LIGNA’s milestone 50th anniversary edition will feature an expanded LIGNA.Stage program in Hall 12, with all presentation slots fully booked throughout the five-day event. The comprehensive program runs from 10 a.m. to 5:30 p.m. Monday through Thursday, and 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. on Friday, featuring participation from major industry players including the European Organisation of the Sawmill Industry (EOS), Fachagentur Nachwachsende Rohstoffe e.V. (FNR), Fachschule Holztechnik Melle (FHM), ForestX AB, Henkel, Leuco, Valmet, and Weinig.
The stage program operates in two distinct sessions: morning presentations from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. with lunch break, and afternoon sessions from 3 p.m. to 5:30 p.m. Monday through Thursday will combine LIGNA.Circular topics with LIGNA.focus presentations, while Friday concentrates exclusively on focus topics. Six themed islands surrounding the stage will provide additional information and best practice examples throughout the event.
“With LIGNA.Stage, we want to offer all trade fair visitors a thematically relevant stage in the middle of the show’s action. It is important to us that the presentations are designed as a clear transfer of knowledge. Every visitor should take away concrete added value from each slot,” explains Stephanie Wagner, Head of LIGNA at Deutsche Messe AG.
Circular Economy Program Addresses Industry Transformation
The LIGNA.Circular program focuses on securing long-term competitiveness through enhanced resource efficiency and business model diversification. Each day addresses specific aspects of circular transformation, from comprehensive introductions to practical implementation strategies.
Monday’s “Transformation” theme opens with Axel Berger from the Enkelfähigkeit and Haniel initiative presenting cross-industry circular economy perspectives. Heiner Strack from the German Furniture Industry Association and Dr. Jan Lüdtke from the Thünen Institute will examine the wood processing industry’s role and future prospects. The afternoon “Transformation meets Innovation” session features Michael Rupp from Dieffenbacher and Dr. Steffen Eggers from Continental sharing implementation experiences.
Tuesday’s program shifts focus to recyclable timber construction following the German Timber Construction Award presentation. A panel including Anemon Strohmeyer (VHI), Prof. Dr. Anette Hafner (Ruhr University Bochum), and Simon Wimmer (Tegel Projekt GmbH) will explore innovative building concepts and structural challenges in sustainable construction.
Wednesday dedicates attention to service innovation, with Linda Dierke from Effizienz-Agentur NRW presenting the CIRCO innovation workshop program for developing circular business models. Weinig and Fraunhofer IPA will demonstrate pay-per-use concepts and maintenance programs, while the “Wind of Change” panel explores wind turbine recycling and cycle-optimized design.
Thursday emphasizes cooperation as the foundation for successful circular transformation, featuring collaboration examples between Fachschule für Holztechnik Melle and Richter Akustik, plus the “Recycling for ReUse” project by TU Braunschweig. A panel with FESTOOL, HILTI, STIHL, and Weinig will highlight cooperation potential between tool and machine manufacturers.
Six Themed Islands Enhance Knowledge Transfer
The themed islands cover Mechanical and Plant Engineering with best practices from Festool, Dieffenbacher, Shaper Tools, Tanos systainer, and Weinig. Material Flows of Wood, presented by FNR, focuses on cascade utilization and sustainable wood use. The Wood-Based Materials and Recycling island features Fraunhofer Institute for Wood Research (WKI) approaches for optimizing material recyclability.
Additional islands include Circular Economy in Timber Construction with TU Braunschweig research projects, Circular Furniture showcasing the “Furniture – Material Re:Turn” pilot project and “FURNITURE X” Digital Product Passport initiative, and Trade and Crafts highlighting hagebau Holzhandel’s sustainable building material communication strategies.
Focus Topic Program Delivers Industry-Specific Content
The LIGNA.focus presentations address specific industry needs with topics ranging from digital tool management to construction site digitalization. Notable presentations include Paul Götz from Leuco on “Increasing Efficiency through Digital Tool Management” and Cornelia Dietz from Leica Geosystems AG discussing construction-to-production digitalization processes.
Wednesday features VDMA Holzbearbeitungsmaschinen’s “Startups@LIGNA for the Future” presentation and FNR’s Innovation Pitch focusing on application research and startup matchmaking. Thursday includes EOS’s “Horizon EU Funded Project – SINTETIC” presentation and Microtec’s CONNECTIVITY topic contribution. Friday concludes with Carl Barok from ForestX AB discussing optimized glulam production and Christoph Schweizer from Palette CAD AG exploring digital consistency potential.
