Germany\u2019s sawmilling and timber industry will meet in Wiesbaden on 18\u201319 November with production falling and companies cutting operating hours, extending maintenance shutdowns and postponing investment. The German Timber Congress comes as the industry association DeSH reports that sector output declined by almost 9% in January\u2013August 2026 compared with an already weak previous year.<\/p>\n
Organised by DeSH at the RheinMain CongressCenter, the congress will examine how producers can improve competitiveness while construction demand remains subdued, raw-material costs stay high and international trade becomes less predictable. Domestic wood supply, political reform and the practical use of artificial intelligence will feature alongside the market discussions.<\/p>\n
Housing policy gives those discussions an immediate commercial focus. In a statement published on 3 November, DeSH warned that German housing completions could fall below 200,000 this year. The association criticised proposed reductions in new-build support in the 2027 federal budget and called for dependable funding, faster approvals and simpler construction requirements.<\/p>\n
Its demands extend to the way timber buildings are approved. DeSH wants more consistent procedures across Germany and better recognition of modular timber construction in technical building rules. It argues that long approval processes continue to restrict the use of industrialised building methods that could shorten construction times. These are concrete policy requests against which the congress\u2019s political discussions can be assessed.<\/p>\n
Hesse\u2019s agriculture and forestry minister Ingmar Jung and DeSH president Stephan Lang are scheduled to open the congress on Wednesday afternoon. Political journalist Dagmar Rosenfeld will then examine Germany\u2019s difficulty in implementing reforms and the consequences for companies. The following morning, an industry discussion will consider what businesses across the chain, from forestry to timber construction, need from policymakers. A second debate will bring together representatives of state politics and business to discuss their respective roles in overcoming the crisis.<\/p>\n
The international market session will be led by Moritz Schularick, president of the Kiel Institute for the World Economy and a professor at Sciences Po in Paris. His Wednesday presentation will address how trade disputes, geopolitical tensions, weak construction and changing financing conditions affect demand, investment and industrial competitiveness. The organiser has framed the session around the transmission of global economic developments to individual sawmills and timber businesses.<\/p>\n
On Thursday, journalist and digital commentator Sascha Lobo will discuss how artificial intelligence is already changing business models and working practices. His presentation will consider what companies can do now to adopt the technology and prepare for further changes, bringing the programme\u2019s attention back to decisions within businesses themselves.<\/p>\n
The accompanying exhibition will include 63 exhibitors, according to DeSH\u2019s latest announcement, with all exhibition space allocated several weeks before the event. Suppliers will cover machinery and plant engineering, drying, sorting and optimisation, energy, logistics, fire protection, digitalisation and certification. An exhibitor speed-dating session on Wednesday morning will precede the formal opening, giving participants an additional opportunity to meet suppliers.<\/p>\n
Forest ownership and raw-material supply will also have a dedicated presence through the Wald- und Holzmeile Hessen<\/em> exhibition area. Participants include the state forestry organisation HessenForst, the Hessian forest owners\u2019 association, Familienbetriebe Land und Forst Hessen, the state ministry and the Landesbeirat Holz Hessen. Their joint presentation will address forest resilience, reliable wood supplies and greater use of timber, bringing forest managers and owners into discussions with industrial buyers.<\/p>\n The Hesse Timber Construction Award will provide examples of completed building projects alongside the policy debate. A total of 29 projects qualified for the competition, with awards in the new-build and special-prize categories. The ceremony takes place on Wednesday at 16:00, recognising architectural quality, construction methods and the use of wood and wood-based materials.<\/p>\n The official registration page now lists the congress as sold out. The programme concludes on Thursday afternoon, following two days linking the industry\u2019s immediate problems\u2014orders, costs and wood availability\u2014with the investment and policy decisions that will shape its recovery.<\/p>","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":" Germany\u2019s sawmilling and timber industry will meet in Wiesbaden on 18\u201319 November with production falling and companies cutting operating hours, extending maintenance shutdowns and postponing investment. The German Timber Congress comes as the industry association DeSH reports that sector output … Continue reading