Wealth of opportunities at Timber Expo

There is going to be so much information, education, awards, networking and new product launches at the inaugural Timber Expo it is difficult to know where to start.

Timber Expo has now released the TRADA In Touch with Timber Conference programme and speakers and bookings have already started flying in. This successful flagship conference will be delivered as four modules over the two days, providing delegates with information from high calibre speakers on a range of topics essential for everyone who wants to learn about the latest developments across key industry areas.

As well as the conference there will be two further seminar theatres within the exhibition, one of which will be built and sponsored by Frame Wise, a Bronze Sponsor and exhibitor at the event, who will be there to demonstrate and discuss in more detail the benefits of design, manufacture and build of timber frame.

The second seminar theatre will be built and sponsored by the UK SIP Association and supported by several members who will also be exhibiting and on hand to discuss the dedicated SIPs programme in more detail.

As you will have read in Michael Morrison’s guest column, the Wood Awards have had a record number of entries this year and many of these will be on display in the atrium at the event and the winners will be announced at a ceremony on the first day.

I can’t help noticing how much business is done at the shows I see abroad. Recently at Germany’s Ligna and last year at Carrefour du Bois in France, in particular, I witnessed so much serious business taking place at these overseas events. Many stands had dedicated areas just for business meetings they had clearly arranged before the event. This takes a lot of planning but it is often the best use of time once there.

Exhibitors need to think about that and start planning now and invite their targeted customers to the event and sit down to some serious business at Timber Expo.

One of the unique activities we are introducing as our part in the drive for the development of a ‘transaction base show’ is the Timber Buyers’ Forum – a highly effective way for timber buyers to meet Timber Expo exhibitors in

a structured manner, ensuring that buyers meet only relevant vendors/suppliers to fulfil immediate project or longer-term strategic needs. We have dedicated a private lounge so that these meetings can take place and then the buyers can visit the entire exhibition at their leisure. All the meetings will be agreed before going on site so that exhibitors can plan their day around the customers’ diaries if they need to.

We expect visitors to want to meet and buy from our exhibitors but what about exhibitors doing business with other exhibitors? With this in mind we have arranged a networking event on the first evening immediately after the show so exhibitors can catch up with industry news as well as have the opportunity to discuss potential complementary business with each other.

Talking of networking and industry news, we as an industry will have the pleasure of attending the invaluable TTJ Awards in London on the September 15, just two weeks before Timber Expo at the Ricoh Arena in Coventry. It is always a great day and a superb opportunity to meet and network with the good and the great of the industry. TRADA Technology/ Timber Expo are proud to be sponsors of the Market Development Award this year so we would really like to see some dynamic entries from any companies out there who can demonstrate the expansion of existing markets or the development of new ones with timber or timber-based products, processes or systems.

I look forward to seeing many of you at the TTJ Awards and at Timber Expo 2011.

For more details about Timber Expo and the various co-located events visit www.timber-expo.co.uk.