Slovenian Wood Industry Day is the central event of the Slovenian wood and furniture industry! It took place for the seventh time on 12th of March 2026 at the Ljubljana Exhibition and Convention Center, as part of the DOM fair.

The event brought together representatives of the state, companies, research and development institutions, architects, engineers, students and other experts from the wood processing industry.

The participants were welcomed by Dejan Židan, State Secretary at the Ministry of the Economy, Tourism and Sport, and Nataša Kos, Deputy Director of SPIRIT Slovenia.

Mr Židan emphasized: “The wood processing industry has great development potential – both in terms of economic growth and sustainable development. But if we want to exploit the potential of wood as a strategic raw material, we must also be aware of some challenges,” he warned. He highlighted the goal of processing as much wood as possible domestically – into products with higher added value, and emphasized the importance of investing in knowledge, education and the attractiveness of professions in the wood industry. “Wood as a material will have even greater importance in the future than it does today. It is a renewable resource that plays an important role in the transition to a low-carbon society, in the development of a circular economy and in sustainable construction. Therefore, it is important that we jointly develop new products, new technologies and new business models that will enable Slovenian companies to be more competitive on the global market. The key to success is cooperation – between companies, research institutions, educational institutions and the state,” he concluded.

Ms Kos highlighted the importance of the long-term development of the industry and the role of wood as a strategic material for the future: “Slovenia is the third most forested country in Europe, so wood represents an important development opportunity for our economy. As a renewable and low-carbon material, it plays a key role in the transition to a green and circular economy, while also opening up numerous opportunities for the development of innovative products with higher added value. Wood is also an important element of sustainable construction and a key raw material for the development of modern, environmentally friendly solutions. At SPIRIT Slovenia, we have therefore been successfully implementing activities to promote wood and support companies in their development for many years, together with the Ministry of Economy.” She added that they also pay special attention to young people: “We also pay special attention to young people, as we want to increase interest in woodworking professions and present them with the numerous career opportunities offered by the woodworking industry.”

The participants listened to a presentation of the state and development opportunities of the Slovenian wood processing industry by Prof. Dr. Tjaša Redek from the Faculty of Economics, University of Ljubljana. This was followed by an open discussion with company representatives about the challenges and opportunities of the development of the industry in practice. Participants included Aleš Pevc (Technology Park Ljubljana), Nejc Jezeršek (Mizarstvo Jezeršek), Luka Stepan (Sito) and Petra Kos (Mizarstvo Kos), and the discussion was moderated by Prof. Dr. Tjaša Redek.

The program also included a presentation on the importance of intellectual property rights for the development of new ideas and a discussion on how wood companies can increase productivity, add value and successfully transfer businesses to the next generation. Company representatives Robert Florjančič (Mizarstvo Florjančič), Melita Žiher (Žiher hiše), Mojca Mlinar (Mlinar pohištvo) and Miran Berk (Prima oprema) presented their experiences in the discussion.

One of the key topics of this year’s meeting was intergenerational transfers of ownership in family businesses. The discussions showed that the new generation often brings more digitalization, sustainable business approaches and a focus on higher added value to the industry, while preserving the knowledge and experience of previous generations. Participants included Irena Meterc (SPIRIT Slovenia), Jaka Hrovat (Mizarstvo Hrovat), Eva Rihter (Rihter) and Dejan Petkovšek (Javor formwork boards), and the discussion was moderated by Andrej Šolinc from CEED Slovenia.

At the conclusion, participants also had the opportunity to network over snacks.

Before the Slovenian Wood Industry Day itself, the online international business meetings Wood & Furniture Go International took place, which were attended by companies from Slovenia, Ukraine, Spain, Greece, Romania, Croatia and Hungary.

You can find more about the event on the website of MGTŠ ion SPIRIT Slovenia.