HANNOVER, Germany – A sneak peek at LIGNA 2025, including a preview at some of the woodworking innovations scheduled for display, was given to approximately 60 journalists from around the world at a special event hosted Feb. 20 by show co-organizer Deutsche Messe.

The world's largest woodworking event celebrates its 50th anniversary this year and is on track to exceed 2023 figures. Scheduled for May 26-30 at the fairgrounds in Hannover, Germany, LIGNA 2025 will play host to more than 1,300 exhibitors, with displays spread across more than 1.21 million net square feet (112,772 square meters) of exhibition space (current as of March 7). More than 80,000 visitors from throughout the world are expected to attend the biennial event, which is also co-organized by VDMA Woodworking Machinery Association. 

Although there is still uncertainty in the world, show organizers are very optimistic, said Dr. Jochen Köckler, chairman of the Executive Board, Deutsche Messe AG. “LIGNA is currently almost at the same level as the previous event,” he added. “In view of the economic conditions, we are very grateful to everyone involved for their confidence in LIGNA. We are convinced that the world’s leading trade fair for the industry will ensure greater productivity and sustainability through fantastic innovations and thus provide the much-needed motivation and confidence for investments.”

The LIGNA 2025 preview event also included a presentation from Markus Hüllmann, chairman of the VDMA Woodworking Machinery division and chairman of the LIGNA Exhibitor Advisory Board on the status quo and outlook for the woodworking industry.

Noting "the world is full of uncertainty," Hüllmann said, "We've seen economic slowdowns with weak markets, declining demand and slower growth in major economies of the world." Production of woodworking machinery in Germany declined from a high of €4.2 billion in 2023, down to €3.6 billion, with 2025 to date holding steady at €3.6 billion. "We certainly see some very promising signs on the horizon (for a turnaround) and we believe that LIGNA will also contribute to a comeback of the industry." The United States and China were the top two export markets, with France, Austria, and Poland rounding out the top 5.

Two strong drivers for industry growth are wood's sustainability and increased automation. For 2025, he said, demand is evident, with many projects in the pipeline. "In the United States, our industry is quite positive about future business," adding that "all the German equipment and machinery manufacturers either are present in the United States or thinking about going there in the not too distant future," added Hüllmann, who is also CEO of G. Kraft Maschinenbau GmbH.

AI and the woodworking community
Keynoting the event was Thijs Meijerink, Material and Technology engineer at IKEA of Sweden. In his current role, Meijerink helps IKEA's more than 200 suppliers integrate data in their business intelligence and production lines, and he gave journalists in attendance input and examples on the topic of AI and data integration in the woodworking industry. 

One example by Meijerink involved using AI and data integration to optimize the clustering and sequencing of products to reduce system changes and improve productivity. "This is a very logical way of thinking to do this," he noted, adding "you also need to consider how long does it take to make these products, how much can you do within one shift, and also some products, just don't have relationships with other products.

"What I hope to have done is to have inspired a bit and shown that it's not that hard, not that complicated, to start with this kind of topic and try to upscale our own confidence," he said. "As IKEA, we are open to help our industry because of course we have a lot of connections with the whole industry here, from forestry to finished products, and we are open also to be in touch about it and helping each other out to find an optimum way."

One ticket, two shows In cooperation with interzum, LIGNA is offering visitors the opportunity to visit both shows with one ticket. The leading trade fair for woodworking materials, supplies, surfaces and substrates, interzum takes place May 20-23 in Cologne, a short distance from Hannover. Visit LIGNA.de or interzum.com for more information.

Linking people, driving innovation
Exhibits this year will also highlight solutions on the focus topics of connectivity, sustainable production and engineered wood, Köckler said. 

• LIGNA.Connectivity includes digitalization, artificial intelligence, and solutions for seamless digital networking. 
• LIGNA.Sustainable Production highlights economically viable approaches for protecting the environment, preserving resources, and improving working conditions. 
• LIGNA.Engineered Wood delves into the development of intelligently designed wood products for diverse applications. 

New technology and products will be displayed in 10 exhibit halls plus outdoor sites. Halls 11 to 15 and 27 will feature tools and machinery for custom and mass production. Halls 16 and 17 will also feature state-of-the-art surface technology, with machine components and automation technology, including control systems for CNC machines and high-performance robotics also located in Hall 16. Halls 25 and 26 will focus on sawmill technology, wood-based panel production, and energy from wood.  (View a map of the halls.) 

The open-air site and pavilions will be dedicated to machinery for forestry, roundwood and sawn timber production.  A highlight of the outdoor exhibition area will be the new format LIGNA.TruckStop, which will serve as a central hub for skilled trades, with power tools and fastening technology displayed from roadshow trucks, vans and transporters.

Another new format is LIGNA.Circular, "Thinking in Circles," in Hall 12. According to show management, "This special format aims to enhance collaboration with relevant cross-sector and service industries, fostering interdisciplinary networking to drive practical solutions and advance the circular transformation effectively." 

These two fomats join the established presentations of LIGNA.Stage (Hall 12), LIGNA.FutureSquare (Hall 12) featuring innovations from suppliers and emerging companies in the VDMA Startup Machine network, LIGNA.Campus (Hall 11), a platform for technical colleges and universities to present their educational programs, and LIGNA.Recruiting (Hall 12), connecting young professionals and experienced specialists with employers.

“The 50th anniversary of LIGNA certainly makes this edition special, but the exceptionally high level of exhibitor interest is truly overwhelming. Together with The VDMA Woodworking Machinery Association, we as organizers are thrilled for the industry, which stands united and sends a clear signal of commitment to LIGNA. We are confident that the product innovations and the strong motivation of all exhibitors will help drive the industry's turnaround at LIGNA while also positively influencing visitors’ willingness to invest,” noted Stephanie Wagner, head of LIGNA at Deutsche Messe. 

Sneak peek at products
More than 20 exhibitors were on hand at the LIGNA preview event to give journalists a sneak peek at some of the products and services to be featured at the show. Among them:

Under the motto "Building living spaces," which unites all the company's product brands and customer segments, Homag will present its entire portfolio in one place for the first time. Among the products showcased in Hall 14 will be: the new SawTeq S-200 flexTec entry-level robot saw or medium-sized companies, the StoreTeq P-310 double-level storage system, the new EdgeTeq P-200 digital edge printing machine (pictured), and Homag's production Manager Advanced intelligent integration system. Homag will also present solutions from Weinmann, Kallesoe and System TM, and key Homag partners tapio, Benz Tooling and Schuler Consulting will also be present.

Weinig's focus is on automation, efficiency and future-proofing. Among the 45 machines on display in Hall 27 will be the self-setting Powermat 3000 with fully automatic profile change even with small batch sizes, the WLP 200 vacuum gantry for fully automatic workpiece handling and the HS 200 fingerjointer with delta robot loading, which Weinig says is its first integrated complete solution of this kind. Weinig System Solutions' new production concepts include a 3D-animated CLT system. Holz-Her will also present new products in edgebanding technology, 5-axis CNC processing and material handling. On the new patented Glu Jet 725 PUR PRO (pictured), the fully integrated vacuum pump and sealed Glu Jet application system remove the moisture from the air, as a reaction partner of the glue, making the glue available in the system for up to a week. Also shown will be the new Epicon 7135 "SpaceSaver" CNC machining center. H.I.T. (Hall 25) and Essetre (Hall 13) of the Weinig Group are also exhibiting new products.

SCM's booth in Hall 13 will showcase an integrated system (pictured) with a Gabbiani a2 flexible beam saw and Stefani edgebanding cell, followed by a Morbidelli fx100 drilling cell, capable of machining up to 1,200 furniture components every shift. It will also include the integration of a Flexstore hp automatic storage system, articulated robots, handling systems, software and advanced digital services. Also, making its world premiere in the solid wood sector, the Topset XXL automatic throughfeed moulder features Increased working sections, spindle speeds of up to 12.000 rpm, customizable compositions and feed worktables with micrometric settings for optimal tooling setup. As of 2025, SCM also offers its “Additional Care” service program on all machines.

At LIGNA, Biesse will showcase the journey it has undertaken to help customers become more competitive as they face dynamic and heterogeneous international markets. As part of its “Embrace the evolution” path, on display in Hall 11 will be new and renewed product offerings for panel processing, solid wood production, and the machining of other materials, along with new ways of interacting with customers. The company says multi-materiality will be one of the central elements of the exhibition, while still focusing on wood and wood-based products.

Fagus-GreCon will introduce three new products: Mission Control, the next generation of GreCon's spark detection and extinguishing control panels that helps reduce downtime and increase efficiency with predictive intelligence; 2D ParticleView, which offers real-time inline monitoring of particle geometry to enhance board quality and improve resource efficiency; and Gasanalyser IL, an inline formaldehyde measurement system that provides an immediate response to deviations. Updates to existing products, such as the EdgeInspect which detects precise edge defects where camera-based systems fail (pictured), will also be on display in Hall 26.

Leuco has expanded its line of tools utilizing the Fibonacci principle, where the ideal arrangement of the cutting edges is in the form of a spiral. Advantages for users include overcut-free cuts and the height adjustment of the tool to the workpiece no longer needs to be centered. On display in Hall 15 and pictured above, the curved triangular insert makes it possible to set the shear angles perfectly for the drawing cut and thus prevents the formation of steps in the overcuts. In addition, the triangular shape on the the t3-System allows the shear angles to be set in such a way that excellent surface and edge processing is achieved when joining and rebating, the company says. 

Among the products on display by Jowat, the new lamination glue Jowacoll GROW 125.00 is 30% biobased (in accordance with ISO 16620-4) and easy to process. The company says the dispersion adhesive offers an economical solution for furniture subsuppliers aiming to meet ambitious renewable raw material targets. Also on display by Jowat in Halls 15 and 27, Jowatherm PUR 608.10 is the latest addition to its PUR adhesive series, offering exceptional hot tack and initial strength, even in high ambient temperatures in production, the company says. 

Hymmen's new products include the smart2i intelligence solution that increases efficiency. Dashboards show diagrams displaying relevant data transparently and how KPIs can identify potential for improvement following an intelligent analysis. And if the production displayed via the digital twin does not run as planned, smart2i finds out where the cause of the error lies. In Hall 26, Hymmen will also showcase digital printing, embossing and texturing, as well as laminating and edge wrapping technology. The lounge seating area at its booth will feature product samples showcasing the technology.

In addition to its environmentally friendly micro-emission (ME) PUR adhesives, Kleiberit's display in Hall 15 will focus on the reintegration recycled materials into the raw material cycle, following the cradle-to-cradle principle. The company says these new development solutions brings adhesive users a significant step closer to achieving truly sustainable furniture and other wood products production. Demonstrations during the show will showcase the advantages and uses of Kleiberit's PUR, HotCoating and other products for surface lamination, profile wrapping and edge or assembly bonding.

LumberScan is a new platform for creating accurate inventory reports of timber piles, wood chips or other materials, based on drone data. The operator uploads the information collected by the drone into the platform and create detailed reports, including volumes divided by products and product groups. The information is reported in the platform and shared via Excel. The company says the program can track and measure at hundreds of points, with centimeter precision. It is exhibiting in Hall 25.

Under the motto ""Let's build your factory of the future", Lignum Consulting will detail three key areas for improving efficiency: process — analysis, engineering and optimization of all value chain links; digitalization — the conceptualization and planning of the future software landscape, automation technology, and digital transformation of all company processes; and project management. Located in Hall 12, Lignum Consulting offers consulting, engineering, layout planning and simulation services for the international wood and furniture industry. and has assisted more than 500 companies worldwide.  Headquartered in Germany, it has offices in the United States, Canada, Brazil and Switzerland.

In Hall 15, imos will unveil the latest version of its software solution, iX 2025, at LIGNA. Cloud ready, iX 2025 offers significant functional enhancements across the company's CAD, CAM and NET product groups, including AI components to optimize workflows and provide better support for users in their daily tasks. Additionally, iX-NET for online planning and selling of furniture, has been upgraded to include enhanced visualization, with real-time rendering (pictured) during planning and server-generated photorealistic images.

Among the new products being shown by Microtec in Hall 27, CT Log, detects all internal characteristics of a log and enables the optimal cutting solution by classifying each virtual board even before sawing. Combined with recognition through Microtec Connect, this classification can be recalled for each log prior to cutting. The company says the cut-on-demand solution delivers a value increase of 5% to more than 20%, depending on production and wood type.

Into Chemicals specializes in flame retardant additives for the MDF/composite panel, timber, coatings, plastics and other industries. Showcased at the booth in Hall 26 will be a new additive for MDF panels. The company says the additive can be easily applied, is HAPS-free and doesn't change the color of the wood or panel. Treated panels will also have an improved internal bond strength compared to other FR additives and can reach B-s1-d0 fire class.

New digital services by ForestX include Optinex, a planning, optimization and sales tool for the entire value chain, from the sawmill/raw material to the finished product. Optinex mirrors your entire operation in a digital twin, enabling precise simulations, and can integrate with existing ERP systems. Companies can also use the interface to quickly adapt to market changes. It will be demonstrated in Hall 26.

VisionX creates vision control and automation systems tailored to the customer's unique needs. New products on display in Hall 12 include the SKO hole measurement system that detects the position and diameter of knot holes in lumber, in order to identify and eliminate rejected/defective pieces. The system has a measurement accuracy up to 1mm and control speeds up to 45 m/min. Other products include a primer control system.

Voodin Blade Technology is a new company specializing in the production of wind turbine blades made out of laminated veneer lumber. Benefits of the wooden blades include: 78% less CO₂ emissions to produce, cost 20% less to produce, and are 100% biodegradable. The company is exhibiting in Hall 12.

KWF will host a special exhibition, "Follow the Timber," demonstrating the ability to track and trace all processes and pathways a raw material undergoes during the entire chain, from forestry and sawmilling through manufacturing. RFID tracking and data management will also allow for carbon monitoring, biometrics, also proving the legal origin of timber harvested in sustainable forestry.