INTERVIEW WITH SERGEY IRTUGANOV, DIRECTOR OF WOODEX EXHIBITION
Development and plans of the Woodex exhibition
— Sergey, please tell us about the Woodex exhibition: its mission and visitors.
Our mission is to promote the development of the timber industry in Russia, the introduction of high-tech, energy-efficient and resource-saving solutions and the transition to a circular economy.
The visitors of our project are a unique audience that is aimed at acquiring new technological solutions for furniture production, woodworking enterprises.
— Over the past year, many changes have taken place in the life of the country and business. Did they reflect in any way at Woodex exhibition?
Any professional event is a reflection of the industry to which it is dedicated, Woodex is no exception, today it has become very difficult, and in some cases impossible, for participation of European companies that have lost the financial support of their countries, at the same time, their potential at the exhibition in 2023 will be opened by China, Turkey and new geography, which seek to increase their market share, due to companies that left Russia.
— Will there be new sections at the exhibition in 2023?
Yes, 2 new sections: Fittings and components for furniture production; Logging machines.
We will also significantly strengthen the section: paintwork materials, adhesives, sealants.
— What prompted the organisers to introduce new sections?
It is important for us, despite external factors, to remain the central event of the industry, not to lose its relevance, and to listen to the interests of our visitors.
So in 2021, 31% of our visitors noted their interest in furniture fittings and materials, which is not surprising, because furniture manufacturers are one of the main visitors to the exhibition who want to find both equipment and materials for their production on one site.
As for coatings, adhesives and sealants, the situation with them is similar to accessories - visitor interest in these products is extremely high, moreover, after the departure of European companies that were the main suppliers of these products, the issue of replacing them is becoming increasingly important, and now warehouse stocks are large enough, the possibility of parallel imports still remains, but of course, every manufacturer wants not to depend on external factors.
And if the first two segments are the desire to provide visitor demand with supply, then Logging machines are integral part of the woodworking process, which the exhibition is fully prepared to cover.
— What are the benefits of exhibiting at Woodex for manufacturers of furniture components or paintwork materials?
First of all, this is a unique audience for these sectors. Traditionally, for these sectors, sites dedicated, for the most part, to the furniture industry in terms of interior design were relevant. Our visitors are people responsible for technology, who have no difficulty in conveying that the products are in no way inferior in quality to well-known European brands, in terms of mechanisms and technological processes. 57% of our audience said that they only come to the Woodex exhibition among the similar exhibitions, this does not mean that their colleagues do not attend other events, but the most useful audience in the current situation (in terms of competence) can be found here.
— Sergey, how do you see Woodex in the future? In 3 or 5 years?
The experience of all ITE projects shows that globalization will not bypass any industry. It is in the synergy of all sectors of the timber industry that the future of the Woodex exhibition is being driven.
