WoodTECH 2026 – Call for Speakers

FIEA has officially launched the Call for Speakers for the highly anticipated WoodTECH 2026 conference series. The 2026 event series, themed “Sawmilling & Wood Processing Innovations: Improving Productivity & Advancing Operations,” will bring industry leaders, technical specialists, and technology innovators together across two key locations, 18-19 June 2026, Rotorua, New Zealand and23-24 June 2026, Brisbane, Australia.

WoodTECH 2026 is focused on extracting maximum value from advancing technologies and developing new ways to improve wood products across the industry. We are seeking proposals for presentations, case studies, and workshops that showcase practical, technology-led solutions to challenges in wood processing.

Presentation Focus Areas

The programme is being developed to cover a wide array of technical and operational advancements, including:

• Sawing technology developments and innovations
• Advances in wood treatment products and practices
• Options for kiln drying improvements
• New wood processing technologies and systems
• Integration of research, new technology, and smart operating practices

FIEA is particularly interested in hearing about recent industrial trials, the successful roll-out of new equipment, and practical lessons learned from integrating research into everyday operations.

Who Should Submit?

The conference audience consists of sSawmill site managers, production and engineering managers, saw-doctors, mill supervisors and maintenance staff, QC personnel, wood treatment managers, and technology suppliers. If you are a technical specialist, researcher, industry professional, or technology provider with a compelling, data-driven story to share, you are encouraged to submit a proposal.

Submission Guidelines

To be considered for a presentation slot at WoodTECH 2026, please send us a presentation title for a case study, a solution-focused technical presentation, or an industry-wide issue, and a short abstract/outline (4–6 sentences) clearly describing your presentation’s content, innovation, and key takeaways for the audience. Please forward your details to john.stulen@fiea.org.nz.

In addition to presentation proposals, the organisers also welcome suggestions for other speakers or topics that could contribute significantly to the 2026 programme. 

Further information can be found on the WoodTECH website.