Timber iQ October - November 2017 // Issue: 34 | Page 11

EVENTS
Ligna 2017 success
driven by new concept
Ligna 2017, the world's leading trade fair for woodworking
and wood processing, has ended and the team recently came
together to take stock of this five-day event.
Almost half of Ligna 2017’s visitors were international.
T
rade visitors from the primary and secondary
woodworking industries discovered a wealth of latest
technologies and innovative ideas in 10 exhibition
halls from 22 to 26 May at the Hannover Exhibition Centre
in Hannover, Germany.
According to official figures, Ligna occupied a total area
of 129 000m 2 and hosted 93 000 visitors, of which 42 000
where outside of national borders.
European Committee of Woodworking Machinery
Manufacturers (Eumabois) created a communal area
dedicated to the fair organisers and national associations.
A survey conducted by the Eumabois Secretariat showed
that the initiative was judged positively by the participants
and it is very likely that the same approach will be
repeated in the next edition and in other
international exhibitions.
The Eumabois Secretariat asked some leaders in the
industry what they thought of this year’s event.
Luigi De Vito, SCM division director machinery and
Eumabois vice president, says, “This edition confirms the
strong growth in this sector and in the companies that we
deal with day after day. Ligna shows that the companies in
this sector are committed to a virtuous path, created by
technological research at the highest level and by fanatical
attention to the needs of the customer and the market.”
Another leader Arif Kacak, general secretary AIMSAD,
Turkish Woodworking Machinery and Side Industries
Association, says that it is important to have a
high-quality event.
“Because the quality of visitor mass is more important
than its number. So, quantity and quality of visitors must
be proportionate. In conclusion, Ligna 2017 was a great
success,” he says.
Wolfgang Rohner, IMA Schelling Group managing
partner and Eumabois board member, says, “The main
event for innovation in the woodworking industry is Ligna.
The importance of this event has heightened in recent
years and in my opinion other shows will struggle to live
up to what this show has to offer regarding its tremendous
success in showcasing innovative technologies.”
// OCTOBER / NOVEMBER 2017
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