Welcome to the 7th executive summary of drupa. This series of reports is unique in tracking key economic and market developments in seven major regions and major market areas. In November 2019 (i.e., nearly 800 people participated in the survey before the outbreak of coronavirus), covering most regions and markets.

A total of 581 printers participated in the survey, with a small majority (353) from Europe and the rest from all over the world. The number of suppliers is significantly smaller, but we are pleased to have 189 suppliers involved, 119 of whom are from Europe, which also well cover the rest of the region.

The results showed that people were still optimistic about the economy at that time, but their attitude was obviously more cautious. Developed economies fear the threat of trade wars, while emerging economies worry about the effects of corruption and political instability. Although environmental plastic reduction activities mean problems for some people, they represent opportunities for others, so the printing and packaging industry continues to grow. There is no doubt that people engaged in publishing and printing, and more or less involved in commercial printing, will envy the growth opportunities of the packaging and functional printing industry.

At the time of writing, the scale and duration of the coronavirus outbreak are unknown, but the impact is undoubtedly enormous, as evidenced by the decision of drupa to extend the event to April 2021. However, from the perspective of the economic environment, the results are crucial to the innovation of your service. People's demand for printing will continue to change, only those who understand and adapt to these changes will flourish.