1. What makes LIGNA so special for you?

Edmund Mahler: That’s quite simple - after all these years, LIGNA is still the most important trade fair for our industry.

Grace Chen: I agree totally. LIGNA encompasses the latest technologies and innovative achievements across the entire global wood processing industry chain. It also serves as an excellent platform to connect with potential clients and decision-makers to understand their needs and buying intentions for industry products.

Suresh Balakrishnan: I am impressed by the sheer scale of the trade fair, its global presence, and the many innovations on display. It brings together a diverse range of exhibitors, showcases the latest woodworking technologies, offers exceptional networking opportunities, and sets industry benchmarks, all while receiving extensive media coverage.

Sam Czyczelis: Actually, I have never attended LIGNA in person. The way my colleagues describe the fair, it sounds like the perfect opportunity to meet like-minded people and discover new innovative ideas for our industry. LIGNA provides us with the opportunity to present unique solutions for optimizing production and productivity for our customers. Visitors can specifically search for innovations and new ideas that drive the growth and competitiveness of their businesses.

2. What have you been most pleased about at a LIGNA?

Grace Chen: Discovering potential business opportunities and projects, and getting acquainted with more new clients and professionals, the likelihood of securing orders is what brings me the most joy. It is especially rewarding when visitors appreciate our new products.

Suresh Balakrishnan: I appreciate its strong focus on digital transformation and Industry 4.0, showcasing the seamless integration of smart technologies into woodworking processes. Thereby, the fair really has everything under one roof, creating great business opportunities for everyone.

Edmund Mahler: I appreciate its extensive international network and its role as a central business hub for the woodworking industry.

3. What is the funniest/best/surprising thing you have experienced at LIGNA?

Edmund Mahler: I play the Swiss alphorn, and during one LIGNA event, we performed an alphorn concert for our customers at the Leitz booth. That was an unforgettable experience!

Grace Chen: I also remember our booth design being innovative and impressive at all times – a combination of technology and art. When Chinese customers visit our booth, they can feel the big impact of Leitz to our industry, and through communication, they understand the values and concepts of Leitz. Some of them even visit Leitz headquarter to learn more about our company. Through this kind of opportunity, we can make our cooperation with our customers more long-lasting.

Suresh Balakrishnan: I was always amazed by the level of precision and automation. Seeing furniture being assembled with perfect accuracy and all the solutions for the reduction of set-up times and in small parts production is truly fascinating!

4. What was the biggest challenge you had to overcome at LIGNA?

Suresh Balakrishnan: Time management! Finding the right balance between attending to my own customers at LIGNA and exploring the fair is truly a challenge.

Grace Chen: The vast amount of information at the fair is overwhelming. LIGNA is also an opportunity for me to learn and improve, but it's a challenge to organise my time in terms of booth hosting, attending some forums, and going to other booths to visit and learn from them. Additionally, many products have similar functions, quality, and appearance. That makes it a significant challenge but also opportunity to effectively highlight unique selling points and competitive advantages, ensuring that customers clearly recognize the value of choosing our products.

Edmund Mahler: For me it is always a challenge to host multiple groups of customers at the same time – sometimes they come with a group of 20 people or more, leaving us no time for preparation. But they always leave with a smile, so at the end it all works out.

5. When is a LIGNA a successful LIGNA for you?

Edmund Mahler: When visitors come to us and confirm that we have provided exactly the information and technologies they were looking for.

Grace Chen: LIGNA is successful when it attracts high-quality visitors with strong purchasing power and clear buying intentions, leading to substantial sales growth and long-term business partnerships. Additionally, gathering valuable feedback from customers and industry experts helps refine market strategies, optimize products, and drive future innovations.

Suresh Balakrishnan: LIGNA offers both tangible and intangible benefits, with the latter being more valuable in the long term due to the insights gained. Tangible benefits include new business opportunities, especially for customers seeking tailored solutions. Intangible benefits stem from strengthened customer relationships, global internal networking, and increased professional exposure. Any of the above would help me term the LIGNA successful, not just the quantity of leads generated.

Jürgen Köppel: LIGNA is always a great event because it is the only exhibition in our industry that covers the complete manufacturing processes of the primary and secondary industry showcasing latest trends and the leading edge of our industry. Every second year the world is coming to Hannover for enjoying LIGNA as the leading marketplace for our industry. Summarized in one sentence- LIGNA is the place to go for being successful in the woodworking industry.