Afterthought WoodPro+25

HoutPro+ 2025: four days that gave the industry a push toward the future

There are those moments when you feel a sector collectively shifts up a gear. HoutPro+ 2025 was one of those. Not because there were more stands than ever, or because machines were running harder than in previous editions, but because the conversations sounded different. More direct. More future-oriented. And above all: with more energy and willingness to build together for what is to come.

With ample 220 exhibitors and 12,838 visitors was given that dynamic, moreover, an impressive stage.
Anyone who walked into the Brabanthallen this year noticed it immediately. The classic opposition between ‘old craft’ and ‘new technology’ gave way to something much more interesting: a sector that needs both and connects them effortlessly. Craft that does not feel threatened by innovation - but grows stronger because of it. Digitalization that is not an end in itself, but a lever for quality, creativity and efficiency.

Between the imposing machines, the sophisticated interior concepts, the materials, the software and the smart solutions, there was one common thread: change is no longer a future plan, but daily reality.

And then there was something else! The pleasure of meeting again in real life after 3 years. The spontaneous conversations that grew into concrete ideas. The demonstrations that not only showed what a machine can do, but also rekindled the love of craftsmanship among visitors. The Interior Pavilion that brought designers and makers closer together in one move. The craftsmanship that once again showed itself in all its precision and pride at the Parquet Craft Square.

It was not the booths, but the cross-pollination that made this edition special.

HoutPro+ 2025 was not a sum of products and innovations. Rather, it felt more like a collective check-in: where are we, where do we want to go, and how do we make sure we keep finding each other along the way?

What the fair made especially clear is that the timber industry is alive and well in the Netherlands. That it is growing. That it is daring. And that it wants to fully assume its role in the broad construction and interior chain.

The next edition won't come until 2028. But those who walked around in 2025 know that the seeds have already been planted - in new collaborations, fresh ideas and a renewed pride in the profession.

HoutPro+ remains the compass of an industry that wants to move forward. And this year, the needle pointed remarkably clearly toward the future.