After the cancellation in recent weeks of Ligna 2021, the world's leading trade fair for woodworking plants, tools and machinery, scheduled to take place in Hanover from 27 September to 1 October, the organisers, Deutsche Messe and Vdma, have decided to organise a digital event: the LIGNA.Innovation Network (LIGNA.IN).
This new digital format, dedicated to the core themes of Ligna, will be held from 27 to 29 September 2021 in the Hybrid Event Hub (H'Up) at the Hannover Exhibition Centre and consists of three areas: Expo, Conference and Networking.

LIGNA.Innovation Network: three areas of activity

In the Expo area, visitors will have direct access to extensive product overviews. Best-case applications, video tutorials, live streaming and video chats will allow them not only to learn about concrete solutions for process optimisation, but also to have a direct confrontation with the exhibiting companies.
The conference area includes virtual conferences, which will start on 27 September and will focus on the central topics of Ligna, such as the use of digitalisation and networking in wood processing, prefabrication processes in timber construction or the new topic of 'Process technologies in the bio-economy'. Looking at wood as the most important renewable resource, the organisers will seek to highlight new processing possibilities aimed at promoting economic and technological innovations in the sector.
Finally, the networking area will allow all participants in the LIGNA.Innovation Network to directly contact exhibitors, conference speakers or other visitors to the platform via the dashboard on their personalised login page, where companies, speakers and visitors of interest will be highlighted.

Hannover Messe: good experience in digital events

Jochen Köckler, CEO of Deutsche Messe, explained that, as trade fair organisers, they have gained extensive know-how and experience with digital events in recent months. With the Hannover Messe Digital Edition in April, they proved that they can also manage large digital events and create new networks. In the year of Ligna,“ he added, “the wood processing and treatment sector needs to discuss new trends, present innovations and network with interested players. This is why we have decided to organise the LIGNA.Innovation Network in the autumn.
Bernhard Dirr, Managing Director of VDMA's Woodworking Machinery Division, emphasised that “Ligna continues to be the meeting point for woodworking machinery professionals from all over the world, who gather at the Hanover exhibition centre to experience new machinery at first hand. But we also want the community to be kept up to date with new developments and to be able to discuss the latest trends.
The next Ligna will be held in Hanover from 15 to 19 May 2023.