In response to the persistently tense Corona situation, the “Stockholm Furniture & Light Fair” will not take place in February 2021 (February 9th to 13th). The next edition is scheduled to take place from February 8 to 12, 2022.
The two brands “SCM” and “CMS” from the house of the machine manufacturer SCM Group were the focus of attention at the 57th edition of the annual innovation exhibition “Smau” in Milan: the Italian company was awarded the “Smau” innovation prize there. The software and digital services used in the “SCM” machines for woodworking and machines for processing composite materials, plastic, marble, glass and metal from “CMS” were honoured. General Director Marco Mancini of the SCM Group accepted the prize during a “Smau” live show on the theme of “Interconnection of plants and integrated and digital production processes: the factory becomes smart”.
According to the jury, the award “recognises the strong innovative character of the industrial machines of ‘SCM’ and ‘CMS’, equipped with digital services and IoT functions that significantly increase the efficiency and productivity of the users’ production plants”. The machines are used in various industries ranging from furniture to construction, automotive, shipbuilding, plastics processing and aerospace.
The services offered by the SCM Group include, for example, continuous monitoring and analysis of the condition and performance of the machine at any place and at any time, direct interaction and exchange of information between the customer and the technical assistance service provided, including in remote mode, and a comprehensive reduction in the time and cost of resolving any technical malfunctions thanks to the possibility of identification in real time, with a view to resolving the problem in the long term on the basis of the “performance monitoring” data obtained.
An important basis for all this is the IoT platforms “Maestro connect” from “SCM” and “CMS connect” from “CMS”. They guarantee operation with maximum efficiency and productivity for the SCM Group’s customers. “Innovation, digitalisation and customer support continue to be the key success factors for our Group and in particular for the SCM and CMS business units”, Mancini continues. “The trend in the mechanical engineering sector is for machine manufacturers to increasingly see themselves as service providers who focus on the real needs of their customers and the optimisation of their production processes and business projects”.
Journalist Simona Regina from “Radio Rai” moderated the event. Anyone wishing to relive the handover digitally during the “Smau Live Show” can do so at http://www.triwu.it/streaming/.
There is no other way to interpret it: The sales of Italian machine and tool manufacturers for woodworking and furniture production remain well below expectations. Compared to the same quarter in 2019, there is a 10.1 per cent decline in orders. Within Italy, there was even a decline of 32.3 per cent, while international demand was only down one per cent. Measured against the “Corona special year 2020” and especially the difficult second quarter, however, there was already an increase in orders of more than 40 percent.
Acimall’s quarterly survey among its members showed that the order backlog currently stands at 3.1 months. Due to a lack of orders in the second quarter, this figure had dropped to 2.4 months. Since the beginning of 2020, prices have risen by 0.6 percent.
The decline in turnover compared to the same quarter in 2019 is 9.5 per cent, in the second quarter of 2020 it was a minus of 29.8 per cent compared to 2019.
Furthermore, the analysis shows a positive production trend at 47 percent of the companies surveyed, 18 percent had a further decline and 35 percent had a stable business trend. 65 percent will keep their workforce stable, 29 expect to have to make redundancies and only six percent plan to hire new staff. With regard to inventories, 65 percent reported stable figures, while six percent reported an increase in inventories and 29 percent a decrease.
A strong brand is important in national and international competition. The paint specialist Hesse Lignal from Hamm has known this for 110 years. In an ongoing process with employees and managers, the manufacturer has further developed existing values. Now it is time to make these values visible and tangible. For this purpose, a bridge is being built between aesthetics and functionality, between tradition and progress, between inspiration and innovation. Hesse Lignal moves on this bridge competently and responsibly, always with a sense of the right balance for each customer.
The Westphalians take responsibility and act sustainably. In doing so, they want to be one thing above all: inspirational. Open to new ideas, they are always giving impulses both internally and externally, without losing sight of the practical benefits of the solutions. The brand values are inspirational, competent and responsible. This is why the manufacturer has made “Inspiring you” its motto – a common claim and daily motivation. A new corporate design is also linked to the development of the brand. The new design is gradually becoming visible both internally and externally in all areas of the company. The brand change, which began a good two years ago, has progressed so far that Hesse Lignal now wants to enter into external communication.
The extensive brand redesign will make Hesse Lignal more modern, fresh and innovative. True to the values of inspiration, competence and responsibility. Brand redesign is therefore not only a new logo, but much more. Decision-making processes have been shortened in order to react faster to dynamic market movements. Innovative product developments are brought to market in a more targeted and timely manner. Therefore, a new packaging concept is necessary that is closely aligned with the new brand values.
Ambigence is known for creating new freedom for furniture and living spaces through the use of non-visible, integrated technology. “We see ourselves as pioneers in the successful implementation of our customers’ product innovations in the furniture industry. Our goal is to accompany our customers from the idea to the development and marketing, to support them with our industry-specific know-how and to bring them together with their future customers. Through our network of partners with more than 30 companies, we include all necessary processes from the very beginning”, explains Norbert Poppenborg the business model of Ambigence, which is especially interesting for companies outside the industry, who are looking for a door opener into the world of furniture.
“It is important for us to continue to live our vision of merging design and technology in furniture,” emphasises Poppenborg, who will continue to share responsibility for the Marketing and Business Development departments. Direct contact with interested and curious people is particularly important to Ambigence. “You are welcome to visit us in our showroom in Herford. We can present you new, exciting ideas and integrated solutions and look forward to the exchange of ideas. One thing is therefore certain: The Ambigence team remains true to its mission to rethink furniture.
The leading international trade fair “Interzum” in Cologne is the leading 360° event for decision makers from the furniture industry and interior design. Every two years, the established B2B event for suppliers spans a comprehensive range of topics for its visitors, covering the diverse future topics and product innovations for tomorrow’s living. The trade fair organizers are particularly interested in the global up-and-coming generation of entrepreneurs with their innovative and often disruptive ideas, who find it difficult to find customers and open up new markets, especially in times of crisis like the current one. This is why Koelnmesse is setting up a joint stand for start-ups for the first time at the upcoming “Interzum” from May 4 to 7, 2021.
The same applies to almost all start-ups: Especially the first period of entrepreneurial independence is particularly hard and difficult – even though many of the unique ideas and concepts are already on the table. Support is therefore most welcome, and this is exactly what trade fair organizer Koelnmesse is offering interested founders and pioneers from “Interzum” 2021 – the leading international trade fair for the furniture industry and interior design.
The new start-up area is clustered in open-plan exhibition stands, each with four square meters of floor space. Interested young entrepreneurs from all over the world always book a full-service package, which includes stand construction, lighting, a bundle of various communication measures, but also admission and parking tickets and much more. With a low four-digit Euro amount, the cost block remains manageable and binding.
This is the perfect platform for the newcomers to the industry, where decision-makers from industry and trade, architects and designers can discover all kinds of new materials, substances and production processes and discuss surprising ideas or concepts in various forums. Because this is where the decisive impulses for global furnishing come from – this is where entrepreneurs, opinion leaders and multipliers make their contacts and do attractive business.
The last time this was done was in 2019, with around 75,000 trade visitors, of which over 55,000 came from abroad. About 50 percent of them came from industry, another 25 percent from trade. Among the “Interzum” visitors, an unusually high proportion of decision-makers are also to be found among those “decisively” or “co-decidingly” involved in procurement decisions, at around 70 percent. This makes “Interzum” a pronounced “matchmaker” for new relationships and business, and the Start-up Area is specifically recommended as a contact point for companies looking for partners with fresh ideas.
However, at least as important as the financial outlay is the support provided in addressing the target group in this crucial start-up phase of young companies. And this is where the “Interzum” can really convince: Booking start-ups are supported by articles in trade magazines, social media, newsletters, in the industry’s own Ambista network account, by participation in the Speakers Corner and Matchmaking 365, through the online listing on the “Interzum” website and through the publicity-effective presentation of the start-ups in the trade fair catalog, in the “Interzum” app or via the online press box – the possibilities remain uncounted and not only flank participation in the trade fair, but also sustainably promote the market entry of innovative young companies.
Presence fair, hybrid – and now “only” digital: On 30 September 2020, Messe München cancelled the classic presence fair in January 2021 and nevertheless announced that “Bau” would not be cancelled without replacement. On Friday, 16 October 2020, a survey of exhibitors ended, asking them how they would like to present their products and innovations from 13 to 15 January in a much changed and smaller format. A clear majority of the exhibitors stated that they wanted to concentrate on the purely digital concept.
The “Bau” drew the conclusion from this survey that it would be best to focus or limit its product structure to a digital format. According to Messe München, this now has the advantage that all resources can be bundled into digital presentation options and a digital supporting programme. The concrete offer for “Bau Online” will be sent to the customers of “Bau” in the next few days.
Bau Online” will offer lectures and discussions from the forums as a live stream and as recorded videos for a global audience. In addition, companies will have the opportunity to present their products virtually in their own online sessions. Virtual networking modules will be available in digital format to enable participants to exchange ideas with other participants. It is also planned to integrate the traditional “Bau Info Talks”, discussions between trade journalists and exhibitors, into “Bau Online”.
In 2023, “Bau” will then take place again as usual, including the digital offerings, which will be implemented for the first time next January. There is great confidence at Messe München, because: Nearly all well-known exhibitors who are absent due to the Corona Pandemic 2021 have already announced their participation for the next event in January 2023.
Hamburg-based Jungheinrich AG acquires a stake in Munich-based robotics start-up Magazino. Representatives of both companies have signed the corresponding contracts in Dingolfing near Munich. At the same time, Jungheinrich and Magazino have agreed on a broad strategic cooperation and will pool their expertise in the field of mobile automation in the future.
“Magazino is a highly innovative young company with outstanding competence in the field of navigation and control software for mobile automation. The investment follows our strategy in the field of automation and will make a major contribution to accelerating the expansion of our business with automated trucks,” says Dr. Lars Brzoska, Chairman of the Board of Management of Jungheinrich AG.
Automation is considered one of the intralogistics industry’s biggest growth drivers. Jungheinrich anticipates double-digit growth rates in this segment in the years ahead. This trend will be driven above all by the persistently strong rise in online trading and the global shortage of skilled logistics workers, especially forklift drivers.
Magazino has been on the market since 2014 with a mobile picking robot that is able to navigate intelligently in the warehouse and precisely pick the right cartons. The system is used in the warehouses of various online retailers and logistics service providers. “By controlling the robots in this complex environment, Magazino has acquired a globally unique competence that we want to expand together in the future and incorporate into the Jungheinrich product world,” says Dr. Lars Brzoska.
Egger is the reliable partner for dealers and carpenters in the field of prefabricated furniture components. In order to strengthen this position, the wood-based materials specialist is constantly optimising the processes between its own prefabricated furniture factories and its partner Horatec. Egger’s latest investment in this product area was made at its site in Bünde (DE). Since 1994, front elements for the furniture industry have been produced here in medium and large batch sizes.
With the new, fully automated front panel plant, even small batch sizes are now produced efficiently and faster delivery times are guaranteed. The production data is mainly transmitted directly from the customer via EDI connection. Sources of error due to manual transmission are thus prevented. “Our focus in the development of new systems is on fully automated and interlinked production processes and consistently high quality,” emphasises Georg Stolzlechner, head of sales for the finished furniture components product area.
On the new line in Bünde, Egger easily produces furniture fronts from melamine resin-coated boards and now also from PerfectSense lacquer-finished boards. Since their introduction in 2015, the high-gloss and matt premium surfaces have been writing a success story. Due to their convincing properties – pleasant feel and anti-fingerprint with matt and the extreme depth effect with gloss – they are also in great demand for finished furniture components. “Our customers appreciate the fact that the respective carrier material as well as the edge and finishing to the finished furniture part come from one manufacturer. Add to this our competent support in technical issues, furniture design and decor selection and you have the optimum package from the complete supplier,” says Stolzlechner.
Every year, Egger produces around ten million square metres of prefabricated furniture components at the locations St. Johann in Tyrol (AT), Bünde (DE), Rambervillers (FR) and the partner company Horatec. “Many carpenters have already strategically adjusted to the purchase of prefabricated parts. But we are also noticing that more and more companies from the furniture industry are deciding to buy in parts,” says Georg Stolzlechner.
With its production, Egger is ideally positioned to support customers during capacity peaks and to produce series as well as contract business. By networking the prefabricated parts plants, order fluctuations within the organisation at the respective location are balanced out. This ensures the best possible and continuous delivery reliability. “We have become more flexible with our specially established, cross-plant sales organisation and specialisation of the respective location. Thanks to short decision-making channels, we are able to respond and react to customer wishes in a more focused and faster manner,” explains Georg Stolzlechner.
