Before this year’s Xylexpo exhibition, organiser Acimall (the Italian woodworking machinery and tools manufacturers’ association) was candid about its low expectations for the event because of the difficult economic situation in Italy.
So the palpable sense of buzz, impression of higher visitor numbers and generally more positive atmosphere than two years ago will have come as a welcome boost to Acimall director Dario Corbetta and president Lorenzo Primultini.
The event, Italy’s premier woodworking technology show, was reduced to three halls of the Fiera-Rho expo centre in Milan this year (2006: eight halls), because of slightly fewer exhibitors (440) and smaller stand sizes.
Preliminary results indicated about 44,000 attended (2012: 43,480), with the proportion of international visitors growing to 42% of all visitors – an increase of 8.5%.
Visitor levels from Continental Europe grew by 12.7%, while Africa and the Americas also grew 16% and 1.8% respectively.
Italian visitor numbers rallied during the final two days of the show.
The net exhibition display space reduced slightly to 27,000m2 (2012: 30,000m2).
"Although the Italian market is still facing serious difficulty, the exhibition reaffirmed its international scope and its attractiveness for the industry," said Acimall.
A return of major Italian manufacturers Biesse and Cefla, as well as some individual SCM companies, helped boost the show and unity in the industry. Their decision to return and the subsequent cancellation of rival show Technodomus in Rimini, which they had supported, were key factors helping Xylexpo.
Homag board member Jürgen Köppel told TTJ the Rimini show had been bad for the Italian market as it diluted the customer visitor base for Xylexpo.
Homag clearly believes the show is still important. "We need an additional show in a year when there is no Ligna," said Mr Köppel. "There is not really another international show in Europe."
But he admitted interest in the Wood Processing Machinery and Intermob fairs in Istanbul was growing.
Homag had a major presence as usual at Xylexpo with its Homag City concept, and the high level of new machine and software features helped it win the inaugural Xylexpo award for technical innovation.
A major focus was on "seamless" connection from software to machine, with the woodWOP version 7 showcased. Its optional CAM plugin allows simple generation of 3D surfaces, import of CAD 3D models and auto generation of tool paths for five-axis processing.
Other Homag highlights were heightened efficiency in cutting panels with a streamlining of the Holzma 3 and 4 series. A new destacking concept was demonstrated, with Practive software guiding the operator on where and when to stack – eliminating stacking errors, creating stable stacks, stacking in a logical order and taking up less space.
And Homag DustEX extraction technology features new combination air jets along the cutting line to convey chips and dust towards the right-angled fence, with extraction geometry at the fence improved to pick up more waste material.
Biesse launched bSuite – comprising the latest version of bSolid, and new modules bEdge for edged panels and bWindows door/ window frames.
Biesse says the 3D software allows joiners to "design without limits". A "laboratory" displayed unusual shaped joinery and furniture to show the potential of the software.
Biesse also launched the Winline One multi-centre for producing standard and special door/window frames, including arcs.
Aimed at companies wanting to replace existing lines and systems to achieve greater flexibility, the Winline One features a modular multi-level buffer that enables up to 168 components to be loaded on the centre’s modular multi-level buffer at any one time, ensuring a machine autonomy of up to three hours. Some 300 components can be processed in a single shift depending on the machine configuration and window type.
Biesse says the market is demanding a change in manufacturing processes which allows window and door producers to accept the largest possible number of orders, coupled with high quality and product customisation with short lead times.
CNC machining specialist Greda, which exports 90% of its machines, demonstrated machining centres for processing furniture, joinery and wooden construction elements.
Greda managing director Marianna Daschini cited several UK applications, Maggi’s new 21 Technology fully electric single-head boring machine sold by its UK distributor Daltons Wadkin. The most recent is an Argo Gantry 3-axis machine (boring, routing and cutting) supplied to the Royal Opera House for making furniture and stage sets.
Another Italian manufacturer attracting UK business is Giardina Finishing, which outlined growth plans and recent successes with UK kitchen manufacturers.
Giardina Finishing is working closely with Wren Kitchens and Ultima Furniture. It has supplied finishing equipment for high-gloss kitchen doors.
Stefano Tibé, Giardina Finishing’s sales manager, is currently spending one week a month at the two companies as they plan for further expansion because of high demand for new kitchens.
Mr Tibé is very impressed with UK demand for high-gloss kitchen doors and he thinks the doors business will follow suit.
Giardina, one of the pioneers in UV curing technology, supplies equipment for applying coatings by spray, roller, curtain coater, vacuum and other methods.
"The real demand of the markets is not to ask for standard solutions but for special solutions," he said.
Giardina/Mauri is planning further acquisitions and will pay more attention to promotional work and cultivating a higher visibility in the market.
Elsewhere, Söderhamn Eriksson and Bongioanni shared a stand as part of a new market partnership and Maggi Engineering launched its 21 Technology fully-electric single-head boring machine, featuring a digital display and a boring head rotation of 0-90°, with the boring head motor unit sliding on rolling guides and fast-positioning of boring bits.
Optimising cross-cut saw specialist Salvador won the communications prize in the Xylexpo Innovation Awards. Salvador’s UK distributor Daltons Wadkin sold two Supercut 200 machines at its open days just before the show.
British manufacturer Stenner displayed its ST100R resaw on the stand of partner Primultini. This year was the first time Stenner had exhibited a machine at Xylexpo.
Stenner sales director Fred Harding said he was not disappointed with Xylexpo, with several good contacts made with potential distributors, including a Hungarian company. Enquiries were also made by companies from Australia and Norway.
Solid woodworking machinery producer Weinig had multiple innovations, including new features on the Powermat 1200 for feeding through short single workpieces.
Weinig’s new OptiControl Digital tool measuring system features cameras with 24x magnification and a touchscreen to aid accuracy, speed up the measuring process and deskill the operating.
Xylexpo organisers now have their eyes set on growth for 2016, with a range of options being discussed. Linking with the hugely successful Milan furnishings show Salon del Mobile – which attracted 357,212 visitors earlier this year – is being examined.
Acimall president Lorenzo Primultini told TTJ such a move may require Xylexpo returning to Fiera Milano City, the older exhibition grounds where Xylexpo was formerly held before 2006.
He said an initial analysis suggested up to 20% of Salon del Mobile visitors may be interested in Xylexpo.
