LIGNA 2023 exceeds high expectations

According to the organizers, 1 300 companies from 50 different countries presented their solutions in Hannover, Germany for the primary- and secondary wood processing industry, the furniture-making industry, and allied woodworking trades.

Some 80 000 visitors from 160 countries took advantage of the opportunity to inform themselves about smart machines and resource-saving production processes.

LIGNA 2023 offered visitors a wide-ranging supporting program featuring conferences, live presentations, special displays, and awards ceremonies.

At the LIGNA.Stage in Hall 12, around 90 speakers presented the latest market developments and trends.

Exceeding high expectations

Anticipation during the run-up to the trade fair was high.

LIGNA 2023 exceeded the high expectations of both our exhibiting companies and our visitors, demonstrating that the machinery, equipment, and solutions presented at the show are paving the way for a sustainable and digitized wood, furniture, and construction industry. An impressive 60 percent of visitors came from abroad. LIGNA has further strengthened its position as the world’s leading woodworking tradeshow. Visitors were able to experience the transformation of industry live in our exhibition halls, said Dr Jochen Köckler, Managing Board Chairman of the Deutsche Messe group of companies.

Exhibitors and visitors were thrilled to finally be able to assemble again in person after a four-year hiatus and witness first-hand the concentrated innovative power of the woodworking and wood processing industry.

LIGNA 2023 was not only a platform for presenting new technologies, but also a venue for knowledge transfer and networking. The show demonstrated that the woodworking and wood processing industry offers its customers the necessary technologies for competitive, and at the same time, sustainable production. In view of the uncertain situation currently confronting the woodworking and wood processing industry, the success of LIGNA 2023 speaks volumes for its status as a source of momentum. Not only is it a driver for the industry in good times, but above all, it delivers solutions for the challenges ahead, said Dr Bernhard Dirr, Managing Director of VDMA Woodworking Machinery.

Sustainability and digitization in focus

The focus was on the two megatrends of sustainability and digitization. As a result, smart, connected machines, systems, and processes that make costs and production more efficient were particularly popular with the community.

We are all happy to be back here after such a long time. LIGNA 2023 was a great opportunity to celebrate our 150^th birthday together with our customers. We were also able to present our new artificial intelligence-based digitalization platform. It helps our customers to run their plants better, save material, reduce emissions, and thus reduce their carbon footprint, said Dirk Eisenmann, Marketing Manager at Dieffenbacher.

There was also strong demand for automation and process-optimizing solutions to cushion the impact of the shortage of skilled workers.

The entire range of the value chain was on display, from woodworking machinery and equipment to tools and work processes, industrial robots, and even exoskeletons to support experts from the skilled trades and forestry.

The machines on display are often no longer exclusively limited to processing wood but are also usable for glass, plastics, and composite materials.

Furniture or even construction elements, for example, are made from a wide variety of materials. So it’s only logical that LIGNA exhibitors are expanding their product portfolios and offering their customers a wide range of options, Dr Jochen Köckler explained.

Wood – a renewable resource

A key theme at the show consisted of the importance of wood as a renewable resource and its role in the overall decarbonization process.

In the wake of this, timber construction is becoming increasingly important and opening up new market opportunities for mechanical engineering.

Exhibitors at LIGNA 2023 presented solutions that significantly optimize all of the process steps involved in timber construction.

Not only does this save on costs, but the use of this precious raw material can also be designed to be as resource-friendly as possible.

The flooring sector and the furniture industry are also increasingly turning to wood as their preferred raw material, as sustainability is becoming increasingly important to end consumers.

For example, innovative adhesives based on renewable raw materials also help to reduce carbon dioxide (CO₂) emissions.

Attending LIGNA allowed our team to gain detailed insights into the latest products, services, and solutions in the industry. Building direct connections with suppliers is critical to driving our business forward and ensuring that we can continue to provide innovative and sustainable solutions to our customers. We value the environment at LIGNA where industry experts can network, learn and grow, commented Peter Rockedahl, Chief Technology Officer at Moelven Industrier.

LIGNA 2023 has once again demonstrated that it is an indispensable platform for the woodworking industry. The show not only promoted the exchange of knowledge and experience but also set the course for future-proof and sustainable woodworking and wood processing, summised Dr Jochen Köckler

The next edition of LIGNA is slated to take place in Hannover, Germany from May 26-30, 2025.