IWF 2014 Hosted More Than 23,000 Wood Industry Professionals
New  Technology, New Trends: IWF 2014

IWF 2014 Hosted More Than 23,000 Wood Industry ProfessionalsATLANTA – More than 23,000 wood manufacturing industry professionals attended the International Woodworking Fair this past August, with approximately 9,000 manufacturers and suppliers exhibiting on the show floor, and 14,400 total verified buyers scoping out innovations in machinery, tooling and materials.

The attendance is an increase from the last event in 2012, which attracted more than 15,000 industry professionals, with approximately 8,000 exhibitor representatives.

IWF Chairman Rick Hannigan of Weinig/Holz-Her says the increase reflects improved confidence and stability in the wood products industry, and he hopes the statistic will continue to have favorable impact on the woodworking industry’s performance in months to come.

In addition to an increase in attendance, IWF 2014 featured expanded education opportunities with more than 50 educational sessions on topics ranging from wood finishing to business management.

The fair also featured an open session on the Woodworking Machinery Industry Association’s new Technical Advisory Group, which is currently operating under the American National Standards Institute (ANSI) to bring safety, electrical and mechanical standards into agreement with standards available in Europe under the International Organization for Standardization (ISO).

International buyers travelled from countries including Germany, Italy, Pakistan, China, India, Australia, Guatemala and Brazil. Approximately 40% of international buyers traveled from Canada, approximately 11% travelled from Europe and 9.5% travelled from Asia.

U.S. buyers travelled from all 50 states, with more than 12,900 U.S. buyers in total.

“Change inside our industry has become more rapid and there is a strong desire for owners to reinvest in their companies, to improve quality, productivity, flexibility and profitability,” Hannigan says. “Continued positive growth has brought the need to replace aging equipment, software, tooling and other items critical to the long-term success of our attendees,”

IWF 2016 is already scheduled to take place August 24 – 27 at the Georgia World Congress Center in Atlanta.

 

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