From 10 to 13 September 2013 Krasnoyarsk hosted the 15-th International Specialized Exhibition EXPODREV 2013 with a resounding success. It is rightfully considered to be the largest regional exhibition project in the field of timber industry and woodworking in Russia. It was noted by the federal authorities, foreign guests and Russian specialists of the field.

“I am delighted that today's anniversary exhibition got a new sound. It was acknowledged at the federal level. The fact that Vladimir Lebedev the Deputy Minister of Natural Resources and Environment of the Russian Federation came to us to have a look at the territory with the largest amount of forest resources, shows the importance of the regional forest industry and the people who work in it,” said the Governor of the Krasnoyarsk Territory Lev Kuznetsov at the grand opening ceremony.

The great importance of EXPODREV exhibition for the development of the economy of the region was emphasized by Michael Malkevich the head of the Forest Agency of Krasnoyarsk region: “I shall note this importance as the person who once took part in organizing the first exhibition in the mid of 90s. At that time the timber industry generally used the outdated technology and equipment. With the beginning of this event foreign manufacturers and their dealers started to appear on this market and bring the modern machinery and technology to the region. It was the dawn of the re-equipment of the region field companies. What do we see today? About 200 representatives of the world machine-building industry producing modern equipment exhibited in the EXPODREV 2013. I saw one of the German companies among the exhibitors, which is number one producer of sawmill machinery. That fact tells us that the machines of this company are needed here and the region timber industry is stepping up the pace of development. I also would like to mention the arrival of representatives of VDMA association. This also indicates that the EXPODREV exhibition truly reached the international level.

Jens Rohrbäch representative of the VDMA Association:
– The exhibition really has an international level, and it is the largest one beyond the Urals. Our participation in the show is very important because we are interested in developing business contacts with your region. The exhibition is a great platform for that. Moreover, not only we but also our colleagues from Scandinavian countries share our view and also satisfied with their participation in the EXPODREV 2013.

Undoubtedly, the positive feedback on the exhibition is fully justified. This year EXPODREV was a record high project in the history of its existence. The show exposition grew by 70%, covering all the exhibition area of Siberia expocentre which comprise 12 540 square meters. There were 175 exhibitors at show, of which 55 came from abroad. Greatly expanded the geography of the exhibitors: 19 foreign countries (Austria, Germany, Italy, China, Czech Republic, United States, Netherlands, Slovenia, Taiwan, Turkey, Finland, Japan, Latvia, Estonia, Sweden, Belarus, etc.) and 18 regions of Russia (Moscow, St. Petersburg, Nizhny Novgorod, Veliky Novgorod, Kirov, Irkutsk, Perm, Chelyabinsk, Barnaul, etc., Krasnoyarsk and the Krasnoyarsk Territory).

For 4 days the exhibition was visited by 8 317 people, among them 82% - experts of forest industry. The show visitors came from 16 foreign countries, 19 regions of Russia and 16 cities and 25 districts of the Krasnoyarsk Territory.

The increased attention to EXPODREV 2013 is based on the large scale of exposition. The main sections of the exhibition were: technologies, machinery, sawmill equipment, components for equipment, tools and accessories for woodworking and furniture industry; special vehicles, equipment and tools for wooden construction, technologies and equipment for processing waste and biofuels and production of wood boards, plywood and veneer sheet. Packing, transportation and storage equipment, offers from producers of lumber, wood panels, veneer, plywood, and builders of wooden houses; software and new solutions of the industry, and engineering services were also presented at the show.

Among the exhibitors of the show there were such companies as General Dies (Italy), Kominvest-AKMT (Moscow), BG Holztechnik (St. Petersburg), USNR (United States), Liebherr (Moscow), EWD (Germany) Dosa-Gran (Nizhny Novgorod), KAMI Association (Moscow), Polytechnik (Austria), Veisto (Finland), SAB (Germany), Komatsu Forest (St. Petersburg), Metso (Finland), Czech Woodworking Machinery Manufacturers Association (Czech Republic), Specta Interpak (Moscow), Ari Vislanda (Sweden), Hekotek (Estonia), AMKODOR (Republic of Belarus) and many others.

Among the novelties of this year you could find wood processing systems from US company a leader in the market of such equipment.

There was represented a new technology of Ekovit wood boards at the show, which allows to reduce the level of timber exploitation in the region, to increase an export of the products, reduce forest fire risk and improve the environment of the home. Modern machine tools and production systems, wood dryers, boiler plants using wood waste, measuring and control systems for all stages of the production processes, beginning with a log sorting up to output presales training, etc.

The show specialists were also interested in high-strength steel belts for automatic and manual packaging of oversize and heavy loads. The belts differ from the analog by high strength characteristics and corrosion-resistant coating.

The great success enjoyed the outdoor exposition of special vehicles which became the largest one in Russia. The world's leading brands of special vehicles for harvesting and transporting like Ponsse (Finland), John Deere (USA), Komatsu Forest (Sweden), Liebherr (Germany), Tigercat (Canada), AMKODOR (Republic of Belarus), Lifting Machines and Maikop Machine-Building plant presented their best models.

The Siberian Wood Industry Forum gathered 1 173 representative of the forestry sector and became a key event of the show. There were acted 367 people as speakers and listeners in plenary session. Among the speakers was the deputy Minister of Natural Resources and Environment - the head of the Federal Forestry Agency Vladimir Lebedev, the Governor of Krasnoyarsk Territory Lev Kuznetsov, the Minister of Natural Resources and Environment of Krasnoyarsk Territory Elena Vavilova, the head of Forestry agency Michael Malkevich and others. The participants represented the following countries - Germany, China, Czech Republic, Finland, Japan, the U.S.A., Italy, Latvia, etc.

Within the Forum framework there were organized 6 round tables, seminars and conferences on the topics:
• Human resources in forest sector along with modernization of existing facilities of wood industry. Innovative ways of learning;
• Timber processing complex of the region in terms of WTO;
• Innovations, bioenergy and biotechnologies of wood industry;
• Reforestation, forest protection: issues, challenges, necessity;
• Efficient use and conservation of forests of Krasnoyarsk Territory;
• Geography and modern qualitative assessment of forest resources in Russia and Krasnoyarsk region.

Particular attention was paid to the development of bio-energy in the Krasnoyarsk Territory. Vladimir Lebedev told that in May 31, 2013 the Russian government approved a plan of actions for creation of favorable conditions in usage of renewable wood sources and financial instruments to support this process.
“As of today there are 10 pilot regions, where the mechanisms for the development of biotechnology and bio-energy will work. And the Krasnoyarsk Territory was among the first of them. The region enterprises have a long and very interesting experience of the biofuel production, and also there are special field programs,” explain Lebedev. Besides, the Deputy Minister pointed that the prospects of development of bio-energy for Russia and, especially, for the Krasnoyarsk region are very attractive. Even today, Europe is ready to consume 6.8 million tons of biofuel annually, and by 2030 this figure will increase up to 40 million tons. In the same time, Russia currently produces only about 1 million tons of wood waste fuel.

Elena Vavilova the Minister of Natural Resources and Environment of the Krasnoyarsk Territory, for her part, note that in the Krasnoyarsk Territory there is a great potential for the development of bioenergy. “Within the framework of the program of bioenergy and biotechnology implementation as of 2014-2016 year, the region plans to create three new production facilities for pellets production, two - for fuel briquettes production and a new production of charcoal. It is also planned to start transforming the boiler enterprises and municipal corporations from oil fuel to renewable fuels,” said the regional minister.

It needs to say, that all Forum participants endorse the idea of annual event organization. Here, at the EXPODREV show the Forum is becoming the most relevant event, gathering in one place, not only the field specialists for discussing the most important issues, but also the leading technologies, thanks to which the forest industry of the Krasnoyarsk Territory and the Siberian Federal District is improved.

Another important part of the Forum (which was organized for the first time also) was the tours to leading woodworking enterprises of Krasnoyarsk Territory. Thus, an excursion to Mekran – the most modern in Russia furniture manufacturing company – was organized for the representatives of foreign delegations. The guests were shown production facilities and lines, told about the technologies and materials used for the furniture production. After the tour, foreign specialists avowed that they did not expect to see anything of the kind in Siberia. Jens Rohrbäch the representative VDMA Association and the head of the German delegation said that he was very surprised by the project: “I have very good impressions of what I saw. Particularly, I was surprised and pleased that the bulk of factory machines were from German manufacturers. Of course, the quality of Mekran furniture corresponds to European quality standards. I wish the company every success in the development and I hope that it will provide high-quality products to its customers.”

In addition, the participants of the Siberian Wood Industry Forum headed by Vladimir Lebedev and Jens Rohrbäch visited one of the most modern laboratories in a world of DNA analysis in a Center for Forest Protection of the Krasnoyarsk Territory. The Centre of Forest Protection (CFP), together with the central office in Pushkino, has taken in innovative projects for forest protection, including participating in the genome of larch and develops specialized software compiles cartographic web-server with forest pest data develops genetic techniques that can bring forest protection to a new level. At the moment, the organization has already received the first significant results, which were presented to Mr. Lebedev and Mr. Rohrbäch during their visits.

It is important to say that EXPODREV exhibition gained the Drevmash Association support. "Starting this year, we support the exhibition in Krasnoyarsk and will support it in the future. The reasons for this are obvious: the Krasnoyarsk Territory is the largest forest region and, accordingly, the timber industry here has great significance", says Vladimir Gorbenko, general director of Drevmash.

The novelty of the EXPODREV project has been obtained by the European experience of organization of a mobile TV studio Expodrev TV. Due to Expodrev TV it became possible to perform real time monitoring of what was happening at the show – the Krasnoyarsk Fair website had an online broadcast of the show. All the video materials are available on the website.

The specialized exhibition ExpoDrev was held in Krasnoyarsk on September 10-13, 2013. Next exhibition will start on September 9, 2014 and will last till September 12.

Participants’ feedback:

Allan Czinger, General Director Russia at USNR:
– We take part in the exhibition for the fifth time. This year the show has left a very good impression. We usually participate in two exhibitions only - in Moscow and Krasnoyarsk. Here we meet our customers, both those who have already become our partners and the new ones. Our main goal is to offer our services and products. This year we are opening a new office to provide service and offer spare parts. In addition to that we have received the limited liability company status, which gives our customers the ability to order parts for the equipment from the Russian company. We offer complex systems - from sorting and debarking machines to drying kilns and high-speed planing. Our company is the world's largest manufacturer of integrated systems for wood processing. Moreover, all products are manufactured in the United States. Next year we will participate in the ExpoDrev exhibition again.

Stepan Jilek, director of the Moscow office of the Czech Trade Promotion Agency of the Ministry of Industry and Trade of the Czech Republic:
– The purpose of our visit is to see what opportunities this region gives for the development of Czech companies. If the results are high, next year we want to come here with a wider exposition and bring equipment and machinery. This year we represent 15 companies, members of the Union of Woodworking Companies. This number includes both those who are engaged in the primary processing of wood and those who work in the field of biotechnology. Czech engineering has always been known for its quality. Therefore, the equipment that we offer is of a very high quality and at the same time it has reasonable prices. Krasnoyarsk region is one of the key regions exporting a large volume of lumber, and this is the place where this lumber should be processed. This is the reason why our companies search partners and customers here. The exhibition left only positive impressions, and next year will come back to Krasnoyarsk to EXPODREV.

German Roshkovskiy, Candidate of chemical sciences, Director of Sawmill Concept (St. Petersburg):
– This year we came to EXPODREV to show our products and technology. Swedish technologies are among the most advanced in the world. The Swedish forest similar to the Russian in its structure, and our experience will be valuable for the Russian market. Here we represent several companies. One designs and manufactures sawing lines based on milling and planking profiling machines. All processes are fully automated and computerized. The operator simply enters the program and the computer develops an optimal scheme of log sawing itself. The second company produces a line for sorting of boards after they have been sawed. This equipment provides accurate sorting by quality and geometry, with and without human intervention. The third company provides electronics, automating sawing and sorting processes – 3D and X-ray scanners that allow sorting lumber by the type of wood. We always take part in exhibitions in Moscow, St. Petersburg, and Vologda and, of course, Krasnoyarsk. Krasnoyarsk region is one of the main forest regions of Russia, rich in resources and capacities, and next year we plan to take part in the EXPODREV exhibition.

Carlo Bottoli, Managing consultant; Marina Popova, Sales manager at GENERAL DIES (Italy):
– At the exhibition we present the Italian company, which is located in Verona. For more than 60 years GENERAL DIES is represented on the market. The production is divided into two sections: the first produces spare parts, the other - the equipment that is used for granulation. We produce equipment for pellet manufacturing for different directions of the industry: wood sector, the production of compound animal feed, etc. Previously, we participated only in Moscow exhibition. This year we decided to come to Krasnoyarsk. Our main goal is to find here, on the constantly growing Russian market, new partners and customers. Despite the fact it is our first time in Krasnoyarsk region, we shall note a huge potential that we see here for us. Therefore, we would like to take part in the EXPODREV exhibition next year. Yet it must be said that the city itself made ??a good impression on us, the organizers of the exhibition are very friendly and responsive.

Timofei Bogatenko, director of sales and marketing branch at Komatsu CIS:
- This is our third time we come to the exhibition in Krasnoyarsk. Each year we bring here our novelties. Today you can see unique timber industry machinery – harvester and forwarder, which are second to none in their functionality and configuration. Our company is a leader in the production of forestry equipment. The Krasnoyarsk region for us is one of the priority markets as it is considered one of the most forest regions of Russia. I am confident that we will continue to participate in this exhibition.