Visitor numbers dropped by 12.1% at this year’s Xylexpo NEW international woodworking machinery exhibition in Milan, but organisers said the general mood of the industry remained optimistic.

Organiser ACIMALL (the Italian woodworking machinery and tools manufacturers’ association) said 81,980 visitors attended the five-day show, from May 27-31, compared with 93,266 in 2006.

It said the attendance reflected global market conditions, but exhibitor numbers were at record levels, with 853 companies booking space at the Rho fairgrounds.

The dip in attendance was reflected in visitors from Italy (39,466, down by 12.5%) and from abroad (42,514, 11.4% down).

The show was once again characterised by a high share of international visitors, amounting to 51.8% of total attendance.

Acimall is now waiting for a more detailed analysis of data, expected in the coming weeks, but said the high exhibitor turnout was proof of the optimistic outlook of the woodworking technology sector.

This year’s event took place without Sasmil, which exhibits supplies and semi-finished products to the furniture industry. Sasmil organisers chose to hold their event in February – a move widely seen as a failure due to low exhibitor and visitor numbers.

During Xylexpo, outgoing Weinig chairman Rainer Hundsdörfer revealed that the company would soon unveil the next step in its Conturex profiling range. Conturex 2 will feature two machining centres capable of producing any size of component.

UK supplier JJ Smith announced it had agreed a tie-up with Italian pallet machinery manufacturer Storti.

A full report on Xylexpo will appear in a forthcoming issue of TTJ.