INTERFORST 2026 Expands to 400 Exhibitors and Live Forestry Demonstrations

A larger international forestry show

INTERFORST will return to Messe München from October 15 to 18, 2026 with 400 exhibitors spanning reforestation, timber harvesting, transport, digital systems, processing, occupational safety and wood energy. Organizer Messe München says exhibitor participation has increased 14% from the previous edition in 2022, while the international share has risen seven percentage points to 41%. That gives the four-day fair a stronger cross-border character at a time when forest owners and equipment suppliers are adapting to climate damage, labour constraints and changing energy markets.

The event is held once every four years, which makes the 2026 edition a useful checkpoint for machinery cycles rather than a routine annual gathering. Large harvesting and transport equipment is capital-intensive and remains in service for years. Buyers therefore need more than product launches: they need to compare fuel use, uptime, service support, operator safety, digital compatibility and the ability to work under different forest conditions.

Machines move from stands into demonstrations

The most visible change is the addition of demonstration and action areas on the outdoor grounds. Forty-four companies will use the extra space to present vehicles and machines at their stands. Separate action areas will show complete processes, including timber transport, digital connectivity in mechanized harvesting and the firewood chain from forwarding and sawing through splitting and energy use.

That format matters because forestry equipment performance is difficult to judge from a static display. Crane control, traction, loading cycles, hydraulic response and operator visibility become clearer when a machine is working. Live demonstrations do not replace independent testing or whole-life cost analysis, but they allow contractors and forest managers to narrow the gap between specifications and practical operation.

The exhibitor mix cited by the organizer includes specialist technology companies and large equipment brands. The innovation themes range from new drive and energy concepts to materials that could replace some plastic-based forestry applications. AI tools, connected machines, optimized crane and harvesting components and service systems are also on the agenda, reflecting an industry in which productivity increasingly depends on data and maintenance as well as mechanical capacity.

Four themes connect forests, workers and technology

INTERFORST has organized the programme around four themes: healthy forests of the future, people in focus, new paths for forestry technology, and digitalization of forestry and wood. This structure links equipment decisions to regeneration, workforce management and climate resilience. A more efficient harvester can reduce downtime and costs, but the wider forestry system still depends on suitable tree species, safe work practices, skilled operators and reliable access to markets.

The congress and forum programme includes sessions on climate-stable forests, sustainable human-resources management, industry trends, artificial intelligence, the carbon footprint of timber supply and skills for chainsaw work. Germany's Federal Minister of Agriculture, Food and Regional Affairs Alois Rainer and Bavaria's Minister Michaela Kaniber are scheduled to open the fair, placing public policy alongside commercial technology and forest science.

What attendees should examine

For equipment buyers, the practical questions extend beyond novelty. They include whether digital systems can exchange data across mixed fleets, how manufacturers will support machines outside their home markets, what training is required, and whether energy or emissions improvements survive real duty cycles. Forest owners should also ask how proposed tools change soil disturbance, residual stand damage, worker exposure and the economics of harvesting smaller or climate-affected timber.

The headline growth to 400 exhibitors is significant, but the more durable measure of INTERFORST 2026 will be the quality of comparisons it enables. A trade fair can accelerate procurement and partnerships; it cannot by itself resolve fragmented ownership, volatile timber prices or long forest regeneration periods. Its value lies in putting machinery, operators, scientists, policymakers and buyers in the same place while the technology is available for direct inspection.