Christian Pfeiffer, Deutsche Messe’s Global Director LIGNA and Woodworking Events, explains: "We’ve put together a stimulating and highly practice-centered program for joiners, cabinetmakers, carpenters and mobile assemblers and installers. Equipment manufacturers will serve as training partners, answering questions and providing trade professionals with the information they need on machinery, tools, materials and production supplies." The workshops will be highly focused, dealing with key technical issues from a trades perspective. Jowat SE will start the program on Tuesday 23 May with a workshop on adhesive bonding. On the Wednesday, Festool will, among much else, show the participants how to create perfect edges on molded parts using a mobile edge-banding system and how to achieve perfect surface finishes using handheld power tools. Meanwhile, on the Thursday, tool manufacturer Mafell will be providing a few pointers on how to get the best out of its oscillating jigsaws.

Sprint Academy Director Christian Gahle: "Trainee numbers in master-tradesman firms have been declining steadily for years, and, of course, second-tier firms don't really provide training at all. Consequently, training courses provided by equipment vendors, manufactures and multidisciplinary training providers are growing in importance. Moreover, online media, forums, webinars and even really basic home handyman videos are now very popular among tradesmen as sources of knowledge. Of course, the big specialist trade fairs are also an important option for keeping up with current best practice. And for the latest on woodworking machinery and equipment, that means LIGNA."

Participants at the LIGNA Training Workshops will be able to learn about and try out a wide range of products and processes. Participation is free of charge, but requires prior registration at www.ligna.de .