Trade fairs in Germany are planning to re-start this autumn, with the first date in the Messe Dusseldorf calendar currently a show that will open in the first week of September.

Speaking to PrintWeek UK’s Jo Francis, Drupa director Sabine Geldermann said that new stand operating guidelines would involve people interacting at a distance of at least 1.5m.

She said, “Already for the trade fairs to be held in autumn this year, a sustainable health and safety concept is currently being developed in close cooperation with the Ministry of Health and the Ministry of Economics of the state government, which will make it possible to hold trade fairs under the current framework conditions and standards.”

Geldermann reiterated that the “already existing high safety and hygiene standards” at the expo centre are being “continuously adapted to the latest findings and put into practice”, with the “health of our customers, guests and employees always our top priority”.

The fresh guidelines will involve new ways of planning and organising exhibition stands, as well as personnel and visitor interactions.

“For example, the exhibition stands must be of a size and planned in such a way that the stand personnel and the maximum number of visitors to the stand, which is to be determined individually, can guarantee a minimum distance of more than 1.50 metres,” she stated.

“Such plans also include the personal registration of visitors, the cleaning of contact surfaces or the wearing of mouth-and-nose protection.”

Responding to the cancellation of plans by Bobst and Xerox, Geldermann said, “We are sorry that our long-standing partners Bobst and Xerox have decided not to participate in Drupa 2021.”

Bobst cited using communication technologies to engage with its customers as the reason for the cancellation, while Xerox said it was the uncertainty caused by the pandemic and its own schedule for product introductions that pushed the decision.