LIGNA 2019: Primary wood industry out in force

• Comprehensive array of presentations and innovations

The LIGNA show in Hannover, Germany, is back again from 27 to 31 May this year with another roundup of products, machinery, solutions and ideas for the entire wood industry. Advanced technologies, digitization, integration and automation are key trends in woodworking and wood processing – and hence keynote themes at LIGNA. LIGNA is the only platform that showcases technology and solutions for forestry and primary and secondary wood production. It attracts key players from across the entire wood industry. The primary industry comprises forestry, sawmilling, wood-based panel production, wood energy and pulp and paper. It is the first link in the wood value chain and is therefore a core part of LIGNA. The primary-industry section of the show is clustered in halls 25, 26 and 27, on the open-air site and in the outdoor pavilions beneath the EXPO canopy. It features numerous exhibitions of new products and solutions, not to mention a wealth of presentations, lectures and networking events – all knitted together under the overarching banner of automation and digitization.

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The secondary-industry section of LIGNA is dedicated to products, machinery, equipment and tools for wood processing, woodworking and furniture manufacturing. The stand operated by wood processing machinery specialist Michael Weinig AG in Hall 27 is a case in point – a show of expertise in digitalized plant technology. Visitors to the stand will be able to witness a sophisticated production line – comprising eight interlinked modules, complete with advanced robotics and scanner technology – live in action. The stand will run daily demonstrations that showcase the entire production process, from raw material to finished product. 

Wood Industry Summit

This year’s Wood Industry Summit runs under the banner of “Access to Resources and Technology”, one of LIGNA’s focus themes. Located in Hall 26, it consists of a group pavilion dedicated to forestry and the wider primary wood industry and a forum featuring presentations by big-name international experts. Among much else, its focus is on digitization of the forestry and wood industry, ways of optimizing the entire forest-wood-logistics value chain – from standing trees through to final processing in the factory – as well as on protecting forests from biotic and abiotic damage, and on climate and environmentally friendly harvesting processes.

 The exhibitor lineup at the Wood Industry Summit includes Aerovit A/S, Denmark, which will be showcasing its automatic soot blower for boilers and heat exchangers; Germany’s Center of Excellence for Forestry and Wood (KIWUH), which is currently investigating the challenge of securing softwood timber supplies in the age of climate change; GKD - GEBR. KUFFERATH AG, Germany, one of the world’s leading manufacturers of metal and plastic wire mesh solutions and transparent media facades; GMV Aerospace and Defense, S.A.U., Spain; Kirov Region Export Promotion Center, Russia; S.T.I.F., France; STROJPLAST Semic d.o.o, Slovenia, which will be presenting its fully automated packaging lines for shrink-wrapping wood briquettes; and Ponsse, Finland, one of the world’s leading manufacturer of forestry machinery.

On Thursday, 30 May, the German Sawmilling and Timber Industry Association (DeSH) will be running a three-hour forum program (2:00 p.m. – 5:00 p.m.) at the Wood Industry Summit titled “Future Workshop: Presentation of Start-ups – A Project under the Charter for Wood 2.0”. Mathias Haas (DER TRENDBEOBACHTER) will moderate the forum and also give a keynote address. The full forum program is available online at www.ligna.de/en/wis.

KWF Business Pavilion P33– Tomorrow’s forestry technology today

The German Forestry Council (KFW) is running another season of its long-standing special presentation on forestry technology. Held in Pavilion 33 beneath the iconic EXPO canopy, the unique, technology-centric forestry industry meeting hub is organized by KWF with input from the German Association of Forestry Contractors (AFL) and the Lower Saxony Forestry Service (as represented by the Lower Saxony School of Forestry – NFBz). It is aimed at forestry companies and looks at key forestry issues and challenges, such as “Forestry & Wood Industry 4.0”, battery technology, remote-controlled felling-wedge technology and forestry data flow chains. In addition, there will be a demonstration site beneath the EXPO canopy that will feature displays of new log measurement methods and a series of demonstrations themed “Natural Disasters in the Forest – Forest First-aid and Survival”. DOLL Fahrzeugbau GmbH will also be part of the action, demonstrating a new line-up of timber transport vehicles that feature variable-height swivel-mounted cabs. The entire KWF program (German-only) is available at www.kwf-online.de.

Pavilion 32 – Lower Saxony forestry and wood industry