The woodworking industry’s two largest trade shows, LIGNA and interzum, will again be back-to-back, with show organizers Deutsche Messe AG and Koelnmesse GmbH coordinating activities to make woodworkers’ travel to the German shows easier than ever.

The biennial shows will take place in May, with LIGNA running May 6-10 in Hannover, and interzum scheduled from May 13-16 in Cologne. An estimated 52,400 visitors from 147 countries attended the 2011 interzum show, which featured exhibits from approximately 1,400 suppliers to the woodworking industry, including hardware, veneer, laminates and other materials. LIGNA boasted more than 90,000 attendees on hand to view the latest technology for the solid wood machining, panel processing and forestry industries. The 2011 LIGNA fair had an estimated 1,700 exhibitors spread across more than 1.4 million square feet of space on the Hannover fairgrounds.

Visit interzum.com or ligna.de for more information.

Technology Innovations on Display at LIGNA

“Innovations, Solutions, Efficiency” is the theme of LIGNA, which showcases the latest woodworking and processing technologies for both the primary and secondary wood products industries. Show management notes, “More and more manufacturers are also seeking out integrated solutions that can perform the work processes of multiple machines. For these reasons, LIGNA 2013 will be putting the spotlight on the latest generation of flexible, multi-function machines and aggregate technology solutions.”

A focus of this year’s show will be lightweight construction, windows and bioenergy from wood. Other exhibits will showcase a range of machine technology in the following categories: wood panel products and veneer production, solid wood working, furniture industry, industrial surface finishing technology, Handwerk, Holz & mehr (joinery, cabinetmaking and carpentry trades, engineered wood, accessories, services), and forestry and sawmill technology.

New Hall Structure for interzum

The leading global event for furniture making materials, design and interior finishing, interzum features a new structure for 2013: “Materials & Nature,” “Function & Components” and “Textile & Machinery.” The first category includes all companies with a focus on wood, composite panels, veneers, laminates, finishing, adhesives, etc. The components category brings together manufacturers of semi-finished products, lighting, hardware, fasteners, etc. The textile category is for those interested in upholstery materials, machines and supplies.

“In the past, we’ve had exhibiting companies who fitted into two segments, which made meaningful categorization difficult,” said Matthias Pollmann, project manager. “Now it’s easier for companies to identify with one of the three areas, and visitors will be able to get their bearings more easily too.”