At its General Assembly held on March 24, 2021 by videoconference, the European Wood-Based Panels Federation (EPF) unanimously elected Martin Brettenthaler, CEO of Swiss Krono Group, and Tobias Schindler, CSO of Steico SE, to its Managing Board.

Brettenthaler was also named as Chairman designate of EPF, subject to approval by the General Assembly in June, when the third consecutive term of existing Chairman Dr. Paolo Fantoni of Fantoni Spa will end.

Brettenthaler, 50, is a citizen of both Austria and Switzerland, economist by training, active in the wood-based panel industry for more than 20 years and lives in Basel with his wife and three children.

The General Assembly also accepted, with thanks for their service and commitment, the resignations from the EPF Managing Board of Max von Tippelskirch of Swiss Krono Group and Boris Buchwald of Steico SE.

European Panel Federation has members in more than 32 European countries and represents manufacturers of particleboard, MDF, OSB, hardboard and plywood. EPF reports the EU wood panel industry has an annual turnover of 22 billion euro, creates more than 100,000 jobs directly and counts more than 5,000 enterprises in Europe.

The next Ligna in Hannover, Germany will be held May 15-19, 2023, following the announcement that the event planned for this September 27 to October 1 has been canceled due to COVID-19 concerns. The event was originally scheduled for this past May, which was delayed until September.

Organizers Deutsche Messe and VDMA Woodworking Machinery Assn. cited a continuing high level of infection worldwide, and a slow national and international progress on vaccination and the continuing existence of travel restrictions.

“We have therefore decided to cancel Ligna as a physical event in 2021,” says Dr. Jochen Köckler, Chairman of the Managing Board of Deutsche Messe AG.

As an alternative, the organizers plan to set up a digital networking and content platform that will be launched at the end of September.

Dr. Bernhard Dirr, Managing Director of VDMA Woodworking Machinery, comments, “At Ligna, we have to take into account that entire machine parks are designed, set up and presented in live operation with a long lead time and a great deal of effort. This requires many months of trade show planning. This is the reason why we have now been forced to make a decision on holding Ligna in the fall in order to give our customers the necessary planning security.”

“Ligna’s unique selling point is live demonstrations of tools, machinery and equipment, up to complete production lines,” adds Christian Pfeiffer, Global Director Ligna & Woodworking Shows at Deutschen Messe. “Ligna will remain the driving force for the international woodworking and processing industry.”

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With uncertainty around continued U.S.-Canadian border closures, Composite Panel Assn. has moved the 2021 Fall Meeting to Lansdowne Resort in Leesburg, Va. to be held October 17-19, 2021.

The meeting originally planned for the Fairmont Queen Elizabeth in Montreal, Quebec will now be the venue for the 2022 Fall Meeting to be held September 11-13, 2022.

Lansdowne Resort is 12 miles from Washington Dulles International Airport, close to CPA’s offices and 30 minutes from Washington, DC. The resort is situated on 500 beautiful acres overlooking the scenic Potomac River and the meeting dates should overlap the peak of the fall foliage season. The Resort boasts an award-winning championship golf course designed by Greg Norman and Robert Trent Jones Jr.

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Despite the worldwide pandemic and travel restrictions, Shanghai International Furniture Machinery & Woodworking Machinery Fair (WMF) will be held at the National Exhibition and Convention Center in Hongqiao, Shanghai September 3-6 as scheduled.

Along with CNFMA (China National Forestry Machinery Assn.) as one of the organizers of WMF, China’s leading woodworking machinery associations Qingdao Woodworking Machinery Assn. and Foshan Shunde Lunjiao Woodworking Machinery Chamber of Commerce are long-term partners. WMF states it is the only woodworking machinery fair of its kind in China supported by EUMABOIS (European Federation of Woodworking Machinery Manufacturers).

In 2021, WMF has further upgraded its online and offline services and allows visitors to access exhibitors.

Visit woodworkfair.com/WMF21/.

Mark Tibbetts has joined the staff of APA—The Engineered Wood Assn. as he transitions to the president position July 1, 2021, when Ed Elias retires. Tibbetts was selected by the group’s Board of Trustees through a lengthy search process after Elias announced plans in 2020 to retire.

Tibbetts brings more than 15 years of experience in association and nonprofit program management, environmental policy and business development. He has held leadership and management positions in the Air Conditioning Contractors of America, Tag and Label Manufacturers Institute, Thermostat Recycling Corp., National Electrical Manufacturers Assn. and American Public Works Assn. He earned bachelor’s and master’s degrees from the University of Maine. He and his family are moving from Alexandria, Va. to Tacoma, Wash. where APA is headquartered.

Elias has served APA and the engineered wood industry for more than 40 years, beginning as an associate scientist in 1977. After 10 years in various roles within the Technical Services Div., he went on to lead the International Marketing and Financial and Administrative Services divisions. He also served as corporate secretary and vice president before being named president in 2013.

“APA is in as strong a financial and strategic position as it has ever been,” Elias says. “I am confident that through Mark and the APA staff, the Board of Trustees and the support of this industry, this association will continue to grow, capitalizing on a fluid marketplace and becoming more globally relevant every day.”

Tibbetts becomes the 12th executive leader in the group’s almost 90-year history.

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