SCHAMBURG, IL – The all-new Custom Woodworking Conference will be co-located with the fifth annual Closets & Home Organization Conference & Expo™, March 18-20, 2009., in north surburban Chicago.

The CWC, which was originally scheduled to take place a week later in Dallas, is being integrated with the Closets Conference to expand and enhance educational offerings. Vance Publishing Corp., organizer of the Closets Conference & Expo, announced that it was cancelling its Texas woodworking event because of the economic slowdown.

The Closets Conference & Expo has enjoyed growth in each of its four years of existence. The 2008 event in West Palm Beach, FL, attracted more than 2,000 industry professionals and a record 127 exhibitors.

“We believe the Custom Woodworking Conference is a great fit with the Closets Conference & Expo,” said Rich Christianson, conference director. “"A fair percentage of attendees are custom woodworkers; they come to the Closets Expo because many of the exhibitors also cater to cabinetmakers and other wood products manufacturers. Many of the custom woodworkers come to learn what all of the buzz is about closets and home organization. Now they will have the added reason to attend an event that features educational topics focused on their business needs.”

The Custom Woodworking Conference is being sponsored by the Cabinet Makers Assn., a professional organization representing more than 500 custom cabinet and woodworking companies located throughout North America. The CWC will be anchored by a half-day session on strategic planning to grow a custom woodworking business and succession planning.

Integration of the CWC into the Closets event also includes the creation of a new Cabinet Products Pavilion.

Registration and updated details about the Custom Woodworking Conference are available at www.closets-expo.com.

For exhibit space sales, contact Hall-Erickson Inc. at 752-6312 or e-mail: [email protected]