WOODTEC
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The 13th International Fair for Wood and Furniture Industry WOOD-TEC held this year was attended by close to 400 firms and global brands from 18 countries. They presented themselves in Halls P and F and adjacent outdoor spaces. The trade fair was also visited by more than 12,000 professionals coming from 24 countries. More than 70% of the foreign visitors arrived from Slovakia.

The WOOD-TEC fair has reconfirmed its prestigious position amongst wood processing and furniture making fairs in Central and Eastern Europe as well as its high professional and quality standard. Just like during the last edition, all leading exhibitors, large companies and firms, and the markets leaders were present here. Thus, the visitors could see exhibits by, for example, eFELDER, HOUFEK, PILART, ROJEK prodej, BeA CS, PANAS, ASAMER, ITALCOMMA, EPIMEX and others. As regards the furniture making industry, companies such as ADLER, BLUM, EGGER, SILVI NOVA CS, HETTICH ČR, HRANIPEX, SCHACHERMAYER, TRACHEA, TKZ and others could not be missing. This year also welcomed „newcomers“. For the first time, WOOD-TEC was attended by companies such as  FREEWOOD, GreMi KLIMA CZ, Sirca and TECE DECOR.

„The WOOD-TEC fair increases the competitive advantages of the Czech wood processing and furniture making industries, which are important sectors accounting for 3 % of the GDP. This year‘s edition follows the current market situation in the CR and SR“, said Jiří Kuliš, CEO of BVV Trade Fairs Brno during the gala opening of the fair.

The presented information is preliminary. The final report will be issued by BVV Trade Fairs Brno once all statistical data has been evaluated. The statistical value follows the principles of publishing statistical data of tradeshows and exhibitions associated in the UFI union. 

WOOD-TEC helps rally the wood processing industry

The prestigious position of the WOOD-TEC fair is also demonstrated by the support of the  European Federation of Woodworking Machinery Manufacturers EUMABOIS – whose member federations view this fair as one of the most important trade fairs in the field of wood processing. The importance of the WOOD-TEC fair in Central and Eastern Europe was also highlighted by Vice-President of EUMABOIS, Gianni Chizzoni, who attended the gala opening of the fair. In his opinion, the Brno trade fair helps rally the wood processing and furniture making sectors and related industries that have experienced recent stagnation throughout Europe. Czech wood-base industry has a long-lasting tradition in the country.  It is built upon small and medium-sized businesses offering employment in areas outside large municipal industrial agglomerations. The advantage is that it processes renewable and ecological raw materials that are abundant in the Czech Republic. It is the opinion of experts attending this year‘s fair that these companies should focus on competitive advantages.  It is also vital that the wood processing rate in the CR increase, which cannot be guaranteed without quality modern machinery and tools stepping up the business productivity and manufacturing of products with a high utility value and modern design. Thus, in this respect,  WOOD-TEC has a major share in brisking up the business and for the exhibitors it is one of the key marketing tools and an opportunity to introduce and offer their products to the clients.

The wood processing and furniture industries in the Czech Republic are picking up. Over January – August this year, the revenues rose by 3.6 per cent, the year-on-year export increased by 7.6 per cent and what is satisfactory is that the labour productivity rose by 5 per cent over the same period. These results are better for this sector than the results of the entire manufacturing industry. This follows from the data of the Ministry of Industry and Trade presented during the gala opening by the Director of the Industry Section at the Ministry of Industry and Trade, Eduard Muřický.

The machinery manufacturers are taking a new road

Firms engaged in wood processing machine manufacture and sales are trying to offer new innovations in the market that will bring better economic effects to the companies. This is the road taken by companies such as ROJEK, whose philosophy is to look for technological solutions to wood processing machines that are the perfect choice for the companies in their production plants. These are cost-saving measures while maintain the full  functionality of the machines. „It is visible that this is the correct way as since the first hours of the trade fair  opening we have signed machinery delivery contracts and we have done so throughout the fair,“ said the Executive Director and the Board of Directors of the company, Evžen Rojek.

A number of manufacturers in the field of the wood processing industry have experienced a slump in the machinery sale in relation to the stagnation of the building industry, which is a wholesale consumer of products made of wood. Firms selling such goods do not require so many expensive technologies any more. Therefore, the machinery and tools manufacturers follow the way of job-order manufacture. Surprisingly enough, the interest in this type of manufacture is huge, although the technical preparation for job-order manufacture is more demanding (design and re-programming of machines). The customers obviously seek high quality at the lowest possible cost of acquisition. Therefore, some manufacturers strive to follow the way of maintaining quality and perfect service, which also reduces the costs of the wood processing firms. The companies deliver tailor-made technologies with perfect logistics, which increases production and reduces costs.

Furniture makers count on comprehensive services, perfect logistics and top design

This is also the way followed by firms engaged in the manufacture of furniture and various accessories. For example, the management of Schachermayer claims that it is important to determine and install technologies and train the manufacturers to be able to apply the production lines at their plants.  These firms offer comprehensive services, and they currently offer services to trades people and owners of operations mainly in relation to logistics. This trend was also visible at the WOOD-TEC trade fair in other companies. This makes both the manufacturers and suppliers of machines as well as the end consumers satisfied. The firms have started putting efforts to expanding their production programmes but they also offer products of other firms so that their comprehensive range of products meets the demands of the clients. Almost all firms show their new products in Brno focusing largely on design. They are also trying to transfer innovations and applied research right into their companies.

Specialised programme targeted at the use of wood and new production technologies

The specialised supporting programme was organised by the  Faculty of Forestry and Wood Technology MUAF in Brno along with the Forest-based sector Technology Platform and related industrial sectors, civic association. On the occasion of the fair opening, a panel discussion on the topic of  „Timber as material“,  subtitled Vision, was organised. What arose from the discussion was that the trend in the society indicates that timber consumption will keep rising and a total of 250 million cubic meters could be missing by 2030. This was stated by the vice-chancellor of Mendel University in Brno, Karel Krontorád.

People engaged in wood processing industry do not enjoy the idea that the energy use of wood is expected at a much higher level than its use as a material. „This trend is expected until 2030. If a total of 50 per cent of  one billion cubic meters of timber is presently processed as material and 30 per cent is used to generate energy, the situation will be opposite in 2030. We want to find a way to process wood in a more efficient manner,“ said  Ing. Tomáš Pařík from the Forest-based sector Technology Platform and related industrial sectors, civic association.

To ensure functionality of the forestry /wood processing sectors it is necessary to start intensively working on the survival strategy as further stagnation would result in its extinction. Therefore, every activity in this sector introducing new technologies, innovations and results of research should be utilised. Currently, there is a high share of foreign capital in the leafing manufacturing companies. There is a continuing stagnation of the development of small and medium sized businesses and small manufacturers. Furthermore, research and development in this field has not been developing and the sector also suffers from a limited transfer of technologies.

Other topics presented as part of the supporting programme right at the exhibition stand of Mendel University were Advanced materials, furniture design and technologies, Wood as materials and products made of natural raw materials and Projects supporting science and education. Traditionally, the exhibition stand hosted a competition for the visitors titled Get to know our wood.

What was said about the fair

Evžen Rojek, CEO and Chairman of the Board of Directors of ROJEK dřevoobráběcí stroje, a.s.
The fair was a success, from the first hours after its opening until the end of the event and we managed to make several deals. It is good that the WOOD-TEC fair takes place once in two years.  This gives the firms a chance and time to come to the trade fair with some innovations. And it is also important for the customers who attend this event. Being a good fair, WOOD-TEC has enormous prestige, it has developed into an international fair. For example, this year we got visited by our business friends from abroad. We can never be missing in Brno, it is also about building our image.

Petr Janů, Business Manager, TKZ Polná, spol. s r.o.
We are highly satisfied with the WOOD-TEC fair this year. Our exhibit in the hall was visited by a number of potential customers who we held discussions with. I believe that once we evaluate the event, it will bring an economic effect for the company.  We need to present ourselves in Brno as this is the place where our long-term customers look for us and this also improves the company’s image. Furthermore, we had a number of business meetings.

Tomáš Vystyd, Executive in FELDER Group CZ
It has been confirmed that our company took the right decision by opting for a larger exhibition space for our presentation at the WOOD-TEC fair than in the previous editions. This enabled us to show the customers who we are and what our broad production programme covers. In our stand we introduced 75 machines this year. The intention of our company in Brno has come off, we are satisfied.

Michal Vodák, Head of Sales Department, Dřevo materiál
We established a number of new contacts at the fair. Our exhibition stand was full all the time,  and a large number of  new potential customers showing great interest in our products arrived. I would also like to highlight the good facilities provided by Hall F. The fair suited us in all respects.  We are satisfied with our participation in the fair.

Jiří Mynař, Owner of MINIPROF
I am very pleasantly surprised by the Brno WOD-TEC fair as similar events around the world face a low number of visitors and represented brands. Our stand was visited by a number of visitors who are also potential customers. We are glad that we could show them our cutting-edge machines in operation and introduce the world-class innovation MANUAL RAMBO from our production portfolio. Naturally, we held meetings with our business partners in Brno.

Zdeněk Holub, Director of STM s.r.o.
The fair met the objective with which the firm arrived in Brno. We held meetings with our customers here and introduced our innovations to them. We were visited by a number of professional visitors who came to ask specific questions and requirements.

David Dvořáček, Executive of PILART s.r.o.
We are satisfied with the fair, it met our objective. We are one of the largest exhibitors and we showcase all our machines in operation. And this is one of the reasons why our stand was in high demand and of course we established new contacts. We held meetings with our business partners right at the exhibition centre.

Jaroslav Německý, Sales Representative, ASAMER, spol. s r.o.
For our company the trade fair was a success. The objective we set for ourselves was fulfilled, we pre-negotiated a number of contracts with both existing and new potential customers. The meetings were held in our exhibition stand almost continuously. We are satisfied.

Leonardo Malloni, Tekma spol. s r.o.
The firm is very happy with the trade fair. We were visited by a large number of people, the exhibition stand was virtually chock-a-block full.  Throughout the fair we had meetings with the customers. We will see what financial effects the participation will bring, I definitely did not expect this in Brno, the fair was simply a success.

Daniel Fo řt, manager in Schachermayer
Our participation in the WOOD-TEC fair met the objectives we arrived in Brno with, which is to offer comprehensive services that should result in long-term cooperation. We also wanted to show trades people and plant owners our state-of-the-art logistics which enables considerably cost reductions. Our exhibit was full of people all the time, we are satisfied with the fair.