HOLZ-HANDWERK: a practical guide to the wood crafts

HOLZ-HANDWERK is the European Trade Fair for Machine Technology, Equipment and Supplies for the Wood Crafts. The next edition is scheduled for 28–31 March 2028 at Exhibition Centre Nuremberg, Messezentrum 1, 90471 Nürnberg, Germany. Organised by VDMA Woodworking Machinery and NürnbergMesse GmbH, the biennial fair focuses on processing and working wood for craft and production businesses. It runs alongside FENSTERBAU FRONTALE; combined attendance figures are not HOLZ-HANDWERK-only totals.

Why HOLZ-HANDWERK matters

Woodworking shops make linked choices about machinery, tools, materials, finishing and workshop organisation. HOLZ-HANDWERK brings these categories into one professional setting, helping visitors compare options and relate products to real workshop tasks.

• Explore: machinery, tools, materials, fittings and software for wood crafts.
• Compare: options for one-off work, craft businesses and series production.
• Learn: use special areas and talks to follow practical and technical themes.
• Plan: turn observations into questions for suppliers and workshop colleagues.

At the 2026 joint event with FENSTERBAU FRONTALE, the organiser reported 1,022 exhibitors from 47 countries and around 75,000 trade visitors from 117 countries. These are combined-event figures.

Who should visit HOLZ-HANDWERK?

Carpenters, joiners and parquet layers

Assess tools and machinery against everyday workshop tasks. Compare handling, setup, accuracy and the workpiece sizes relevant to your jobs. The organiser identifies carpenters, joiners and parquet layers among the trades the fair serves.

Workshop owners and production managers

Review equipment, workflow or workshop organisation. Consider machinery for one-off or series production alongside extraction, disposal, safety and software. Prepare the work types, capacity constraints and process questions suppliers need to understand.

Woodworking machinery, tools and materials buyers

Source equipment, components or consumables against defined specifications. Ask suppliers about compatibility, service and operating requirements. The product range spans machinery, power tools, finishing, hardware, materials and workshop systems.

Furniture, cabinetry and interior-work professionals

Compare components, fittings, surface treatments and wood-based materials against current project dimensions, finish and fabrication needs. Note the technical details requiring follow-up; the official range includes products for furniture-making and interior finishing.

What can you find at HOLZ-HANDWERK?

Machines, tools and workshop systems

• Woodworking machinery for secondary processing, one-off production, mass production and craft businesses.
• Electrical and pneumatic tools, including cordless screwdrivers, combi hammers, circular table saws and polishing machines.
• Grinding and polishing products, sanding machines and accessories.
• Air handling, extraction and disposal equipment, including shredders.

Finishing, fittings and materials

• Finishing equipment and hardware for wood surfaces.
• Fixing equipment and furniture fittings.
• Wood and wood-based materials, including solid-wood panels, chipboard and fibreboard.
• Construction elements, semi-finished products, built-in parts and systems for furniture-making and interior finishing.

Digital and professional resources

• Software and organisation tools for woodworking business processes.
• Environmental-protection and industrial-safety products.
• Technical colleges, associations and trade press covering curricula, training and industry developments.

What makes HOLZ-HANDWERK distinctive?

The fair connects machinery and materials with wood-craft applications across carpentry, joinery, furniture production and interior finishing. It is co-located with FENSTERBAU FRONTALE, but each event has distinct product focuses; use HOLZ-HANDWERK’s own categories to plan your visit.

Previous editions have featured the FSH Bayern special show, HOLZ-HANDWERK Arena and ZUKUNFTSRAUM. The 2026 programme included materials and design, practical industry dialogue, digitalisation, artificial intelligence and skilled-labour topics. These are past-edition examples, not a confirmed 2028 schedule; check the organiser’s programme when published.

How to prepare for HOLZ-HANDWERK

1. Set a brief: define the workshop task, sourcing need or learning objective you want to address.
2. Bring specifications: note workpiece dimensions, materials, process steps, capacity and finish requirements. Share confidential drawings only when authorised.
3. Prioritise suppliers: use the official exhibitor and product-finding tools when 2028 listings are available; separate must-visit suppliers from optional stops.
4. Prepare technical questions: ask about capacity, accuracy, setup, safety, extraction, materials, software integration, maintenance and service.
5. Check visitor information: confirm admission, registration, hours, access and programme details with the organiser. The fair is aimed at trade visitors; the organiser says proof of industry affiliation is not required.

Make the most of the exhibition floor

For each relevant product, record supplier → product → application → specification to verify → next action. When comparing extraction equipment, for example, note the machine or process it must serve and ask which installation conditions affect suitability. Keep notes concise, and mark unclear claims for written confirmation rather than relying on memory.

Programme and learning opportunities

The 2026 supporting programme included the FSH Bayern special show “DesignObjekt – ObjektDesign”, HOLZ-HANDWERK Arena, ZUKUNFTSRAUM and a focus on interior doors. Organiser descriptions covered materials and surfaces, practical knowledge transfer, industry dialogue, digitalisation and artificial intelligence. Treat these as recent examples only; the 2028 programme is not yet confirmed in the information reviewed.

Plan your time and arrival

The fair runs for four days. One day may suit a focused visit around selected product groups and suppliers; more time may help if you need several machinery comparisons and confirmed programme sessions. Official visitor information covers travel by car, train and plane. Check current connections and access arrangements before travelling.

Published 2028 opening hours vary: 10:00–18:00 Tuesday to Thursday and 10:00–17:00 Friday. Use the organiser’s current daily schedule when arranging appointments.

After HOLZ-HANDWERK: turn notes into decisions

Sort findings into immediate technical follow-up, potential suppliers and general market information. Send suppliers the application details needed for a useful response: material, dimensions, operation, capacity, finish and timing. Compare specifications and service assumptions consistently, involve the operators who will use the equipment, and verify terms before deciding.

Who should consider exhibiting?

The official product range indicates relevance for manufacturers and suppliers of woodworking machinery, tools, grinding and polishing products, finishing equipment, furniture fittings, wood-based materials, workshop software, extraction and disposal systems, and industrial safety. Exhibitors should define the craft or production applications they serve and the technical questions a qualified discussion should address. Confirm 2028 stand conditions with NürnbergMesse.

HOLZ-HANDWERK visitor checklist

Before

• ☐ Confirm registration, opening hours and access arrangements.
• ☐ Set a workshop, sourcing or learning objective.
• ☐ List relevant products, specifications and supplier questions.
• ☐ Check the 2028 exhibitor directory and programme when available.

During

• ☐ Compare products against the same application and specification.
• ☐ Record supplier, product, technical details and next action.
• ☐ Verify compatibility, safety and service requirements.

After

• ☐ Follow up on priority specifications, quotations and demonstrations.
• ☐ Review options with workshop operators and decision-makers.
• ☐ Compare requirements before committing to equipment or materials.

Is HOLZ-HANDWERK worth visiting?

It is most relevant to woodworking trades and businesses comparing machinery, tools, materials or workshop systems against real production needs. Its broad product range supports a joined-up review of equipment and workflow, while recent programme areas add learning and industry discussion. A clear task and prepared supplier questions make comparisons more useful than an unplanned walk through the fair.

HOLZ-HANDWERK 2028 at a glance

Make your visit purposeful

Choose the workshop problem, sourcing need or technical question you want to address. Compare equipment, materials and ideas against that objective, record what needs verification and follow up on the most relevant options.

Woodworking machinery opportunities in Germany

Market conditions

VDMA’s woodworking-machinery association reported that orders in the German woodworking machinery sector fell by 11% during the first eight months of 2025. This is an industry order indicator, not a measure of all woodworking demand or a forecast for 2028; it suggests buyers and suppliers should assess applications and investment cases carefully.

Potential commercial implications

• Machinery makers may use discussions with craft and production professionals to test where secondary-processing equipment and workshop systems fit current requirements. The order decline is a reason to qualify needs and investment timing, not proof of demand for a particular machine.
• Workshop buyers may compare one-off and series-production machinery, tools, extraction or software against throughput, floor space, materials and service needs.
• Suppliers of tools, finishing systems, fittings and wood-based materials may explore application fit with carpentry, furniture-making and interior-finishing businesses; product-level demand and terms need direct validation.

Market-entry evidence limits

No current Germany-specific woodworking machinery market-size, import or certification figure was verified for this guide. Requirements depend on each product and its intended use; check the rules applicable to individual machinery, materials and consumer-facing products.

What this may mean for exhibitors and visitors

Exhibitors could use HOLZ-HANDWERK to understand technical priorities and qualify applications, while recognising that the reported order decline does not guarantee demand or sales. Visitors may compare supplier capabilities and identify questions for investment evaluation, then verify specifications, service terms and regulatory obligations independently.