As with all Ligna’s past, a theme emerged out of Ligna 2025, and that was the enhancement of—or the introduction of—technologies and equipment. Ligna has always been a launching pad of course, but it came on like gangbusters at this particular Ligna, and much of it was slanted toward AI.

While the 50th Ligna by no means occurred during a robust global marketplace, it was obvious that panel machinery and technology suppliers had not been sitting on their laurels since the previous Ligna. There was almost a sense of, wood products producers having to run a little faster to catch up to the technologies—like kids in a candy store.

In addition to the soft economy that has existed in Europe for a while, the Trump factor (and tariffs) had some equipment companies on edge, and perhaps some orders on hold, but at the same time the feeling persisted that it could get better in a hurry—alas several U.S.-based wood producer companies sent representatives on scouting missions.

This issue devotes numerous pages to many of the exhibitors and how their week at Ligna went for them. Apologies to those companies not included, but time is actually short at Ligna (don’t worry, I’m not advocating a return to a six-day Ligna. To the younger people, yes it was that way once).

There were many highlights to be found as we combed the aisles, as you’ll read about in this issue’s wrap-up article. But one of them had nothing to do with new technology or project orders. It had to do with identity.

Siempelkamp, long a Ligna mainstay, revealed a new logo, going from this: