From June 2 to 4, 2026, the European LIFE Haya (Hardwood For The Home) project was present at the Carrefour International du Bois 2026 , held at the Parc des Expositions de la Beaujoire, in Nantes (France) , one of the main international meeting points for the wood and construction sector with this material.
Participation in this event is part of the project’s outreach activities at events, aimed at raising awareness of the LIFE Haya project, its objectives, and the results of its actions among professionals and stakeholders involved in the wood value chain.
An international meeting place for the wood industry
The Carrefour International du Bois is a leading trade show in Europe, dedicated exclusively to the wood industry and held every two years in the French city of Nantes. The 2026 edition brought together more than 650 exhibitors from 40 countries, cementing its status as a key venue for knowledge exchange, the creation of opportunities, and networking among the various stakeholders in the forestry and wood industry supply chain.
During the three-day event, more than 13,500 visitors from nearly 100 countries attended, including manufacturers, retailers, architects, builders, and professionals specializing in the forestry and wood construction sectors.
This international context made the trade show a particularly important platform for showcasing the solutions and results developed as part of the LIFE Haya project.
LIFE HFH will be present at the Maderas Gámiz and Egoin booths
Maderas Gámiz and Egoin, partners in the Life Haya project, participated in the Carrefour International du Bois 2026 with their own booth. Cesefor, as the project’s coordinating organization, was present at both venues, helping to raise awareness of the project among professionals and visitors at the fair.
During the event, informational brochures about the LIFE Haya project were distributed, and various communication materials—including the project’s roll-up banner —were displayed, helping to increase the project’s visibility and make information about its objectives, activities, and results more accessible.
The joint presence of the partners made it possible to showcase the work that has been done and introduce the project to a specialized, international professional audience, with a particular focus on the new opportunities that beech wood offers for construction and the manufacture of high-value-added wood products.
Promoting the Use of Beech Wood in Construction
One of the main objectives of this project is to help boost the use of European beech wood in the construction sector, encouraging its transformation into engineered wood products and promoting new opportunities for this species within a more sustainable and competitive value chain.
In this regard, participating in the 2026 Carrefour International du Bois provided an opportunity to showcase the project’s progress and resulting products, including glued laminated timber (GLT) and cross-laminated timber (CLT) solutions made from beech wood.
The trade show provided an opportunity to present these solutions to architects, builders, manufacturers, and other professionals involved in wood construction, showcasing the potential of beech as a raw material for developing innovative and sustainable building solutions.
A place to connect with professionals from around the world
The international scope of the Carrefour International du Bois allowed the LIFE Haya project to connect with professionals from different countries and share its findings with new specialized audiences.
Participation in leading industry events such as this one helps strengthen the project’s communication and outreach strategy, facilitating the exchange of experiences and knowledge, and raising awareness of the solutions developed to promote greater use of beech wood in sustainable construction.
A leading trade show to raise awareness of LIFE HFH
The scale and international scope of the Carrefour International du Bois 2026 made this event a particularly strategic platform for promoting the LIFE Haya project. Over the course of three days, Nantes became a meeting place for professionals from across the entire wood value chain, ranging from manufacturers and distributors to architects, builders, and other stakeholders linked to the forestry and construction sectors.
The high turnout at this year’s event reflects its importance to the industry and highlights the growing interest in wood-based solutions and products. In this context, LIFE Haya’s presence made it possible to present the project’s objectives and results to a highly specialized, international professional audience, thereby boosting the visibility of solutions developed using beech wood.
More than 13,500 professionals from nearly 100 countries visited the trade show, while the business sector was represented by more than 650 exhibitors from 40 countries. These figures give an idea of the international scope of the event and the opportunity it provided for LIFE HFH to present its innovations and beech wood products, such as GLT (glued laminated timber) and CLT (cross-laminated timber), to professionals from specialized markets and sectors around the world.
Carrefour International du Bois 2026, by the numbers:
650+ exhibitors
Companies and organizations in the wood industry from 40 countries.
More than 13,500 visitors
Professionals attended the trade show during its three-day run.
Nearly 100 countries
Countries of origin of the visitors who participated in this international gathering of the wood industry.
These figures highlight the scope of the Carrefour International du Bois and the importance of taking advantage of such events to promote LIFE Haya, foster the exchange of knowledge, and raise awareness of the potential of beech wood as a resource for innovative and sustainable solutions in the construction sector.
LIFE HFH’s representation at the event
Representatives from the organizations participating in the project attended the Carrefour International du Bois 2026:
- Silvia Gómez Fernández, project coordinator – Cesefor.
- Mario Azaña Galán, Technician – Cesefor.
- Félix Flüshoh, coordinator at Gámiz – Maderas Gámiz.
- David García, Technician – Maderas Gámiz.
Participation in the 2026 Carrefour International du Bois marks a new step in the international outreach of LIFE Haya (Hardwood For The Home) and in promoting new beech wood solutions to move toward more sustainable construction and a more efficient and competitive forestry value chain.
