Despite moderate recovery in 2010 and early 2011, global sales of woodworking machinery remain far below pre-crisis levels. However, of the 7 billion Euro turnover achieved by the global technology trade in 2010, as much as 56.2 percent was generated by Eumabois member companies.

Woodworking machinery manufacturers have had a difficult few years behind them. There's no denying that the market has undergone a major crisis. Turnover collapsed and it is still very low in many companies. The industry can expect such difficulties to endure a while longer, but more and more indicators show that the curve is turning upwards. European woodworking machinery companies continue to struggle for orders but there are some rays of hope.

Says Franz-Josef Buetfering, President of Eumabois, the European Federation of Woodworking Machinery Associations, "Today, more than ever, we have to believe in what we do. The industry needs vision, planning capacity, forward-looking attitude. We are well aware that we have to be very practical right now, and I personally think that the duty of an association like Eumabois is also to look ahead, to expand the scope of its action to avoid missing the big picture." Buetfering feels that though the worst is over and recovery is coming, it's not happening at the same level in all countries. "In the United States and some countries of Europe, recovery is still weak and it will take time to return to the same levels as years ago," he says.

When asked about how the market demand is changing for woodworking machinery, Buetfering points out technological changes as a major differentiator. "Woodworking machinery will be different: 'greener' from any point of view, capable of consuming 30 percent less energy with the same efficiency standards," he clarifies. "They will be more and more flexible, with increasingly higher automation levels: the automated or 'one man factory' is a popular concept, not just a dream for the future".

Technology will require smaller investments; solutions will take up less space; they will be built with standard constructions using equally standard and highly industrialized aggregates, but still capable of delivering the desired result to users. High-end technology will move down to improve low-end systems: plants can already be operated by anyone through a simple touchscreen. Maybe we should focus attention specifically on this aspect, on these machines that will no longer require joiners or experts of wood and wood-based materials, but rather simple technicians who can press a button. Maybe we still don't realize the impact of this change.

Eumabois is a non-profit organisation made up of 13 national associations, which in turn represent 800 European manufacturers of woodworking machinery, tools and components. Eumabois plays a key role in the global industry of woodworking machinery, tools and components. Member countries are Austria, Czech Republic, Denmark, Finland, France, Germany, Italy, Poland, Portugal, Russia, Slovak Republic, Spain, Switzerland and Ukraine. One of Eumabois' roles is endorsing woodworking trade shows and supporting the most important exhibitions of the different countries. Two new events were added to their World Exhibition Network in 2011: Holz-Handwerk in Nuremberg, Germany, and the Internationale Holzmesse in Klagenfurt, Austria. The Federation aims to continue growing in the near future to include Associations of countries like Greece and Turkey and to represent a bigger number of manufacturers. Plans are focused on the monitoring of shows and markets to study and solve technical problems involving the interest of European companies and foster the knowledge and wider diffusion of European woodworking technology, also through the promotion of exhibitions and conferences.

FACTS AND FIGURES
Eumabois is a non-profit federation grouping 14 national associations representing the major European manufacturers of machines and accessories for woodworking. Approximately 800 industrial companies belong to Eumabois. All member companies are engaged in the manufacturing of machines, plants and accessories for production sectors. The purpose of the federation is to coordinate, protect and promote the technical and economic interests of the European industry of woodworking machinery. Eumabois aims to represent the common interests of the European woodworking machinery industries, and promote the European woodworking machinery Industry and its developments.

Eumabois members are:

• Austria: FMMI Fachverband Maschinen and Metallwaren Industrie (www.fmmi.at)
• Czech Republic: SVDSZ Woodworking Machinery Manufacturers Association Phone (www.svdsz.cz)
• Denmark: SMT The Association of Danish Manufacturers of Machines for the Wood Industry (www.s-mt.dk)
• Finland: The Federation of Finnish Technology Industries (www.teknologiateollisuus.fi)
• France: SYMOP Syndicat des entreprises detechnologies de production (www.symop.com)
• Germany: VDMA Fachverband Holzbearbeitungsmaschinen (www.wood.vdma.org)
• Italy: ACIMALL Associazione Costruttori Italiani Macchine per la Lavorazione del Legno (www.acimall.com)
• Poland: DROMA Stowarzyszenie producentów maszyn, urzadzen i narzedzi do obróbki drewna (www.droma.com.pl)
• Portugal: AIMMAP - UNIMAP DIVISION Associação dos Industriais Metalurgicos, Metalomecânicos e Afins de Portugal (www.aimmap.pt)
• Russia: DREVMASH Association of the organisations and the enterprises of woodworking machine-building (www.rosdrevmash.ru)

• Slovak Republic: ZSDSR Zväz Spracovatel' Ov Dreva Slovenskej Republiky (www.zsdsr.sk)
• Spain: AFEMMA Asociacion De Fabricantes Españoles De Maquinaria, Equipos Y Productos Para La Madera (www.afemma.com)
• Switzerland: HBT Holzbearbeitungstechnik Schweiz HBT (www.holzbearbeitungstechnik.ch)
• Ukraine: UWMA Ukrainian Woodworking Machinery Association (www.uado.org.ua)

© Timber Design & Technology 2012