Irish lift trucks doing a jig, log chipping championships and lederhosen-clad German carpenters looking like Amish extras from the film Witness. Yes, last week was Ligna time again. Hannover’s biannual international wood machinery fest is always more than just a trade show – it’s an event, with exhibitors vying to trump one another in product launches and stand design.
But the question this time around was whether all the fun of the fair was an expression of confidence, or just businesses putting on a brave face in tough times.
Certainly some results figures released in Hannover made grim reading. Two giants of the industry, Weinig and SCM, both reported first-quarter sales about 50% lower and globally the wood machine sector was estimated to be down 64%.
Attendance at the show was also a sign of the times – around 22% lower than 2007.
All that said, there was still a buzz about the event and evidence that the razzmatazz was more than window dressing. The constant refrain from exhibitors was that, while business was still hugely competitive, things weren’t getting any worse. Enquiries were higher than for months, indicating that potential customers saw better times ahead, and sales were still being signed and sealed, including to UK and Irish customers, who were both well represented at the show. In fact, one company said that, if all its ‘handshake agreements’ came good, its UK sales alone from Ligna would hit £1m. And Homag said it had concluded a total of e27m of orders worldwide on its stand by day three.
The show also reflected an industry investing in new technology to help it through current conditions. For instance, manufacturers reported increased interest in equipment designed to cut costs through automation and energy efficiency. The large wood energy machinery section also highlighted the desire of timber processors to make the most of their raw material.
Other exhibitors reported the success of equipment designed or adapted to suit the economic climate. Wood-Mizer, for instance, has pared down some of its sawmill lines and seen sales rise as a consequence. And since launching its compact CB lift truck in September, Combilift has sold 460. These were the ones dancing a jig.
