Toronto Wood Machinery Show Busy to the Closing Bell
McFadden's, SawStop, WMS 2015
Visitors flood a demonstration at SawStop dealer McFadden's during WMS 2015 in Toronto.

TORONTO - It was tough to end the Toronto Woodworking Machinery and Supply Expo Saturday as attendees hung out in clusters in booths. Exhibiting companies increased a dramatic 23 percent from the previous show at the International Centre in Mississauga, an industrial suburb at the edge of the city within where the Toronto airport is located.

By the Numbers
Registered Attendees: 4,000

Exhibitor Personnel: 1,400

Brands Exhibited: 260+

Product Categories: 50
Countries Represented: 35

The show opened with a good deal of excitement, and in fact more than 70 attendees and speakers were already on the floor, attending the Conference at WMS that began at 8:00 a.m. that morning with a keynote on Industry 4.0. By 9:30 a.m. with those proceedings in full swing, dozens of registrants were arriving and clustering around the main entrance at Hall 1. There a crowd of industry association and business leaders had gathered to welcome them, and to cut the ribbon for the 2015 edition of WMS. 

Parliamentary Assistant Marie-France LaLonde, whose responsibility includes Business Development, offered words of encouragement to the business owners and operators who were gathered - anxious to enter the packed hall.

And enter they did. Traffic was steady all day Thursday, November 5, then peaked on Friday, with heavy crowds, the aisles so thick with visitors at times that passage was challenging. Wading through the long walk from the entry in Hall 1 to the back of Hall 2, close to 4,000 industry attendees engaged 1,400 exhibitor representatives on the expo floors. There were over 260 companies and business brands represented in more than 50 product categories. 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

20 wood industry conference and free education sessions and first ever 9 member education advisory council. 

Dylan Horst

$250 to WIC

Two dozen industry sponsors and supporters

Next show is November 2-4, 2017

 

 

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About the author
Bill Esler | ConfSenior Editor

Bill wrote for WoodworkingNetwork.com, FDMC and Closets & Organized Storage magazines. 

Bill's background includes more than 10 years in print manufacturing management, followed by more than 30 years in business reporting on industrial manufacturing in the forest products industries, including printing and packaging at American Printer (Features Editor) and Graphic Arts Monthly (Editor in Chief) magazines; and in secondary wood manufacturing for WoodworkingNetwork.com.

Bill was deeply involved with the launches of the Woodworking Network Leadership Forum, and the 40 Under 40 Awards programs. He currently reports on technology and business trends and develops conference programs.

In addition to his work as a journalist, Bill supports efforts to expand and improve educational opportunities in the manufacturing sectors, including 10 years on the Print & Graphics Scholarship Foundation; six years with the U.S. WoodLinks; and currently on the Woodwork Career Alliance Education Committee. He is also supports the Greater West Town Training Partnership Woodworking Program, which has trained more than 950 adults for industrial wood manufacturing careers. 

Bill volunteers for Foinse Research Station, a biological field station staddling the border of Ireland and Northern Ireland, one of more than 200 members of the Organization of Biological Field Stations.