Monday, June 9, 2025
LIGNA 2025 focused on digitisation, sustainability, and the circular economy, and the woodworking fair delivered in spades throughout its five-day run. In honour of its 50th anniversary, this year’s LIGNA brought together 1,433 exhibitors from 49 countries to showcase the newest technology for the primary and secondary wood products industries. These companies included those that manufacture millwork, furniture, cabinets, and other products based on wood and panels.
The biennial event, which was co-organised by the VDMA Woodworking Machinery Association and Deutsche Messe AG, took place at the Hannover, Germany, fairgrounds from May 26 to 30. “LIGNA has impressively reaffirmed its unique position as the world’s leading trade fair for the industry. Around 78,000 visitors from 156 countries came to Hanover, putting us on par with the previous event in 2023. Given the circumstances, that is a strong result,” commented Dr. Jochen Köckler, CEO at Deutsche Messe AG.
The majority of exhibitors who were visited by Woodworking Network personnel expressed satisfaction with the overall outcomes and the caliber of attendees, despite a few exhibitors remarking that the exhibition was a touch quieter. Sixty percent of the 93 percent of trade visitors at LIGNA 2025 had management roles, with 44 percent of those in high management, according to show management. “Despite all the benefits of digitalisation, nothing can replace the experience of seeing machines in live operation at a trade fair. I would like to thank all LIGNA exhibitors who demonstrated this so clearly here,” Köckler added. “The combination of innovation, technological progress, and passion is the best foundation for renewed investment.”
From forestry and sawmilling to solid wood and panel processing for custom and high-production, exhibitors showcased solutions for the full value chain across 1.23 million square feet (114,078 square meters) of exhibit space. They also demonstrated how current challenges can be addressed and transformed into opportunities. Digitalisation, automation, artificial intelligence, smart production, climate-friendly and sustainable building using wood and wood-based components, and the prudent, forward-thinking use of wood as a resource were all highlighted.
Köckler noted, “What makes LIGNA unique worldwide is its role as an international marketplace for the woodworking and wood processing industry. This is where global supply meets international demand. With 56 percent of visitors coming from abroad, LIGNA demonstrates that it is the undisputed world’s leading trade fair for the industry and enables global business at the highest level.”
Poland, Italy, and Austria had the biggest numbers of foreign visitors, followed by the Netherlands, France, and Belgium, according to show management. Visitors and exhibitors from North America also attended the exhibition. “We had a successful LIGNA that provided motivation and momentum in an otherwise uncertain environment. The situation differs across segments and manufacturers, but everyone here in Hannover discussed important projects and recharged their batteries. For some, this even resulted in unexpected orders at their stands, which gives us confidence that the industry will quickly bounce back,” added Markus Hüllmann, chairman of the executive board of the VDMA Woodworking Machinery Association.
Hundreds of new goods are introduced
Three major industry themes—connectivity, sustainable production, and engineered wood—were the focus of the exhibitors’ solutions. More than 900 goods also made their premiere during the expo, many of which are innovations that raise the bar for resource-efficient energy and material consumption. “This year’s LIGNA showcased innovative approaches to resource-efficient production across the entire value chain – among many other advancements – providing valuable momentum for us in the German furniture industry. The topics of sustainability and the circular economy are of central importance to our manufacturers,” stated Jan Kurth, CEO of the German Furniture Industry Associations.
The rethinking of the human function in the context of the technology transformation fueled by AI and machine learning was another trend at LIGNA 2025, which was highlighted by show management. Contrary to popular belief, people are being given more room to express their creativity rather than being sidelined or replaced. They went on to say that real emotionality is quickly emerging as a crucial addition to artificial intelligence. “The cohesion and cooperation within the woodworking community at LIGNA was clear evidence of this,” Köckler commented. “Trade fairs are meeting places for people in a community that cannot be replaced. Genuine closeness cannot be streamed or replicated by AI.”
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