More than 950 exhibitors will be on hand displaying the latest and most popular woodworking equipment and supplies at the 2010 International Woodworking Machinery & Furniture Supply Fair. The biennial show runs Aug. 25 to 28 at the Georgia World Congress Center (GWCC) in Atlanta.

“IWF 2010 will be the largest gathering of suppliers for the industry in 2010,” said Riccardo Azzoni, IWF 2010 chairman and president of Atlantic Machinery Corp.

Attendance expectations are equally positive, especially given the current state of the economy. Early projections call for between 12,000 to 15,000 verified buyers, with a total attendance ranging from 25,000 to 27,000.

“It looks like with the timing of this year’s show, it could be the beginnings of the road back to recovery for a lot of us,” said Patrick LaFramboise, IWF president and CEO.

To find the products they need to succeed, woodworkers will have help navigating the show floor with the aid of IWF’s new search engine tool: myIWF GPS. It works by simply entering in either a company name or list of products, and the myIWF GPS highlights where they are on the show floor. A map can be printed of the data, plus the GPS will help connect attendees to exhibitors even after the show ends.

For those seeking innovative technology, the Challengers Award Winners will be announced in a special ceremony on Aug. 25. And for the first time, IWF will recognize all 22 of the Challengers finalists at a special display area in the GWCC.

Also this year, IWF will host a Green Product Showcase. There also will be a number of new and interesting symposia and seminars for woodworkers to attend.

IWF is sponsored by the American Home Furnishings Alliance, Wood Machinery Manufacturers of America and the Woodworking Machinery Industry Assn. Details and times for the show can be found at iwfatlanta.com.

Thousands of woodworkers will converge on the GWCC for IWF 2010.