their work on the order only after it has been printed and cut, ready for packaging and shipping. During the fair, we realized how crucial this level of automation is for companies selling custom stickers.
Looking Ahead: Plans for the Drupa 2028
After such a tremendous success at this year’s fair, we are already thinking about the next event, which will take place in 2028. It will be challenging to surpass this year’s spectacular event, but we already have a few ideas on how to do it.
We met many interesting people and established important collaborations that will undoubtedly help our Sticker Builder improve in the future, allowing us to create even more exciting experiences for participants in the next edition of the event. The feedback and enthusiasm we received have fueled our drive to innovate and enhance our offerings. We plan to introduce new features that will elevate the attendee experience even further.
We look forward to seeing everyone in four years!