The massive LIGNA show held in Hanover, Germany in May celebrated its 50th anniversary, and it continues to be a leading platform for forest industry equipment suppliers—and Canadian companies received their share of interest at the show.
LIGNA 2025 once again proved to be the leading platform for the international woodworking community, featuring 1,433 exhibitors from 49 countries.
From May 26 to 30, it brought together the global woodworking and wood processing industry in Hanover, provided a significant boost to the sector, ignited fresh momentum, and laid the foundation for future investments.
“LIGNA has impressively reaffirmed its unique position as the world’s leading trade fair for the industry. Around 78,000 visitors from 156 countries came to Hanover—putting us on par with the previous event in 2023. Given the circumstances, that is a strong result,” said Jochen Köckler, CEO at Deutsche Messe AG.
“Despite all the benefits of digitalization, nothing can replace the experience of seeing machines in live operation at a trade fair. I would like to thank all LIGNA exhibitors who demonstrated this so clearly here,” Köckler continued, adding: “The combination of innovation, technological progress, and passion is the best foundation for renewed investment.”
Whether in forestry, sawmilling, production, manufacturing, or craft industries, exhibitors presented solutions spanning the entire value chain, showing how current challenges can be addressed and turned into opportunities. The spotlight was on digitalization, automation, Artificial Intelligence, smart production, sustainable and climate-friendly construction using wood and wood-based materials, and the responsible, future-oriented use of wood as a resource.
Köckler stated: “What makes LIGNA unique worldwide is its role as an international marketplace for the woodworking and wood processing industry. This is where global supply meets international demand. With 56 percent of visitors coming from abroad, LIGNA clearly demonstrates that it is the undisputed world’s leading trade fair for the industry and enables global business at the highest level.” The largest groups of international visitors came from Poland, Italy, and Austria, followed by the Netherlands, France, and Belgium.
A clear trend at LIGNA 2025 was the redefinition of the human role amid the technological revolution driven by AI and machine learning. Contrary to many expectations, humans are neither being marginalized nor replaced; instead, they are given more space to develop their creativity. Genuine emotionality is becoming an indispensable complement to artificial intelligence. Jochen Köckler commented: “The cohesion and cooperation within the woodworking community at LIGNA was clear evidence of this. Trade fairs are meeting places for people in a community that cannot be replaced. Genuine closeness cannot be streamed or replicated by AI.”
Below are some of the highlights of Canadian companies exhibiting at LIGNA.
Nicholson Manufacturing
At LIGNA this year, Nicholson showcased not only the company’s Canadian manufacturing capability and reputation for reliable debarkers, but also the strength of its global support network. While customers around the world trust its equipment, they also expect responsive, local service—and that’s something the company has prioritized. Nicholson highlighted its international partnerships spanning Chile, Brazil, Australia, New Zealand, Spain, Germany and France, along with its team in Canada, and the U.S.
There was strong interest in its MLX additive manufacturing process, and the company was pleased to sell its display debarker right off the booth floor. Thanks to the visibility and engagement at the show, it is now actively following up on several mill projects involving Nicholson debarkers. LIGNA remains a fantastic opportunity to connect with customers, partners, and suppliers from all over the world in one place, says the company.
Webco Mill Supply
Webco Mill Supply is a Canadian company that manufactures quality replacement components for debarkers, chippers, and hogs, and this was its first time attending LIGNA.
Webco Mill Supply showcased an assortment of debarker tips and arms at Ligna for various makes and models of machines. Over the years, it has developed an extensive database of designs for various European machines such as Segum, SGM, Baljer Zembrod, Nicolini, Matelest, Bargar, to name a few. All these European manufactures had debarkers on display for attendees to inspect.
What made this exciting for Webco is that they had the opportunity to meet in person for the first time and speak with ongoing customers that use quality Webco parts in their European machines. Interestingly, Webco says it is one of the only companies in Canada making replacement parts for European machines and LIGNA gave it the opportunity to further grow its customer base.
The first of two popular discussions that came about during the show was around the newly designed VK26 and VK32 arms Webco had on display. Customers running these machines are currently using arms which require manual repairs, buildup and sharpening on a daily basis as the arm and tip are one piece. Webco has designed a solution with a strong but yet lightweight arm which accepts an interchangeable four sided tip. This greatly reduces maintenance for its customers and improves debarking efficiency.
And its second popular discussion was regarding the fabricated Webco arm designed to replace the cast Soderhamn Erikson arm from USNR. Webco’s quality steel puts the strength where it’s needed the most, without adding unnecessary weight to the assembly. In addition, a “sharp carbide” lead edge to protect the arm and maximize its life was an eye-catching feature among potential customers.
CARBOTECH
CARBOTECH was proud to take part once again in the 2025 edition of LIGNA—widely recognized as the premier trade fair in the industry. This outstanding event provided an excellent opportunity to connect with many of its existing and prospective clients from around the globe.
The company was especially pleased to see strong representation from North American sawmills, reflecting the growing international reach of its brand. With successful projects already completed in regions such as South America, Scandinavia, and Oceania, CARBOTECH continues to strengthen its global presence. LIGNA offered the ideal platform to expand its network, engage with key decision-makers, and showcase its proven technologies.
The event facilitated valuable discussions about industry trends and innovations, allowing CARBOTECH to present its latest advancements and recent projects in log and lumber handling. These innovations—driven by its high-performance AI systems—have significantly enhanced the operational efficiency of clients. The show provided a remarkable opportunity to explore new markets and support more customers in achieving their goals.
Comact
LIGNA 2025 exceeded all expectations for Comact, says the company. From the very first day, it was clear that the company’s technologies and approach were resonating with a global audience. Visitors showed strong interest in its full range of solutions, including optimization products, Smart Vision technology, AI-powered robotics, and high-performance sawlines.
Comact’s presence at the show led to valuable conversations about the future of smart sawmilling. Attendees were especially interested in the company’s expertise with greenfield projects. Over the past decade, it has delivered 20 full-scope sawmills and played a key role in shaping some of the most advanced production facilities currently in operation. This proven experience stood out to many in the industry looking for complete, integrated solutions.
Comact also presented its OPER8 platform, a powerful IoT solution that provides real-time operational visibility and AI-driven insights. Designed to connect and optimize every part of a mill, OPER8 helps teams increase uptime, reduce costs, and make better, data-informed decisions.
For Comact, LIGNA was more than just an opportunity to exhibit. It was a moment to engage with sawmillers, technology partners, and integrators who share a vision for a smarter, more efficient, and digitally connected future for the wood processing industry.
TS Manufacturing
TS Manufacturing was part of LIGNA once again, alongside its partners at Automation & Electronics (A&E). It was a fantastic opportunity to connect with industry leaders and showcase how TS Manufacturing’s Canadian-built solutions are supporting sawmills in achieving greater efficiency, reliability, and productivity, says the company.
This year at LIGNA, TS Manufacturing focused on the latest advancements in automation, controls, and electric drive technologies—innovations that are helping customers reduce downtime, lower labour needs, and increase production capacity. From its patented VersaCam Lug Loader to the company’s all-electric Tilt Hoist and servo-driven Package Makers, TS Manufacturing machinery is built for performance, efficiency, and long-term durability, says the company.
The connections the company made and conversations they had highlighted just how respected Canada’s sawmill equipment sector is worldwide—and that’s something they’re proud to be part of.
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