COLOGNE, GERMANY - Wood manufacturing materials show Interzum 2013 opened its doors 20 seconds late today, and the growing crowds were restless at the turnstyles.

Interzum 2013 has already produced an unexpected innovative technology advance: Recurv3d,  a patent-pending laminate from Resopal (a unit of Wilsonart) that is mouldable under heat and pressure for production runs of chairs and other furniture parts.

This wood industry show, populated by hardware, components, panel, veneer, lumber, and other materials, has already recorded growth - exhibitors bookings are higher than the 2011. Traffic will probably beat the projected 50,000 attendees, growing despite the fact this edition features major revisions in structure and timing. Interzum falls after the woodworking machinery show Ligna instead of preceding it as in years past. With nearly 1,500 exhibitors from around 60 countries, the show is already 50 companies bigger than the last edition in 2011. 

About 70% of the exhibitors are from outside Germany. Italy forms the biggest contingent, followed by growing furniture powerhouse Turkey (with 40) and Spain, with group exhibitions from Brazil, Italy, Rumania, Turkey, United States and Vietnam. The show is physically bigger than Ligna, occupying about 155,000 square meters - 1.67 million square feet -  of hall space has been allocated to interzum 2013 , a slight increase on the previous event, when 53,000 came through.

Last night the Interzum Awards were announced, with top hardware and materials selected in a vetting process conducted with the prestigious red dot design award group.

A co-located conference trade show, InnoMateria, focuses on lightweight panel - which seems to preoccupy these German shows managers - but this one reaches into accommodating mobile electronics. Last Interzum the hollow core panels were threaded through with low voltage cables powering LED lighting and charging pads.