Today is the starting date of the so-called “German May”, the Interzum&Ligna duo (in alphabetical and time order), a milestone for the entire industry of wood and wood-based materials, and for the furniture industry. With a weekend break in-between – Interzum from Tuesday 12 to Friday 24, Ligna from Monday 27 to Friday 31 – these two events will give an overview of the entire value chain.
LET’S START FROM COLOGNE
The halls of the fairgrounds on the Rhine banks will host over 1,700 exhibitors who will meet about 70 thousand visitors expected in Cologne, more than 80 percent coming from 150 countries around the world. 190 thousand square meters will be occupied, and they might be more if there were more space. For some product categories, applications and space demand are really “sparkling”. These include hardware, panels and decors, where everyone would bend over backwards to get a few more square meters.
The current layout has several constraints, however: in recent years, new halls have been opened, but the situation has hardly improved. Things might change significantly in two years, for the 2021 edition, when the new “Hall 0” will be available at Koelnmesse. According to rumors, it might be an occasion to shuffle the cards, to start from scratch and reassign space, designing a map that takes into account the “unheard wishes” of the past few years. But these are just rumors, we all know how hard it is for exhibitors to move away from locations that every visitors knows. We will see, maybe if they are offered bigger showcases, the entire Interzum layout can be redesigned.
At the upcoming edition, the “Function & Components” segment (hardware) will be in halls 3.2, 4, 5, 7 and 8, “Materials & Nature” (panels, materials and surfaces) in halls 4.2, 6 e 10.2, and “Textile & Machinery” (machines and products for mattresses and upholstered furniture) in 9, 10.1 and 11. We invite you to discover the rich agenda of events, meetings, shows and special areas that awaits us in Cologne and we close by giving our interpretation of the expansion of Interzum, where you no longer go to buy a handle, a piece of particleboard or a box of screws, but to see the future of furniture, a technology display that anticipates and defines the look, the functionality, the effectiveness of furniture. So, at Interzum space is never enough, companies will never miss such an important date, visitors come from everywhere.
THEN TO HANOVER
Also Ligna has to deal with trade wars and Brexit, just two mention a couple of big “unknowns”, but everything suggests that it is going to be a successful edition, because the economic situation of the global industry ranges from “good” to “very good”. And as exhibitions are the mirrors of the market, most players are looking forward to Hanover with tangible optimism, despite some clouds on the horizon.
After all, the wood technology industry was affected by deep crisis first, and then swept by a radical technological evolution that has brought it closer to more advanced sectors like automotive and aerospace. Maybe it’s a bit exaggerated, but the “working methods” for wood have really changed and Ligna will show this transformation. So, it’s going to be “Digital first”, using the words of Ligna organizers that put the smart factory and digital networked systems in the forefront. The motto will be “Integrated Woodworking – Customized Solutions”, for industrial companies and handicraft businesses, from primary operation to finishing for high-end design furniture. The world has changed and Ligna will show this. Needless to say, Ligna is scheduled from Monday 27 to Friday 31 May, five days involving 1,500 exhibitors from 50 countries on a net exhibition area larger than 130 thousand square meters.
As usual, the review of technology and solutions in Hanover will be comprehensive: from forest machinery in the outdoor area to advanced finishing technology in Halls 16 and 17. Plus a rich program of meetings and roundtables, seminars and events, about all the industry knowledge.
New this year, “Ligna Forum” is a presentation platform featuring expert papers and presentations on Ligna’s focus themes and various topical issues relevant to the wood industry: processing of plastics and composites, smart surface technology, the contribution of “technology 4.0” to extreme customization, wood construction and additive manufacturing.
Let’s close with an initiative we really like. It’s “Wow – Women of Woodworking”, a networking opportunity for women working in a typical men’s industry. If this event is not just “folklore” but actually promotes the role of women also in the wood business, we really believe this is a noteworthy initiative.
