Ligna 2009… when the going gets tough

After one of the most difficult trading years on record, the wood-processing machine sector gathered for the Ligna exhibition in May more in hope than expectation that it would give their business a much needed boost.

As it turned out, visitor numbers for the Hannover show were down 22% on 2007 at around 83,000. However, following latest reports on first-quarter trading from the two biggest wood machine powers, Germany and Italy, that was not as sharp a drop as some anticipated.

ACIMALL, the Italian industry federation, reported its members’ overall sales down 54.8% in the three months, with domestic trade 50.6% lower and exports 56%. The German machine makers’ body VDMA has predicted a 20% decline in its companies’ sales in 2009, after a 6% fall to e2.9bn last year. And one of its members reported the global industry downturn for the first quarter at 64%.

So against this backdrop, the consensus was that the Ligna turnout was better than expected. Many exhibitors also told TTJ that, while total footfall was lower, they didn’t detect a downturn in the number of companies attending.

“It seems that businesses have cut the numbers they’ve sent but, regardless of the recession, they still felt it was important to be here,” said one company. “That has meant we’ve got fewer visitors ‘just looking’. Those who have turned up are here to do a job; to evaluate new technology and buy machines.”

Sales

This was borne out by reports of business done or concluded on stands. Homag, for instance, said it had wrapped up €27m of sales by the third day, not far off its 2007 performance, and Weinig said it took more orders than at the last show.

According to exhibitors, the level of machine launched at Ligna also underlined an industry looking to the future and increasingly confident that the market has started to bottom out.

“Times are tough, but there’s no let-up in research and development,” said another company. “That should give us all long-term confidence.”