INTERFORST takes on a leading role in shaping the future of European forestry

From October 15 to 18, 2026, 400 companies from 28 countries showcased products and solutions in the fields of forestry and forestry technology. The theme of INTERFORST 2026 was “Shape the forest together. Utilize diversity. Secure the future.” Over the course of four days at the Messe München exhibition grounds, about 42,000 visitors experienced numerous innovations and trends related to the key themes of A Healthy Forest of the Future, People in Focus, Forestry Technology on New Paths, and Digitalization of Forestry & Wood.

In light of the European regulations on deforestation and nature restoration, as well as climate change and economic pressures, the forestry sector is facing major challenges.

The attendance of high-ranking individuals such as Federal Minister of Agriculture Alois Rainer, Bavaria’s Minister of Forestry Michaela Kaniber, and Minister of Economic Affairs Hubert Aiwanger underscored the political significance of INTERFORST 2026.

As a leading international trade fair, it brought together representatives from the worlds of politics, business, and research to discuss key future issues and the political framework conditions governing the forestry sector.

After four days of the trade fair and the new fall date, Messe München Managing Director Dr. Reinhard Pfeiffer is positive about how things went: “INTERFORST has impressively demonstrated the central role it plays in shaping change in the forestry sector. As a leading international trade fair, it brings together politics, business, and research; promotes dialogue on sustainable political framework conditions; and provides important inspiration for the entire industry. For us at Messe München, this also represents a clear mandate: As a reliable partner to the industry, we will work together to expand the trade fair in line with European market needs for 2030.”

The exhibitors are also very satisfied, as confirmed by Ralf Dreeke, Chairman of the Advisory Board: “The mood among the companies at the trade fair was very good. The increase in visitors from Finland, Austria, Croatia, and northern Germany is particularly encouraging. The new action areas for demonstrating solutions are a hit with visitors. That was a great start toward better meeting visitors’ needs in the future.”

Gert Unterreiner, Deputy Chairman of the Advisory Board, agrees: “INTERFORST was an absolute highlight of the year, bringing together the entire industry. The quality and quantity of the visitors is particularly commendable, as is the excellent organization on the grounds and the implementation of the action and demonstration areas.”

In addition to appealing to industry professionals, INTERFORST also addressed the general public this year. According to Bernhard Breitsameter, president of the Bavarian Forest Owners’ Association, the event makes a significant contribution to the role of forests in society: As the leading trade fair for the forestry industry, INTERFORST has succeeded in raising awareness of forest conservation, forest conversion, and forest management—using its media reach to extend beyond the political sphere and into individual households.”

400 exhibitors showcase the future of forestry and forestry technology

INTERFORST 2026 centered on four key themes: “A Healthy Forest for the Future,” “People in Focus,” “Forestry Technology on New Paths,” and “Digitalization of Forestry & Wood.” Over the course of four days, 400 companies (up 14 percent from 2022) showcased innovations and sustainable solutions for the forestry sector. The proportion of international exhibitors reached a record high, with 40 percent of exhibitors coming from abroad. In addition to Germany, the top exhibitor countries are Austria, Italy, Sweden, France, Finland, China, Switzerland, Latvia, and Slovenia.

INTERFORST Exhibition Director Petra Hess cites the reasons for the success of the trade fair: “INTERFORST thrives on the fact that we continue to develop it together with the industry. Our exhibitors have been actively involved in the trade fair concept from the very beginning, contributing ideas and, in particular, bringing the new hands-on formats to life. The fact that these offerings have been so well received confirms that our collaborative approach is a key component of our success.”

The close cooperation between INTERFORST and the industry had a direct impact on the trade fair experience, as emphasized by Yvonne Oehler, Managing Director of Oehler Maschinen: “The past few days have shown that the new concept for INTERFORST 2026 is a complete success for both visitors and exhibitors. Visitors really appreciate that there are more demonstration areas where they can see the machines in use live. We are pleased that the trade fair has regained its international specialist character.”  

Among the many international exhibitors this year was the Finnish company AGCO Power. For Account Manager Heikki Hihnala, attending the trade fair was a success: “We are very satisfied with INTERFORST 2026. It provided an excellent opportunity to meet customers and key decision-makers, strengthen relationships, and engage in valuable discussions about the future of forestry.

The German-speaking markets are of great importance to AGCO Power, and INTERFORST is undoubtedly one of the most important events for us in this region.”

Visitors give top marks

The successful outcome of the trade fair is also reflected in the survey carried out by the Gelszus market research institute, in which 96 percent of the visitors rated the fair as good to excellent. In addition, 93 percent confirmed INTERFORST’s leading role within the industry.

A total of about 42,000 people from 75 countries attended INTERFORST 2026. In addition to Germany, the top visitor countries include: Austria, Switzerland, Italy, the Czech Republic, Serbia, Slovenia, Croatia, Finland and Romania.

New action and demonstration areas impress visitors

Among the most important new features of INTERFORST 2026 were demonstration and action areas in the outdoor exhibition grounds. In the demonstration areas, exhibitors have the opportunity to present their vehicles and machines live at their stands. A total of 44 companies are benefiting from the additional exhibition space.

For the first time, the demonstration areas were located directly at the exhibitors’ booths. This is a huge advantage for demonstrating equipment and machinery, as Markus Eichinger, Co-Founder of Reil & Eichinger, explains: “The new demonstration areas were very well received by the trade fair audience, and we found it much easier to set them up. By integrating them into our stand, we had more flexibility with the demonstration times and were better able to accommodate visitors’ requests. We are completely satisfied.”

In addition to the exhibitors’ newly introduced demonstration areas, this year featured—for the first time—three action areas focusing on workflows in timber transport, networking in highly mechanized timber harvesting, and the firewood value chain.

There, visitors had the opportunity to observe the processes of the forestry value chain firsthand. One of these areas was designed by PALFINGER EPSILON. For Regional Marketing Manager Sophia Austrup, this was the perfect addition: “INTERFORST 2026 was once again a great success for PALFINGER EPSILON. The trade fair provided the ideal platform to showcase our products live and in real use, and to demonstrate their performance to a wide audience. In particular, our personal interactions with local and international customers and partners underscored the high level of interest in our solutions.”

INTERFORST supporting program: Knowledge, technology, exchange

The supporting program highlights INTERFORST’s four key themes through a variety of formats. More than 30 presentations and panel discussions at the conference and forums gave visitors the opportunity to expand their expertise in the fields of forestry and forestry technology. In addition, the special exhibition “Shaping forests together” addressed key issues concerning the future of the forest, while the Social Insurance for Agriculture, Forestry, and Horticulture (SVLFG) focused on safety, health, and responsible work practices in the outdoor exhibition area. The Bavarian State Forests’ vocational skills competition and STIHL TIMBERSPORTS® showcased forestry technology in action.

Alongside the supporting program, this year’s INTERFORST featured the special area “SYSTEMS & COMPONENTS FORESTRY by DLG” in Hall B6 for the first time. The insights into digital solutions in the fields of automotive electronics, sensor technology, and AI-based applications were very well received by visitors. This partnership is to continue in the future.

The next INTERFORST will be held from October 17 to 20, 2030, at the Munich exhibition grounds.