IWF 2012: Challengers Awards, Exhibitors Flow In

click image to zoomKevin C. RoseThe 2012 International Woodworking Machinery & Supply Fair will be held at the Georgia World Convention Center in Atlanta, GA. The 2012 International Woodworking Machinery & Furniture Supply Fair, Aug. 22-25 in Atlanta, will be the biggest wood industry event this year, and sizably larger than the last edition in 2010. Since the show coincides with the general economic and wood industry recovery, exhibitors are already gearing up.

More than 900 exhibitors are expected at the show when it opens this summer. One of the highlights of IWF 2012 will be the Challengers Awards, with competition focused on new developments in machinery, systems and supplies. The deadline for the Challengers Awards was extended three weeks to April 27, allowing late exhibitors the opportunity to compete.

The first Challengers Awards entrant to reveal its plans to CWB is Accu-Systems, Inc. the U.S.-based custom machine manufacturers. Accu-Systems has been at every IWF since 1988, patented the pre-glued dowel, has been a Challengers Award finalist seven times, and a winner once. This year Accu-Systems says it will be entering two IWF technology introductions: its Accu-System CXEP and 2S machines. The 2S is a multi axis, multi function CNC machine designed to size panels safely and quickly. After having been positioned against the fences, the work piece is automatically positioned for sizing by the CNC controlled work surface. With available options a CNC controlled shaping spindle engages the work piece and shapes the part.

The CXEP machine series is designed to produce end panels for face frame or frameless cabinets, handling all features necessary: top dado, bottom dado, back rabbet, inline boring, hinge pilot boring, construction boring, radiused toe kicks, square toe kicks, and cutting to length.

Comprehensive coverage of the Challengers Awards will be presented as Woodworking Network, CWB’s online outlet, issues the Official IWF 2012 Challengers Awards Entrants publication in June, in a digital format that also allows single printed and bound copies or e-book orders. The publication will include a retrospective on past winners in the Challengers Awards program. In July Woodworking Network will publish the IWF 2012 Technology Guide; followed in August by the IWF 2012 Supplies Guide.

Red Carpet Treatment
Woodworking Network will then team with IWF 2012 to roll out the red carpet as the Official IWF 2012 Show Videographer. At an Innovation Sound Stage we’ll do live interviews with attendees to find out what brought them to IWF, their business goals, and how they adapted operations to meet changing market demands.