Timber iQ August - September 2017 // Issue: 33 | Page 10

EVENTS
LIGNA 2017 huge on innovation
LIGNA 2017, the industrial trade fair for the woodworking
industry in Germany, closed on Friday 26 May, having delivered
big in terms of innovation and global appeal.
All images courtesy of Ligna
L
IGNA saw a significant upswing in the number of
exhibitors and visitors from abroad and new impetus
for the wave of digitalisation currently redefining the
industry. After five action-packed days, the organisers may
look back on a truly impressive event.
“This year’s event will go down as a milestone in the
digitalisation of the wood industry,” says Dr Andreas
Gruchow, the Deutsche Messe managing board member in
charge of LIGNA . “Industry 4.0 concepts for the wood
industry were the dominant theme this year, with major
emphasis placed on digitalisation, integration
and automation.”
LIGNA 2017 featured a new site layout and an array of
display categories chosen to reflect the increasing
technology convergence between the skilled trades and
industry. “The new layout has proved a great success. Our
customers have found it very easy to navigate,” says
Wolfgang Pöschl, chairman of the woodworking machinery
division of Germany’s Mechanical Engineering Industry
Association, VDMA (Frankfurt/Main), and chairman of the
management board of Michael Weinig AG
(Tauberbischofsheim).
More than 1 500 exhibitors – including 900 from abroad
– were on hand to showcase innovative plant, machinery,
tools and solutions on about 129 000m 2 of net space.
"LIGNA 2017 will go down as a milestone
in the digitalisation of the wood
industry." - Dr Andreas Gruchow.
The event attracted 93 000 visitors, including 42 000
attendees from more than 100 different countries such as
France, Austria, the United States, Sweden, Belgium, Spain,
China, Poland, Italy and Russia.
LIGNA training workshops were held in the pavilion for
joiners, cabinetmakers, carpenters and mobile assemblers
in partnership with the Sprint Academy (Cologne,
Germany). Festool, Jowat, Mafell and Dr Koch from the
Thünen Institute were the training partners that delivered
a programme of practical-based content.
The LIGNA programme also featured a series of brief
presentations on the processing of plastics and composites
at the Robotation Academy. Industry experts were on hand
to share information and ideas on current themes
and trends.
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AUGUST / SEPTEMBER 2017 //
For the first time at this year’s fair, an open-air
demonstration area was set up at the foot of the Hermes
tower, in partnership with the German Forestry Council
(KWF). Several moderated technology presentations were
staged each day in an area measuring about 1 500m 2 .
The next LIGNA event will be held from
27 to 31 May 2019.