Large trade fairs are no longer a sure-fire success. In the timber industry, at least in the case of Ligna, things are likely to be different given the visitor and exhibitor numbers presented last Thursday in Hanover. “The upcoming edition of Ligna is currently almost at the same level as the previous edition,” Dr. Jochen Köckler, CEO of Deutsche Messe, reported a good three months before the most important trade fair event for the timber industry.
In the anniversary year, more than 1,200 exhibitors have already booked their exhibition stands. Together, they occupy around 112,000 sqm of exhibition space. In terms of nationalities, Germany leads the ranking. Italy and Turkey follow in second and third place, respectively, while Austria and China rank fourth and fifth. If you look at the number of exhibitors rather than the occupied area, China has already moved up to third place – well behind Germany and Italy. “Hardly any exhibitor misses Ligna,” Dr. Bernhard Dirr, Managing Director of the VDMA Woodworking Machinery Association, confirmed on the exhibition stage.
Unexpected all-time high
The preview event was not only supposed to be a networking event. It also included exciting specialist presentations. On this occasion, figures on the German machine manufacturing industry were also presented. Manufacturers of woodworking machinery have seen a steady decrease in order intake since a peak in 2022 but recently, incoming orders have stabilized somewhat again. Nevertheless, the figures presented by Markus Hüllmann, Chairman of the Board of Directors of the VDMA, showed that this segment does not perform as well as the rest of the German machine manufacturing industry. However, the timber industry’s performance needs to be seen in relation to an all-time high here. In 2023, the production value of woodworking machines in Germany was €4.2 billion. For 2024, Hüllmann expects a 15% decrease to a value of €3.6 billion. Compared to the past 25 years, however, 2024 is in second place and thus still on track. Forecasts for 2025 predict a similar production value.
The great interest in Ligna is also reflected in the number of visitors to the organizers’ preview event. Around 60 journalists from global trade media accepted the invitation to the Hannover Messehalle alongside 26 exhibitors © Raphael Kerschbaumer
US the most important sales market
With an export value of nearly €350 million, the US is by far the most important sales market for German machinery for the timber industry. A comparison of the past three years also shows that the US market has recently gained significantly in importance. In 2022, sales generated there were still around €70 million lower. It remains to be seen what kind of impact the new US administration will have. “We live in politically tense times when it comes to tariffs and exchange rates. Many of us have never experienced anything like this before. The federal election in Germany and the decisions made by the US president will provide clarity. No matter what the framework conditions will be – the woodworking and wood processing industry is urgently needed,” Köckler remains optimistic.
China follows in second place behind the US. In the period presented from January to November, German producers only just missed a cumulative export value of €200 million. However, a look at the recent history shows that the previous two years were significantly stronger.
Two of Germany’s neighboring countries, i.e. France and Austria, are in third and fourth place, respectively. Seventh place is exciting: Last year, German manufacturers exported machinery worth over €75 million to Egypt – a market that effectively did not exist in 2023 and 2022.
A mix of tradition and innovation
Alongside several traditional events, the 2025 edition of Ligna will present new events and formats, including a central contact point for carpenters. At the Ligna Truck Stop, visitors can look forward to many practical highlights from the areas of power tools, fittings and fastening technology. The trade fair organizers were able to attract key exhibitors from this sector, for example Festool, Hettich, Sawstop and Swiss Krono.
The organizers of Ligna want to cover the entire value chain equally. “Digital networking for a timber industry that is sustainable along the entire value chain, with wood and wood-based products as the materials of the future – that is what industry, trade and forestry want to stand for together in the future,” Stephanie Wagner, Ligna project manager at Deutsche Messe, said.
