It seems almost unthinkable that there will be a four-year gap between the last Ligna global wood industry exhibition in 2019 and the next one in 2023.

The postponement of the traditionally May event to September and then cancellation of the physical due to the coronavirus pandemic had been taken with a heavy heart by organisers Deutsche Messe and the VDMA.

Normally this Ligna preview issue of WBPI would feature extensive pre-event coverage, but of course with people not gathering at Hannover Messe for the show it is very different.

But the heart of Ligna being a hub for innovation and a connecting point between woodworking technology providers and the wood industries will still have a valuable and important outlet this year – the Ligna Innovation Network

Though there will be an absence of physical visitors walking the halls of Hannover Messe, digital channels will allow machinery companies to connect with buyers in the form of the virtual Ligna Innovation Network.

From 27 to 29 September, the digital event will focus on the leading topics of Ligna and give an opportunity for exhibitors to present their solutions.

Christian Pfeiffer, global director Ligna & Woodworking Shows at Hannover-based Deutsche Messe, has already promoted the digital event to participants of Wood Based Panels International’s Beyond Covid online conference in May this year.

“In a Ligna year, the industry feels the need to discuss current trends, showcase innovations and network with interested players,” he said.

“Whenever conditions are changing, we need to work together to find new answers to make our industry marketplace, in this case Ligna, sustainable. The Ligna Innovation Network is an ideal example of such a new, jointly conceptualized response.”

Dr Jochen Köckler, CEO of Deutsche Messe, said the trade fair organiser had acquired a great deal of online know-how and expertise over recent months.

“With the HANNOVER MESSE Digital Edition in April, we demonstrated that we can also put on large digital events and create new networks,” he said.

“In a LIGNA year, the woodworking and wood processing industry needs to discuss current industry trends, present innovations and network with interested parties, which is why we will present the Ligna Innovation Network in autumn.”

Dr Bernhard Dirr, managing director of the VDMA’s woodworking machinery division, said the Innovation Network would achieve the goal of discussing the latest trends in technology and remaining up to date.

Raphaël Prati, chief marketing & communications officer at the Biesse Group in Italy, said Ligna’s success is based on its ability to adapt to changes in the industry as well as to the latest technological developments.

“The Ligna Innovation Network is a clear example of this adaptation, and Biesse is taking the same approach,” he said. The digital event, as well as the entire LIGNA platform, is a key factor in our go-to-market plans, because it gives us a unique opportunity to engage with the global industry to showcase our new solutions.”

THE LIGNA EXPERIENCE – ONLINE

The digital event consists of three pillars – Expo, Conference and Networking – and takes place in the H’Up streaming studio at the Hannover Exhibition Centre.

In the Expo area, visitors have direct access to extensive product overviews from exhibitors. Best-case applications, video tutorials, live streams, and video chats enable them not only to learn about specific solutions for optimizing their processes, but also to enter into direct exchange with exhibiting companies.

The virtual conference starts on 27 September and highlights the key topics of Ligna such as using digitalization and connectivity to transform woodworking, prefabrication processes in timber construction, or the new theme “Process Technologies of the Bioeconomy”.

The programme looks at wood as the most important renewable resource and spotlights new processing options that drive forward economic and technical innovations in the industry.

The Networking function enables all participants in the Ligna Innovation Network to directly contact exhibitors, speakers and visitors. A personalized entry page supports this with a corresponding dashboard that displays the companies, speakers and participants relevant to the respective visitor. From there, the visitor can initiate a direct contact request and then connect via chat or video call.

For example, a series of interactive conferences will be broadcast live from the two H’Up stages in Hall 18 at the Hannover Exhibition Center. These events will replicate the well-known Ligna Wood Industry Summit for the primary industry as well as the Ligna Forum for the secondary industry.

As well as Process Technologies of the Bioeconomy, the conference will cover the political framework conditions for the expansion of sustainable and circular wood use as a pillar of a sustainable bioeconomy, new ideas for the use of wood as a raw material, the promotion of start-up companies and the market launch of new products, the use of wood in construction and the implementation of the first wood-based biorefinery in Germany will be highlighted. Another focus is on the digitalisation of process chains in the forestry and timber industry as well as innovations in the field of sawmill technology.

Presentations on robotics in the wood and furniture industries and the production of a sample piece of furniture using RFID technology will also be held. Visitors will also be able to see how digitalization can be used to carry out project business, commercial business and contract work with the same resources, from order entry to planning, production and assembly.

Trends and developments in flooring production will also be discussed.

On the third day of the event, the DIPA Symposium, put on by the Digital Printing Association, will be streamed live from the H’Up stages as a hybrid event.

The conference, featuring presentations and panel discussions in English and German covering the latest trends and reporting from the field including presentations, will provide answers to the topic of “Creating Your Own Surfaces”. It is designed to encourage networking between interested parties and companies who are already successfully taking advantage of digital printing or are planning to do so in the near future.

PANELS TECHNOLOGY SPECIALISTS

Many panels technology specialists will be taking the opportunity of sharing their innovations through the digital network.

Though it’s impossible to mention everybody, sample companies who are digital exhibitors include companies like Bürkle, Dieffenbacher, Fagus-Grecon, Homag, Hymmen Maschinen- und Anlagenbau, Siempelkamp, Steinemann and Wemhoner.

We’ve included just a few of these companies and their message for the Ligna Innovation Network, to find out more go to www.ligna.de.

Complete wood-based panel plant manufacturer Dieffenbacher will take full advantage of the digital event to introduce CEBRO, a holistic offering for accelerating the success of panel manufacturers.

“Innovation and networking in the wood industry continue at full speed,” said Stefan Zipf, Head of the Wood Business Unit at Dieffenbacher, “and we’re thrilled to showcase at LIGNA Innovation Network our next innovation for keeping our customers ahead of the pack.”

“For those who are impatient, I recommend keeping an eye on our website and social media channels in the weeks before Ligna Innovation Network.”

“While we’re all looking forward to meeting again in person at a ‘normal’ LIGNA in May 2023, I think this will be a great event that captures the LIGNA spirit,” added Mr Zipf.

Spark detection and measuring specialist Fagus-GreCon is also participating in the digital trade fair and is excited about the digital format.

Uwe Kahmann, managing director of Fagus-GreCon, said it was not possible for digital events to completely replace physical events but they were a useful tool.

One of the focuses of Fagus-GreCon’s product presentation is the digitisation – for the preventive fire protection as well as the measuring technology. Due to the corona pandemics, digital tools are more intensively used also in the after-sales-service.

Thanks to the use of modern communication technology in connection with the Augmented Reality (AR), spatial distances can be overcome by digital tools without any problems, allowing technicians to see everything through the eyes of the customer.

The company will also focus on the GreCon 3D Particleview which records the geometry of the chips which are necessary to produce a wood-based panel and correcting the settings at the measuring ring chipper possible to achieve an optimal geometry which reduces the required glue quantity.

Wemhöner is promoting its status as being named as a “global market leader” – one of 458 companies in Germany to be given this status for the segment of machinery and plant engineering “Upgrading of wood-based materials: Short-cycle Press Systems for melamine direct lamination and 3D VARIOPRESS Lines”. The “global market leader” status is a designation active across all industries worldwide and is operated by WirtschaftsWoche wwtogether with the University of St Gallen and the Academy of German World Market Leaders (ADWM).

Wemhöner says it is achieving a high volume of incoming orders for Shortcycle Press Lines and modifications of existing Short-cycle Press Systems. Wemhöner receives another high level of incoming orders in the field of vacuum and membrane press lines out of the Wemhöner VARIOPRESS series. It will be communicating the benefits of these lines.

Panel plant line provider Siempelkamp’s own innovative content platform exploreSiempelkamp will be part the digital event Ligna Innovation Network.

The company’s platform is the guiding principle used by the Siempelkamp Group to clearly position the two key megatrends of sustainability and digitalization – in addition to its strength as a supplier of complete plants for the wood-based panel industry.

These topics are presented on four content levels. The first level provides an overall, globally relevant insight into the respective topic, followed by the specific industry reference. With levels three and four Siempelkamp focuses on its specific products and services.

All content is shown in a diverse multimedia mix. Interviews, videos, presentations and panel discussions are included as well as ‘scrollytelling’ sequences or “Ask the Expert” sessions.

To register to attend the Ligna Innovation Network on September 27-29, go to www.ligna.de.

The next physical LIGNA exhibition in Hannover will be held in 2023, at the normal May time.