CabinetMaker+FDMasked IWF 2014 chairman Rick Hannigan, director of marketing and communicationsfor Weinig USA and Holz-Her U.S. Inc., about the show this year.

Howwill IWF in 2014 compare with the 2012 and 2010 shows? 

The show has shown a significant increase in machinery, supplies,materials and software. Attendees will see a wealth of new innovation andtechnology as suppliers to the industry have been developing and introducingsome great new products. Many exhibitors that have skipped the last couple ofIWF’s are coming back.

How doyou expect the number of exhibitors in 2014 to compare with recent shows? We areexpecting more exhibitors, and many are contracting for more floor spacecompared to 2012.

(There will also be) more machines, more technology, moreinnovative design, more education, and more industry networking.

Whatare some of the new features of this show this year?

IWF Americas Night, IWF App, New Educational Sessions,Technology & Design Theatres. A new process for the prestigious ChallengersAward, a Countertop Pavilion, more machinery applications in addition to justwoodworking.

Also new: IWF Meet-up Night, IWF After Hours Program, IWF AtlantaHospitality Program. Also many first-time exhibitors from the U.S. and foreigncountries.

Whyshould woodworkers go to the show?

Whether you’re a large plant or a small shop, amazing thingshappen at IWF. The people you get to engage with, in a face-to-face industryenvironment, you can do nowhere else. IWF is the industry's premier event foreducation, networking discussions, machine demonstrations, and learning how tomaximize production efficiency.

The newly developed materials and design possibilities areincredible. Many times what you see at IWF will be the very first time it hasbeen showcased. Every woodworking professional has the opportunity to learn,see, and compare in a four-day show. (It) could take them months to dootherwise.

What wouldyou say to someone who has never been to IWF?

There’s no other woodworking industry event that cancompare. If you have a challenge or need a solution, you will find it at IWF. Ifthe product exists you will find it at IWF. If you said, "I really needthis" and couldn’t find it....you will discover it at IWF. Where else overfour days can you meet with experts, network with peers, compare products andmake sound business decisions?

What we always hear from visitors and exhibitors, is thatIWF is a "must attend" event. The take-away is that IWF is well worththe average two-day stay. One visit will immediately improve a company’sbusiness.

FromWMMA and WMIA’s point of view, what are the goals for IWF in 2014?

To deliver a strong show with continued growth, and mostimportantly engage the industry in new opportunities using technology, ideasand information to further improve the industry.

Has thenew show ownership structure changed the show?  WMMA and WMIA continue to support the primaryobjective of the show: To provide long term insight, growth, new technology andcontinued education to companies engaged in the vital woodworking industry,through the International Woodworking Fair in Atlanta.

Get ready, it’s going to impact the entire industry. Likemany IWF shows, you will see the International Woodworking Fair in Atlantapropel new growth in a rapidly changing industry.