I'm genuinely looking forward to attending the International Woodworking Fair in a couple of weeks. I look forward not only to learning what's new, but to seeing customers, association executives and readers that I have gotten to know over the years.

This year marks my 13th consecutive IWF since first attending the show in 1986. Those were better times for the North American wood products industry. The economy was humming and while Taiwan furniture imports were a thorn in the side for some, China was a virtual nonentity in world trade.

It was also an exciting time for woodworking machinery developments made possible by microprocessors. CNC machinery was starting to come into vogue, replacing routers driven by punch tape. Computer software for designing cabinets and creating cutlists came on floppy disks and was gaining a solid following of end users. The 32mm system was still the rage, though debate abounded as to whether frameless cabinets were as sturdy as face frame cabinets and/or too difficult to install. The point-to-point boring machine was still a few years away, so those who practiced the 32mm System had to live with the "swiss cheese effect" of having rows of vertical holes on both sides of a panel.

A Different IWF
This year's IWF promises to be a lot different than any of my previous IWF experiences. Noticeably absent from the show are marquee names like Biesse, Delmac, SCM, Stiles and Weinig, each which pulled out in January citing the need to forgo the expense of exhibiting at the Western Hemisphere's premier event in view of the worldwide economic recession.
 
Combined these five companies occupied far more than 100,000 square feet of space in 2008; Stiles alone displayed 73 machines in more than 42,000 square feet of space two years ago.

Since the initial jolt of concerns raised by these major companies pulling out of the show, IWF has rallied to sell booth space to more than 250 companies and now boasts more than 950 exhibitors in all. While that's a far cry from the 1,300+ on hand in 2008, and while the C Hall of the Georgia World Congress Center will not be used by IWF for the first time since it was constructed, there will still be plenty to see and do. Most of the industry's best know machinery, software, cutting tool, hardware and component suppliers will be present.

Hub of the Industry
For four days, August 25-28, Atlanta will be the hub of the woodworking industry. It will be the launching pad for a plethora of new products and in some cases the coming out party for companies just getting started or looking to crack into the wood products market.

Attendees will have the unique opportunity to shop and compare products in one space and time. A visit to one booth might result in finding an alternative vendor for hardware or components that will save money. At another booth, an attendee might stumble upon a product or concept that sparks the imagination and leads to a whole new product launch.

In between examining company wares and viewing product demonstrations is the ability to connect with exhibitors and attendees from around the world to swap experiences and knowledge. That's one of my favorite aspects of going to the show.

Yes, IWF will be smaller, but it's still the North American woodworking industry's biggest stage and well worth the trip.

See you in Atlanta, booth #2224.