Platform about design and technology in the kitchen, home, and bathroom industry
The countdown to HoutPro+ has begun. From 1 to 4 November next, the wood processing industry in the Netherlands can once again visit the Brabanthallen in 's-Hertogenbosch to get acquainted with the latest developments in the field of woodworking machines, sheet material, lacquers, fittings, air treatment and software. After 5 years, organizers, exhibitors and visitors are ready to meet again physically, make contacts and network. More than 210 exhibitors have already signed up and that number is still growing every week. Even during the holiday months of July and August, applications kept coming in. Expectations at organizer Claever Associates are therefore high.
The Dutch woodworking industry is gearing up for the triennial trade fair in 's-Hertogenbosch. The 3rd edition of HoutPro+ was somewhat delayed, as five years went by in the meantime, due to widely known reasons. The whole world came to a standstill and everyone has had their challenges, even the fair organizers have not been spared. Fortunately, they are now ready for it all over again. Hall 1 of the Brabanthallen will be the mecca of machine technology for four days, while halls 5 and 6 are dedicated to subcontracting.
"As organizers, we are delighted that the reunion of woodworking Netherlands can once again go ahead. While many companies were still reluctant in the spring and feared that we would relapse into a partial or complete lockdown by COVID-19 and therefore have to reschedule the fair, registrations experienced a huge boost in recent months. Even during the typical holiday months of July and August, the phone did not stop ringing and several firms signed up. During our last edition in 2017, we counted 199 exhibitors, and we had set ourselves the goal of at least matching that number. But in the meantime, the counter is already above 210 exhibitors and new applications are still coming in every week. This exceeds our highest expectations," says Anja Stuerbout of organizer Claever Associates.
Her colleague Lieve Vermeulen adds: "We welcome many new exhibitors, yet also note that until today, 70% of our existing 'customers' are present again. 90% of the growth does come from new participants. Several exhibitors from the Belgian fair Prowood have also decided to take a chance on this Dutch trade fair, creating a nice cross-pollination between our two fairs. Striking detail: companies are opting for reduced stand space. This in itself is not a problem. In this case more than ever the quality counts, which is reflected by the offer and the number of participants. Machine builders remained for a long time in uncertainty about the models they would be able to display on their booths due to the scarcity of electronic components. The most innovative machines will certainly be present, but as a result may not be able to be demonstrated live."
Still, a positive wind continues to blow through the industry, and the organizers of HoutPro+ can only applaud that.
They are keeping their successful concept with some minor changes here and there. For example, small booths will be grouped together, as they would otherwise get lost on the show floor among all the larger players. "This remains a general trade fair, so we deliberately do not choose to divide the attention between different themes. Of course, factors such as automation and digitization, Industry 4.0 and IoT (Internet of Things) remain important in this sector as well. Companies have been working on these for years, and the latest developments in this area will also be on display at various stands," Stuerbout indicated.
"Furthermore, we see an increasing focus on water-based products as an alternative to solvent-based materials, and more and more attention is also being paid to bio-based products. After all, terms such as environmental friendliness, sustainability, circularity and Cradle-to-Cradle have become everyday fare."
HoutPro+ stands for experience. Visitors can smell and feel wood, enjoy the sound of rotating machinery and discover how tools provide precise machining.
"There is much more to come. For example, industry association CBM is at HoutPro+ for the first time. They want to talk to people from the industry, hear what's going on and how the market is dealing with it. In addition, they will of course also indicate what they themselves are working on. Furthermore, the well-known Baars & Bloemhof Maatwerk Awards will be presented. Finally, there will be an expo highlighting the construction process of the HAUT project and students from the interior design course at HMC will be working live to furnish the Tiny House, the basis of which has already been laid," Vermeulen concludes.
"Our revamped website has since been launched. Exhibitors and visitors can easily find and distribute information there. We note that visitors are actually registering now. On their ticket is a QR code. This can be read by the exhibitors with a free scanning system, so that everyone has their own visitor list available. As an organizer, we are already ready to fly in for four days. The fair is open every day from 10:00 to 19:00. On Friday, the doors close at 5 p.m."
