Post Show Report. 15th International Exhibition Lesdrevmash 2014

Post Show Report
15th International Exhibition Lesdrevmash 2014

The 15th International Exhibition for Machinery, Equipment and Tools for the Woodworking, Furniture, Timber and Pulp-and-Paper Industries Lesdrevmash 2014 successfully ran from October 20 to 23, 2014 at Expocentre Fairgrounds in Moscow.

This major trade show was organized by Expocentre and the Russian Union of Timber Industrialists and Exporters. It got official support from the Russian Ministry of Industry and Trade and the European Federation of Woodworking Machinery Manufacturers (EUMABOIS) in partnership with Centrlesexpo OAO. The show ran under the auspices of the Russian Chamber of Commerce and Industry and the Moscow City Government.

The Lesdrevmash Exhibition, which celebrates its 40th anniversary this year, has confirmed its high international and professional standing.

TRADE SHOW

This year the participants in the show were 454 companies from 27 countries of Europe, Asia and America. The total exhibition area was 41 305 sq m.  Visitor attendance amounted to about 11 000 people.

The largest international companies in the woodworking machinery showcased their advanced equipment, among them Avangard, Bakaut, John Deere, Intervesp, KAMI, Ledinek, MDM-Techno, Palfinger, TIGroup, Faeton, Utah, Biesse, Cefla, Dieffenbacher, Felder, Griggio, Homag, Houfek, Ewd, Ima, Koimpex, Komatsu, Pallmann, Polytechnik, Schelling, SCM Group, Siempelkamp, Ustunkarli, Valon Kone, Weinig,  Wintersteiger and others.

Scores of new companies made their debut at the Lesdrevmash 2014 show, such as Adelmann, Agro Forst & Energietechnik GmbH, Berndorf Band GmbH, Crushmaster, China Foma Group, DimarI Group, Mion & Mosole, PiiMegaOy, Polympex, UAB Techno Wood, Votteler Lackfabrik GmbH & Сo. KG, Zerma, Jaekering, Akmash-Holding, Alliance Forest, Vektor Group, MSD Group of Companies, DVS, ImportTehSnab, Cominvest-AKMT, Rusconbelt, Liteino-Mekhanichesky Zavod (Casting and Mechanical Plant), Raduga, Salma, Maximum, Izhora Production Company, EcoRus.

The European Federation of Woodworking Machinery Manufacturers (EUMABOIS) supported participation of many European companies in Lesdrevmash 2014.

National pavilions were arranged by VDMA (Germany), AFEMMA (Spain), ACIMALL (Italy), SYMOP (France), Arvelin International OY (Finland), ChechTrade (the Czech Republic) and the Swedish Trade & Invest Council (Sweden).
Trade visitors were greatly interested in numerous developments, which had appeared on the Russian market in recent months and the products, which would appear in the nearest future.

Japanese-Swedish Company Komatsu Forest put on display technological innovations and MaxiFleet web based fleet management system to monitor production and machine information of forest machines.

Ponsse showcased its latest forest machinery products and developments. One of them is PONSSE Scorpion, a model which allows manufacturing more powerful, stable and driver-friendly logging machines.

American company USNR, a global supplier of woodworking machine systems, demonstrated operation of sawing equipment on air-oil cushion that is know-how of the company.   

Finnish manufacturer Heinola Sawmill Machinery set out a new line of sawmill equipment HEINOLA 100 SL. It is an excellent solution to satisfy various needs of sawmills plants.

At the trade show Avtomatika Vektor presented hi-tech projects aimed at automation of production and accounting systems at wood enterprises.

For the first time in Russia in the frames of the Lesdrevmash 2014 trade fair HOMAG showcased machines equipped with innovative technology for processing edges using a laser beam laserTec.

LIGA put on display machines and technologies by RIKON Power Tools Inc: machines for sawing particle boards, bandsaws, and other equipment. At the trade show there were signed some contracts for delivery of automatic edge banding machines RFB-460.

The industry experts got familiar with the latest equipment for transportation, warehousing and packaging of products, machines for special types of wood processing, equipment for wood waste recycling, energy production from wood fuel, and many others.

Participants in the Russian regions: most important sectors to be developed section presented regional programmes aimed at development of the forest sector and investment projects from 25 Russian forest regions.

Leading research and engineering companies as well as educational centres, training personnel for the forest industry, showcased their accomplishments.

ACCOMPANYING EVENTS

The key event of the Lesdrevmash 2014 programme traditionally was the Forest and Man International Forum. It was organized by the Russian Union of Timber Industrialists and Exporters and officially supported by the Government of the Russian Federation. Participants in the Forum were representatives of hundreds of foreign companies from Europe, America and Asia.

Day of National Pavilions was held at the Information Centre, where Italy, Germany, Sweden and Finland made their presentations.

Representatives of Finnish companies such as Makron, Nordautomation, Plytec Oy, Raute Oy, Torrec Oy, Cross Wrap shared their experience of cooperation with Russian users of logging and woodworking equipment. Embassy employees, sales representatives and CEOs delivered their speeches and participated in discussions.

Niccolo Fontana, first adviser on trade affairs of the Italian Embassy in Moscow, Maurizio Forte, director of the Italian Trade Agency in Moscow and Italian Trade Commissioner of I.C.E Moscow, and Dario Corbetta, director of ACIMALL presented the Italian pavilion.

“Russian market is still crucial for Italian companies”, said Maurizio Forte. “We helped many companies participate in the Lesdrevmash exhibition. I hope that we will overcome the current difficulties and relationship between Russia and Italy will be even stronger.”

The Swedish Trade & Invest Council organized Sweden Day - Innovation and Technology within the Swedish Forest Industry.

Chairman of the Swedish industry association in the sawmill and woodworking industry Sawtec Thomas Ivarsson told about Swedish experience in developing sawmilling and woodworking industries and about national trade associations.

General Director of RFI Consortium Ltd Martin Hermansson represented a Swedish model of forest management aimed at growing high quality forests. 

At the trade show Swedish companies made their presentations, among them Rosens, Firefly, Soderhamn & Eriksson, Bruzaholm и Innovativ Vision, Lantmannen Agrol, Sawmill Concept, Forestservsce, Fors MW, Almab.
The Lesdrevmash 2014 programme featured the international scientific and practical conference on Desertification and Foresting 2014.

A great professional interest was generated by the international conference on Bioenergy: Pellets, Briquettes, Wood Chips, Biomass CHP and Boilers. Technology and Market, conference on Production of Wood Boards: Re-Equipping Old Plants, Creating New Plants, and seminar onOptimization of Production and Management of Sawmills.

Round table discussions and other events were organized at the trade fair. There was held an award ceremony of the Russian timber industry Lesprom Awards.

PARTICIPANT FEEDBACK

Yuriy Khokhlov, Chief Technical Officer of KAMI Association

“For KAMI Association Lesdrevmash is a milestone event, that is why we start preparing for it just after another trade show. This time we showcase over 50 machines, which are offered in Russia. As a result, we have a record-breaking number of visitors to our stand.”

Mikhail Smolin, Sales Director of Intervesp Corporation

“It is the largest annual trade show for us. We are pleased with the results. The flow of visitors is large and we like it. Participation in such global trade fairs always opens wide opportunities for us. We will always take part in such events. I want to say thank you to the organizers of the show. Everything is at high level and we feel comfortable.”

Mr Hans-Joachim Galinski, Sales Manager of Wood-Based Panel Plants Department at Siempelkamp

“We have met all the partners concerned at the trade show.”

Alexander Kim, First Deputy Governor of Khanty-Mansiysk Autonomous Okrug – Ugra
“The fact that contracts are signed at such events is a common practice. We collaborate with foreign companies and apply high technologies.”

Piero Barone, Head of Marketing Department of ACIMALL Association
“Italian companies believe in the Russian market and hope for further mutually beneficial cooperation. Last year we rent 1 200 sq m of exhibition area, this year – 1 800 sq m. So, we increased our participation. Today we have 47 participating companies and two years ago there were 40 companies.”

Paolo Lombardini, Area Manager in Russia and CIS of theSCMIndustrial Group
“High quality of visitors, among them specialists engaged in our sectors, which are woodworking industry and furniture manufacture. That is why we choose this trade show. Everything is at high level. Our regular clients attend the show as well as potential ones. We are pleased with the show and strongly intend to take part in the trade fair next year.”

Wilfried Aman, Head of Sales Department of Shelling Company
“The trade fair enables us to discuss with clients, attending our stand, a lot of technical issues, in particular, the issues concerning purchase of equipment. It is a good opportunity to meet lots of customers, heads of factories and discuss burning issues. We are fully satisfied with the quality of the services provided by Expocentre. Exhibition halls are great and light. We are content with the trade fair and our partners are satisfied with the show organization.”

Dennis Bieselt, Representative of Trade Association for Manufacturing Woodworking Machines under the German Engineering Association (VDMA)
“Russia is a very important partner for Germany. Companies, participating in the show in Moscow, are satisfied with its organization. We are pleased with the negotiation process. The Lesdrevmash trade show ranks first for German manufacturers because it is a great event for our industry.”