INTERFORST starts the year 2026 with momentum

INTERFORST is on target. With the presence of numerous leading companies, INTERFORST emphasizes its important role as an innovation platform and industry meeting place. The international trade fair for forestry and forest technology will take place at the Messe München exhibition center from October 15 to 18, 2026.

With around eight months to go before the start of the trade fair, the forestry industry finds itself facing a number of current challenges—including the economic situation, the consequences of climate change, the digital transformation and the increasing shortage of skilled workers.

Despite this challenging environment, INTERFORST Exhibition Director Petra Westphal is optimistic about the upcoming event: “We are very aware of the current challenges in the forestry industry. Now more than ever, we see INTERFORST as a reliable partner and a strong platform for orientation, exchange and practical stimulus. The current number of registrations is at the same level as the record-setting event in 2018, underlining the importance of INTERFORST for the industry.”

In addition to core countries such as Germany and Austria, companies from the Czech Republic, Finland, France, Italy, Slovenia, Switzerland, the UK, and even Brazil and Canada have already confirmed their participation in INTERFORST 2026. At present, a total of 24 countries are represented at the trade fair, and the international share of exhibitors at INTERFORST is currently around 40 percent.

A large number of leading companies are among the registered exhibitors. These include, for example, EPSILON, HDG, Heizomat, HSM, Husquarna, Oehler, Pfanner, Reil & Eichinger, Ritter, Sennebogen, STIHL, STRAUSS, Tajfun, Unterreiner, Welte, Waldburg and Wahlers.

For Ralf Dreeke, Managing Director of Wahlers Forsttechnik and Chairman of the INTERFORST Advisory Board, INTERFORST is a must-attend event: “No other trade fair offers a comparable overview of the latest developments in forestry in such a compact way and brings users, manufacturers and decision-makers together in such a targeted manner. The high quality of the audience, the intensive personal exchange and the opportunity to present various processes live on site make INTERFORST a pivotal platform for us.”

Norbert Harrer, Managing Director of the Association of German Forestry Companies, agrees with Dreeke: “INTERFORST is highly relevant for companies, practitioners, and those with responsibility in the forestry industry. At the same time, it is an important political forum, as the presence of institutions and political decision-makers strengthens the professional dialog and makes the industry’s concerns visible.”

INTERFORST key topics have the future of the industry firmly in their sights

INTERFORST will be focusing on four central topics at the upcoming event. The key topics in 2026 are Healthy Future Forest, Focus on People, Forestry Technology on New Paths, and Digitalization of Forest & Wood.

A healthy forest of the future requires responsible, sustainable and long-term management of forest resources. The central basis for this is a functioning closed-loop model that reconciles the resource-conserving use of wood with reforestation, forest conversion and the preservation of biodiversity; it takes equal account of the ecological, economic and social dimensions.

Modern forestry is increasingly relying on technical and digital applications. Geoinformation systems, drones, sensor technology and artificial intelligence support the management and maintenance of forests while opening up new possibilities for efficient and forward-looking planning.

At the same time, the forest is essential in dealing with climate change. Topics such as climate adaptation, CO₂ storage and resource conservation in the use of renewable raw materials are increasingly coming into focus.

People remain a key success factor. Forest owners, forestry companies, specialists and users alike shape forestry and contribute to the creation of added value for society, regions and future generations.

The selection of key topics for INTERFORST 2026 has received great support from exhibitors, as Gert Unterreiner, owner of Unterreiner Forstgeräte and Deputy Chairman of the INTERFORST Advisory Board, emphasizes:

“The key topics reflect the central challenges facing the forestry industry. The fact that INTERFORST focuses on these in a structured way and that we as exhibitors can show suitable processes in a practical way in the demonstration areas underlines its claim to be a leading trade fair.”

Supporting program: Conferences and forums meet live demonstrations

The key topics of INTERFORST are reflected both in the exhibition areas and in the accompanying supporting program. Over the four days of the trade fair, visitors will have the opportunity to find out about new products and trends as well as practical solutions and products in presentations, live demonstrations and special shows.

Bernhard Breitsameter, President of the Bavarian Forest Owners’ Association, shares words of praise about the demonstration areas: “INTERFORST appeals to forest owners in a special way because it not only conveys content in theory, but also brings it to life in numerous live demonstrations and practical examples. This direct practical relevance is exactly what makes the trade fair a must-attend event for forest owners.”

The INTERFORST Conference on October 15 and 16, 2026 also offers the opportunity to meet experts on site and expand specialist knowledge at the highest level. Highlights of the conference to look forward to in the coming fall include the lecture “Solutions for climate-stable future forests” (Joachim Hamberger, Head of the Bavarian Office for Forest Genetics: Thursday, October 15) and the presentation “Artificial intelligence in forestry” (Ludwig Graf Douglas, TimberTom: Friday, October 16).

The lecture program will be supplemented by the INTERFORST Forums from October 16 to 18. The topics of the presentations range from “Forestry vs. nature park” to “Generational change in the forest” and “Training in forestry”. Live demonstrations are also offered by the exhibitors’ demonstration areas at the individual stands in the outdoor area.

SYSTEMS & COMPONENTS Forestry by DLG, a collaboration with the DLG (German Agricultural Society), is celebrating its premiere this year in Hall B6. As a B2B marketplace for the international supplier industry for mobile machinery, this exhibition area showcases intelligent systems and innovative components for greater efficiency, sustainability, and performance in modern forestry. SYSTEMS & COMPONENTS Forestry is primarily aimed at B2B visitors, OEM designers, developers, and purchasers.

The INTERFORST Ticket Shop will be available from April 2026.