Organisers of Australia's PacPrint print trade show have postponed the Melbourne events following the postponement of DRUPA.

The move of DRUPA in Düsseldorf to April 10-20, 2021, made continuing with PacPrint the following month (May 25-28) "all but impossible", according to Visual Connections chief executive Peter Harper.The company organises PacPrint and the co-located Visual Impact and Label & Packaging Expo shows.

"Apart from the sheer logistical issues with staging a major trade show here just as many of our exhibitors would be making their way home from Germany, one of the strongest advantages of the PacPrint expo in Melbourne has always been its timing, coming roughly one year after DRUPA," he said.

Traditionally, DRUPA-release technologies had been 'market-ready' for Australia by PacPrint time a year later... and visitors frequently take the opportunity for other business and leisure in Europe.

Harper expects it to be "some time" before new PacPrint dates are confirmed. Organisers are closely with the Melbourne Convention & Exhibition Centre and local authorities in Victoria on possible future dates.

Visual Connections has already called off its Visual Impact Expo scheduled for the Gold Coast at the end of April, because of the COVID-19 outbreak.