October 23, 2009 BVV Press Center - The opening of this year’s 11th International Fair of Machinery, Equipment and Materials for the Wood Industry WOOD-TEC was also attended by Franz-Josef Bütfering, President of the European Woodworking Machines and Equipment Association (EUMABOIS), Zdeněk Bezděk, President of the Union of Woodworking Machines and Equipment of the Czech Republic, Eduard Muřický, Manager of the Division of Strategies and Trends MPO CZ, Petr Horáček, Dean of the Forestry and Woodworking Faculty, MZLU in Brno and Karlheinz Wismer, Commercial Deputy of CEO, BVV Trade Fairs Brno.

Wood-Tec 2009 in figures Total exhibition space in m2 11 211 Participating firms 252 Number of countries *Belgium, Czech Republic, China, Denmark, France, Italy, Poland, Portugal, Austria, Slovakia, Slovenia, Germany, Sweden, Taiwan 14* Number of visitors 30 000** Accredited journalists 129 Number of visitors’ countries *** Belarus, Finland, France, Gabon, Guam, Croatia, Italy, Israel, Hungary, Netherlands, Poland, Austria, Russia, Slovakia, Slovenia, Germany, Spain, Switzerland, Ukraine, Great Britain 20***

** Jointly with the MEDICAL FAIR

The interest in woodworking machines has been outlasting
The WOOD-TEC Fair was located in Halls P, F and on adjacent open spaces. In spite of the present crisis in the woodworking industry, the exhibitors were satisfied with their participation in WOOD-TEC. The standard of the stands was comparable with the past runs, some missing firms were replaced by new companies. The WOOD-TEC Fair confirmed the interest in woodworking machinery, even if firm’s owners do not purchase as much as in the past. It revealed that in this situation hobby machines were more sold. Some customers concluded contracts with various firms directly at the fair, some promised to decide in the near future.
Based on professionals, the economic crisis affected not only the woodworking industry due to substantially reduced demands for products , both in EU and worldwide, but also producers with a high added value and others. Ministry of Industry and Trade CZ prepared a number of measures to cope with it, e.g. by making use of financial institutes money, another support being offered by various subsidizing programs.
At this year’s WOOD-TEC Fair a premiere of the b2fair WOOD-TEC 2009 took place, staged by the Regional Economic Chamber Brno in cooperation with its partners from the Enterprise Europe Network. The project organized business appointments, prepared in advance, based on firms’ profile and activities.

Exhibitors presented novelties, visitors were satisfied
Due to a two-year frequency of the WOOD-TEC Fair, almost all exhibitors came with novelties to Brno. Band saw for cutting wood and iron by the firm Pilous - band saws, spol. s r.o. had its world premiere. An interesting novelty was presented by firm Rojek woodworking machines which also displayed new ecological (environment-friendly) boilers for pellets. Firm Hettich had its comfortable product Sensis on show, in which an integrated damper is installed and company Blum tipplers which are opened by means of a servodrive. At the Exhibition Centre lots of other interesting products could be seen, not only on stands of supranational and big firms, but also innovations of small businessmen.
From preliminary results of visitor surveys it follows that 68 % of them have attended the past runs and 91 % of the total number of visitors want to come also to the next run. Visitors arrived at the fair to acquire information on novelties in offers of products and services (43 5). Altogether 84 % were satisfied with the fair, in particular with the quality of displayed products, fair organization and its specialist standard.



It is necessary to create a complex of all branches
This year’s WOOD-TEC was aimed at joining forest managers, woodworking industry and final producers. This trend also appeared in the specialist accompanying program called “Wood – an integral part of a sustainable development” whose organizer and guarantor was the Forestry and Woodworking Faculty, MZLU in Brno.
The specialist accompanying program, designed not only for professionals, but also for the general public, covered a broad spectrum of forestry and woodworking activity up to wood processing. “Altogether 24 seminars were staged, attended by more than 2 500 professionals, which is more than in the past run of the WOOD-TEC Fair. Representatives of colleges and universities from Slovakia and the Czech Republic, also guests from Germany, Austria and Poland came to Brno. The “Recognize our wood” Competition, attended every day by more than 400 spectators, was a great success.
Seminars were aimed at joining professionals in forestry, woodworking industry, producers of technologies, but also paper industry, Forests CZ etc. “Major problem of the present situation is the fact that the management in forests belong to the Department of Agriculture and woodworking to Ministry of Industry. Both departments have not been cooperating with each other so far. The effort of this year’s accompanying program was to “repair” this situation,” stated Jan Šrajer, Head of the Department of practical studies, Institute of Basic Woodworking MZLU. Based on him, foresters have purchased sawmills and it is very difficult to determine a boundary between them and the woodworking industry. For this reason it is necessary to establish a complex of branches, from wood cultivation through its felling and processing up to the industry. The system should also involve paper producers, producers of plywoods etc. „In the Czech Republic, conditions of a production of a broad assortment of wood products should be created. Just this system can be financially effective,“ stated Šrajer.
Based on professionals, ever more in particular young people should establish new firms, dealing with woodworking and its felling, but also with its subsequent processing.

What was said about the fair:
Petr Horáček, Dean of the Forestry and Woodworking Faculty MZLU:
The aim of the accompanying program of the WOOD-TEC Fair was to look for a common denominator so as to increase wood competitiveness, compared with other building materials. As a representative of an educational and research institution I must emphasize that it is necessary to innovate and apply research results. The firms attending WOOD-TEC confirm that they try to do it.

František Novák, Secretary of the Association of Woodworking Enterprises:
Members of our association, but also other exhibitors are satisfied with this year’s fair. Lots of visitors with specific demands came to the Exhibition Centre. The standard of stands is comparable with the past runs, some firms are missing, but they are replaced by new companies. Most association members are sawmill workers, our situation will depend on the situation in the building industry not only in our country, but also in Europe.

Evžen Rojek, Executive Manager and member of the Rojek woodworking machines Board:
We are greatly surprised with the high number of visitors and appreciate that our customers came here. Some of them did not order our products in the place, which they did in the past. They consider the fair a contracting event and will decide on a purchase later. The fair, unlike the past runs, changes into building firm’s image.

Petr Říha, representation for the Czech Republic, LEUCO:
We have been regularly attending WOOD-TEC since 1994. In spite of the crisis which affected all exhibitors, we are satisfied with the fair. The number of visitors was almost identical to the past runs. The interest in our products was high, contacts established will be evaluated after the close of the fair. Our firm was satisfied with its participation.

Josef Šváb, commercial representative of Sahos s.r.o.:
I must say that some more visitors were here last time. However, our stand aroused attention and we were visited by a number of students.

Tomáš Vystyd, secretary of Felder Group CZ:
WOOD-TEC unambiguously belongs to the top shows in the Czech Republic. We are satisfied with the number of visitors, the interest of customers in our products was high. Our stand was always crowded. We concluded contracts directly at the fair, although the customers decided longer than in the past.

Ján Mažgút, Manager of the Division Wood saws, Pilous-band saws, spol. s r.o.:
The WOOD-TEC Fair revealed the interest in woodworking machines, even if firm’s owners more hesitated with the purchase than in the past. Our firm is satisfied with its participation in the fair as our new saw, designed for cutting wood and iron, was in the center of attention. It confirmed again that in this situation hobby machinery is preferred.

Jaroslav Doutnáč, marketing and technical consultancy Blum, s.r.o.:
For the firm Blum, the WOOD-TEC Fair is the best opportunity to show novelties on the Czech market. We are satisfied with its two-year frequency. This year, at the period of worldwide crisis, I was surprised with the high number of visitors.

Horst Blom, secretary of the company Hettich International:
The Brno Fair is for us the most important event of its sort in the Czech Republic. It concentrates all significant producers of furniture, furniture metal fittings and wood products. For our firm and other producers of furniture metal fittings the fair is of a great importance. We meet with our businessmen and also professionals who deal with the production of furniture. I have been attending the Brno Fair for several years, the service in O.K and thanks to it, we can present our firm here.

Stanislav Dohnal, commercial manager of FK wood battens:
We acquire our customers in particular at fairs and for this reason we regularly attend both this fair and the Building Fairs in Brno. WOOD-TEC is of great importance for us, it is the only of its sort in our country. This year we presented a new staircase program as well as other novelties which were of interest to the producers of a more luxury furniture thanks to its non-traditional design. We are satisfied with the number of visitors.