1. What makes LIGNA so special for you?

It was an important decision to launch LIGNA as a trade fair in 1975, as it marked the beginning of the woodworking machinery and tool industry's successful entry into the world market.

On the eve of the trade fair, Dr. Theiss and the experts from VDMA and Hannover Messe inspected the exhibition stands to ensure that they complied with the exhibition conditions. The exhibition stands were not allowed to exceed a certain height and all machines had to be painted in RAL 6011. There were many discussions and some exhibition stands had to be rebuilt during the night.

New technologies are presented at LIGNA and it is the ideal platform to get in touch with customers from all over the world.

2. What was your favourite thing about LIGNA?

LIGNA 2009 was a special experience for me, because we were able to celebrate the 100th anniversary of Vollmer.

The experts from the woodworking industry were guests at the Vollmer stand. It was an important LIGNA for the company group in difficult times and it is proof that it is precisely then that one should position oneself on the world market with innovations and personal contact!

It was important for Miss Vollmer to celebrate this anniversary personally with the customers and the Vollmer team at LIGNA.

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

At a LIGNA at the beginning of the 80s, a customer from Kuwait interrupted the negotiations in the trade fair booth to spread out his prayer mat and pray to Mecca.

The exhibitor and company evenings were also important, because they are the best opportunity to make important personal contacts. Networks for the future!

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

The biggest challenge for every trade fair was the timely and perfect planning, with all the arrangements for the exhibits.

The international division of the trade fair team is also important, as the aim is to present the exhibits to visitors and interested parties in a technologically and commercially perfect way in order to achieve the necessary success for the company.

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

A LIGNA is successful if the machines and the team were able to achieve all the targets for each day of the trade fair. An analysis of the trade fair on each day is important, as this allows processes to be optimized or changed in all areas.

After a successful LIGNA, we were able to welcome numerous groups of visitors to our plants afterwards and the team also organized these logistics perfectly by bus or train. LIGNA was thus optimally and sustainably continued in our own company.