As I write, the Christmas period is nearly upon us, offering – we hope – a well-deserved moment of pause and rest for our hardworking colleagues and readers after a busy year. It is undoubtedly a challenging climate that we fi nd ourselves in as we enter 2025, economically, politically and socially. Still, there is much to be celebrated in the way that the industry continues to rise to the occasion. Within this issue, we have incorporated a sizeable feature focused on the opportunities, trends and challenges the furniture manufacturing industry may face in 2025 and beyond. From Lectra’s take on ‘the six trends that will shape the furniture industry in 2025’, to projections from the likes of Daltons Wadkin, SCM, Mirka and TDUK, we hope this makes for an insightful and interesting read. With Ligna and interzum just around the corner, 2025 will be an important year from an events perspective, too. Both provide a crucial opportunity for the international community to come together, and to celebrate the industry’s innovation and ingenuity. We will, of course, be featuring plentiful coverage within the magazine ahead of these events, and we look forward to seeing many of you there. Elsewhere this issue, we’ve started the year with a true success story, as we explore the meteoric rise of Combilift within the global market. You’ll also fi nd the story of a fascinating timber structure created for The Offi ce Group in Shoreditch, as well as a report on how Striebig vertical panel saws have played a key role in supporting a leading UK-based modular housing manufacturer. Last but not least, we explore the latest innovations in the Sanding Technology, CNC Machinery and Panel-based Production sectors. We hope you enjoy the issue, and we look forward to working alongside you in 2025.
