A tangible “buyers’ market” feeling pervaded this year’s Ligna Plus 2005 exhibition, with the number of orders placed significantly up on last time, organiser Deutsche Messe AG reported.
Visitor numbers at the Hannover event were up to around 100,000, compared with 98,267 in 2003, while the exhibitor total grew by 136 to 1,857.
Ligna’s organisers, Deutsche Messe and the German machinery association VDMA, said the figures underlined the show’s status in the worldwide woodworking machinery sector and they were a very positive turnaround on two years ago when visitor numbers fell 14,000 against a backdrop of economic uncertainty and depressed capital investment.
A reported 25,400 visitors placed orders at the show or firmly intended to do so, compared with 19,000 in 2003, while foreign visitors rose to 43,600 from 40,100. The panel machine sector was prominently on show, but there was also a strong showing from solid timber machining with Homag, SCM, Biesse and Weinig all having a big presence, the latter marking its centenary.
Ligna hosted an international press conference for the various woodworking associations, with the German Engineering Federation confirming that Germany is still the world’s biggest manufacturer with production reaching €3.1bn in 2004, up 6% on 2003. Exports increased by 5% to €2bn while the German domestic market remained “stable”.
The Italian industry’s 2004 turnover was €1.46bn, 80% from exports. But orders dipped 11.4% during the first quarter of 2005, following an 11.1% decrease the quarter before.
Taiwan’s exports continue to grow, with an 18.7% increase last year to US$830m. Sawing machines exports performed best, reaching US$256m.
China is also making a growing impact in the market and its exhibitor total was up sharply.
