The wood industries are not headed downhill. At least that is the general impression after this year’s Ligna+, which ends today. The fair was one for product and technology launches: the 40% share of product innovations was complemented by a 60% share of product upgrades and enhancements.
Though the timing of the international fair taking place in Hannover every two years was not particularly well-chosen in 2005, because it overlapped the Interzum fair in Köln and the Orthodox Easter, Ligna+ started on a relatively quiet note and ends on a high one.
The rise registered by the visitor numbers (around 100.000), as well as the high number of trade visitors that placed orders or expressed their intention to do so after show – more than 25% of the total – was very satisfying for the 1,857 exhibitors (2003: 1,721) from 46 countries, who managed to make contacts and close deals. Mared AB from Sweden registered an absolute record, arranging its first deal just one hour after the start of the show. Trade visitors made up 96% of all attendees, with 42,600 entrepreneurs, CEOs or executive board members.
The main growth in visitor numbers was attributed by Deutsche Messe to the increased participation from the USA (+19% to 5,700), Asia (+50% to 4,800) and Eastern Europe. Foreign visitors represented 44% of the total number of visitors.
The list of countries showcasing their goods and services at Ligna was headed by Germany, followed by Italy, Austria, Taiwan – a surprising entry for the top-five countries - and Spain. The Chinese contingent of exhibitors was double the size of 2003 and Finland was represented by over 30 firms.
Every part of the industry had its share of interest. If the German woodworking systems manufacturer Homag Holzbearbeitungssysteme AG signed a higher number of deals than in 2003, Holzbau Cordes GmbH & Co. managed to sell 50 earthquake-proof, single-family timber homes to Iran in the third day of the show.
The forestry industry and forestry technology had some 160 exhibitors. Products and services traditionally related to timber harvesting were complemented by navigation and logistics solutions meant to improve the forestry industry’s profitability.
Mobile sawmills and stationary small devices were the main features of the sawmill technology displayed in Hannover by 124 manufacturers.
Solid wood woorking pavilions attracted 339 companies who covered the entire process chain. Weinig AG alone contributed 28 machines and systems, among which a CNC-controlled profiling center capable of handling all the processing requirements of complex solid wood parts.
The wood materials and veneer production sector had 148 manufacturers of veneer plywood, laminated veneer lumber and paper-based coating materials. Heinrich Kuper GmbH presented surface gluing machines that can cope with different qualities of veneer plywood at the same time.
The industrial furniture production section of the show was made up by some 402 exhibitors, focused on automation technology. The array of products went from entry-level machines to completely automated cells for processing a full range of different component types. At Ligna+, a number of investment projects involving the production and processing of lightweight, thick-format panel materials were discussed.
The next Ligna+ Hannover fair will be staged from 14 to 18 May 2007.
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