WOOD-TEC
18.-21.10. 2011

The 12^th year of the International Trade Fair of Machines, Tools, Equipment and Materials for the Wood-Processing Industry, WOOD-TEC, was participated by a total of 213 firms and companies from 10 countries - CR, Denmark, France, Italy, Korea, Germany, Poland, Austria, Slovakia and Taiwan. They presented themselves in a total net exhibition area of 11,400 square metres. The trade fair welcomed 14,000 professional visitors from 21 countries.

WOOD-TEC 2011 in figures

Total net exhibition area in m²: 11,400
Total number of participating companies: 213
Number of participating countries: 10*
* CR, Denmark, France, Italy, Korea, Germany, Poland, Austria, Slovakia, Taiwan

Number of visitors: 14,000
Number of accredited journalists: 135
Number of visitors‘ countries: 21**
**Belgium, Byelorussia, Bosnia and Herzegovina, CR, France, Italy, South Africa, Lithuania, Hungary, Germany, Netherlands,  Poland, Austria, Romania, Russia, Slovakia, Slovenia, Sweden, Switzerland, Ukraine, Great Britain

The published information is preliminary. The final version of the report will be issued by BVV Trade Fairs Brno a. s. after evaluating all statistical data. The presented statistical values are based on the principles of publishing statistical data of trade fairs and exhibitions associated in the UFI. 

The opening of this year’s WOOD-TEC Trade Farr was attended, besides others, by Franz-Josef Bǜtfering, President of the European Federation grouping national associations representing the manufacturers of machines and accessories for woodworking (EUMABOIS), Martin Pospíšil, Director of the Department of European Countries at the Ministry of Trade and Industry of the CR and Tomáš Krejcar, Director of the Department of Conceptions and Economy of Forestry Management of the Ministry of Agriculture of the CR, Zdeněk Bezděk, President  of the Czech Woodworking Machinery Manufacturers Association and doc. Dr. Ing. Petr Horáček, Dean of the Faculty of Forestry and Wood Technology at Mendel University in Brno.

Wood-processing industry has good long-term prospects
Although we experience more and more often the impacts of the financial crisis, the assessment of the whole wood-processing sector as seen by academics is positive. Wood-processing industry has good long-term prospects, meaning within a period of ten, twenty up to thirty years. Vast majority of exhibitors concentrated in modern halls P and F agree that despite the persisting period of economic stagnation, there is a certain market rally  in this sector, for example in the sale of wood-processing machinery.  However, it turns out that the company owners are very cautious when it comes to purchases, meaning investments. Some companies make an effort to achieve higher sales through various bonuses and other advantages. Wood-processing industry remains fragmented and lacks co-operation. Therefore, cooperation should be based on three pillars: forestry, wood-processing industry and its key consumers.

Furniture manufacturers should do business in the global market
The competitive edge of small and middle-size wood-processing companies in obtaining sources of raw materials was the subject of the panel discussion. It indicated that the uncertainties in this field were aggravated by the increased wood prices in the market and the resulting concerns of suppliers and consumers operating with a short-term outlook. Therefore, they long-term relationships are principally disabled. Doing business in the furniture making sector in the CR should mainly be encouraged by corporate marketing, trade name building, innovation transfer and research applied directly in the firms applied and, evidently, the incorporation of professional associations. It is also necessary to launch the process of transforming the individual furniture manufactures from the regional and fragmented trade to a global furniture manufacturing market. Such a market is based on mutual cooperation and joint activities of Czech furniture manufacturers in the field of innovations and marketing.

Need to work on the survival strategy
To ensure the functionality of the forestry-wood-processing sector, the experts find it necessary to start intensively working on the survival strategy as further stagnation would equal its decline. Therefore, use must be made of every activity that brings new technologies, innovations and research results nearer. At present, there is a high level of involvement of foreign capital in the key manufacturers. There is also a persisting stagnation in the development of small and medium-sized enterprises. Furthermore, research and development in this sector has not developed for a long time, there is limited transfer of technologies and the companies do not use possibilities of business promotion and do not pay attention to marketing from the long-term perspective.

In the experts’ opinion, the whole process of business habits must be changed – it is the only way to increase the competitiveness. This may, for example, be achieved through clusters. A major role in this respect is played by the International Trade Fair of Machines, Tools, Equipment and Materials for the Wood-Processing Industry, WOOD-TEC.

Specialised supporting programme focused on new materials and the future of forests
Thus, the objective of this year’s trade fair was to make contacts between forest managers,  wood-processing industry and the final producers. This was also the centre of attention of the specialised supporting programme organised by the Faculty of Forestry and Wood Technology at Mendel University in Brno. The topics also addressed the competitiveness of Czech wood, advanced materials and technologies in furniture manufacturing and forestry management in the European Union. According to the European Forest Sector’s Development Study covering  40 European countries  (apart Russia) , there will be a continuous slight increase in the total forest stand,  by approximately six per cent in  2030. It is expected in Europe that there will be a slight increase in the wood product demand by approx. 15 per cent by 2030 and a major rise in the consumption of wood energy (by 35 per cent). A competition for the public „Get to know our wood“ attracting about 500 people each day was a great success.

Almost all exhibitors introduced innovations
Given the fact that the WOOD-TEC Trade fair takes place one in two years, the exhibitors arrived at Brno with innovations. The Gross GmbH briquette press was introduced by  Eurotooling s.r.o., the CNC machining centre TECH Z2 by  PANAS, spol. s r.o. premiered in the Czech market and the greatest crowd-puller amongst the exhibits by TEKMA spol. s.r.o. was the vertical CNC drill BIESSE, model SKIPPER V31. STÖRI MANTEL, s.r.o. introduced nailing automatic machines for pallets, SMPA 500.1 Electric Drive and new disc cutters with hard metal lamellas were presented by CTs - Clever Tools s.r.o. A number of innovations in the field of furniture fittings were introduced by Schachenmayer spol. s r.o. and Blum s.r.o.
Basically all the participating companies presented their innovated products in their exhibits.

What was said about the trade fair:

Franz-Josef Bǜtfering, President EUMABOIS:
For furniture manufactures and wood-processing industry in Central and Eastern Europe, the WOOD-TEC Trade Fair was a crucial event. This is a venue where experts look for and compare new technologies and gain further valuable information while teaming up with specialists.

Petr Horáček, Dean of the Faculty of Forestry and Wood Technology at Mendel University in Brno:
I think that the trade fair sets an example that the exhibitors are coming in despite the recession. They know that they need to present themselves and move forward with the development.  The faculty reacts to this by striving after becoming an open faculty. We focus on inviting experts with practical experience so that they can talk to the students about the management and latest innovations they are working with in this field. We do not want to be just academics. We also make custom-built research for practical applications.

Norbert Schmidt, Deputy CEO (Commercial) of BVV Trade Fairs Brno, a.s:
Since 1999, we have cooperated with the European Federation grouping national associations representing the manufacturers of machines and accessories for woodworking (EUMABOIS). This is one of the reasons for good prospects of the WOOD-TEC Trade Fair. Despite the stagnation in this field, the firms present themselves at the trade fair because they trust the trade fair.

Zdeněk Bezděk, president of the Czech Woodworking Machinery Manufacturers Association:
WOOD-TEC has always been and will continue to be a major trade fair in the field of wood processing in the region of Central and Eastern Europe. It provides a great opportunity for the exhibitors as well as the visitors as it comes with a comprehensive offer in this field. Our association is a co-organiser and a professional sponsor of this prestigious event. Although we have been affected by a dropping number of orders over the past years, which partly continues to date as a result of the global crisis we believe that our industry will pick up again. The participation in the trade fair is taken as a great opportunity to introduce innovations in wood-processing technologies for the general as well as professional public.

Evžen Rojek, executive manager and member of the board of directors, ROJEK dřevoobráběcí stroje a.s.:
It is convenient that the WOOD-TEC trade fair takes place once in two years.  The firms can thus have the opportunity and time to come to the trade fair with some innovations.  This is also important for the visitors who attend this event. WOOD-TEC is a good trade fair with enormous prestige and it has developed into an international trade fair. For example, this year we were visited by our business friends from Germany, England, Hungary, which we even did not expect. For our company, the trade fair was a success again. Let us not forget that this is also about building our image.

Ján Mažgút, director of the Wood Saws Division, Pilous – pásové pily s.r.o.:
It is good that we are mainly visited by the professional public. We have even made a few deals, one could say that this trade fair is successful for our company. We have participated in the trade fair since the very first year we cannot imagine being missing here.

Tomáš Vystyd, executive of Felder Group CZ:
We must present ourselves at this trade fair in Brno, we must show the people what a  strong a company we are and all the things we can do. Naturally, WOOD-TEC has served us for years as a platform for business negotiations and introduction of novelties.

Daniel Fořt, director of Schachermayer, spol. s r.o.:
The number of visitors to our exhibit was almost surprising, mainly people working in this field of industry. This is our target group. The company does not regret its participation at the trade fair, we are satisfied. We were, of course, visited by our steady customers, too, but there were also many potential customers coming. We will evaluate the contacts after the end of the trade fair.