Ligna, the leading trade fair for machinery, plant and tools for the woodworking and timber processing industry, is gearing up for its 2017 season, to be held from 22nd to 26th May. With the opening day six months away, the organisers, Deutsche Messe, and the German Woodworking Machinery Manufacturers’ Association, have reported that 90% of the available exhibition space has been booked.
The upcoming Ligna will see smaller providers presenting themselves alongside major players, to the benefit of all concerned. Exhibitor locations at the show are now based on salient aspects of technology use, giving rise to completely new display clusters. Visitors, in particular, will benefit considerably from this revamped layout plan, which is designed to make their visit even more efficient by giving them quick, convenient access to the themes that matter most to them.
Exhibitors have given a positive response to the new hall layout scheme, which in some cases has even led to exhibitors booking more space for enlarged presentations. Repeat exhibitors with a significantly greater footprint in 2017 include Biesse, Bürkle, Cefla, Felder, IMA, SCM and UNIMAK.
It is not just repeat exhibitors that have put Ligna’s organisers in an upbeat mood – Ligna 2017 will also feature numerous first-time exhibitors, such as RS Wood from Italy, Aigner-Werkzeuge from Austria and Vector Systems from New Zealand. Newcomers in Ligna’s surface technology display area also include many internationally-renowned companies, such as Intergroup Plastik, Unison and IVM Chemicals.
The central focus of the upcoming show will be on intelligent concepts for integrated manufacturing across all links in the wood processing chain. Integrated manufacturing opens up major opportunities for companies seeking to develop new business areas, boost productivity and build their competitive edge.
Ligna 2017 will feature the close interplay between and ongoing integration of the virtual and real worlds – across the entire value chain of the timber processing and woodworking industries.
Other big highlights at next year’s show include a comprehensive display of solutions for processing plastics and composites, a series of training courses for joiners, cabinetmakers, carpenters, assemblers and installers, the Wood Industry Summit and the Fibers in Process@Ligna showcase.
Fibers in Process@Ligna is a technology transfer event in two parts – one featuring processes and technologies from the pulp and paper industry that are relevant for the wood industry, and the other featuring materials made from paper, pulp and wood.
In 2017, Ligna is once again expected to attract around 1500 exhibitors, with more than half from outside Germany.
