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May 25, 2007

Are You Ready for EXPO 2007?

There’s no better way to keep up with industry trends than by attending SFPA’s Forest Products Machinery and Equipment Exposition. Held every other year, this event presents attendees a firsthand look at innovative products and services designed to help them maintain their edge in the forest products industry. The EXPO also offers a two-day conference program packed with information participants can use to improve their businesses. For a registration fee of $149 for SFPA, SLMA, APA and EWTA members and $169 for non-members, attendees can choose from a selection of 18 sessions.

Here are a few samples:

• Biofuel: Dick Carmical of The Price Companies Inc. will talk about the business opportunity biofuel offers the forest products industry (9:30 a.m. June 21).

• Business: John R. McAlister and Alex Shumate of Southmark Consulting will outline the year’s 10 best financial opportunities, such as business structure tax options, team-approach financial planning and more (11 a.m. June 21).

• Certification: Richard Vlosky of the Louisiana Forest Products Development Center will lead a panel discussion on forest product certification, including the value of certification and the demand for certified wood products (9 a.m. June 22).

 Eric Gee, SFPA’s director of EXPO and Forest Resources, reports exhibitors have booked almost 80,000 square feet of the EXPO’s space. “The relationships forged at EXPO last much longer than the cyclical changes, so despite the current economic conditions, most exhibitors have chosen to view EXPO as an opportunity to reach out and network with their customers,” Eric said. 

EXPO 2007 is June 21-23 at the Georgia World Congress Center in Atlanta, Ga. Visit www.sfpaexpo.com  for more information about registering for the EXPO and the conference.

Addressing the Labor Gap

A recent “Skills Gap” survey found a majority of U.S. manufacturers are currently experiencing a shortage of qualified employees, a factor that could threaten the nation’s ability to compete in a global marketplace. Massive numbers of baby boomers will also hit retirement age over the next decade, further complicating the issue. EXPO 2007 attendees can find practical solutions in a half-day seminar titled “Recruit, Retain and Replace,” sponsored by the  Engineered Wood Technology Association (EWTA) from 1-5 p.m. June 21 at the Georgia World Congress Center in Atlanta, Ga. See EWTA's flier for more information or contact Terry Kerwood at 253/620-7237.

The EXPO runs from June 21-23. If you didn’t sign up yet, make plans to attend today. Visit www.sfpaexpo.com for more information about EXPO and how to register. You’ll also find details about hotel rates as well as a list of things to see and do while in Atlanta.

SFPA Member Celebrates 30^th Anniversary

SFPA associate member and longtime EXPO exhibitor Progress Industries Inc. marks 30 years of service to the wood products industry this year. CEO Iradj Tarassoli founded this family-owned company with just two employees. The company, located in Trussville, Ala., a suburb of Birmingham, started out primarily designing and manufacturing wood chippers. Today, Progress provides complete engineering for sawmills and chip mills, produces an expansive line of equipment and does business throughout the United States and Canada as well as in Germany, Ireland, Venezuela, Malaysia, New Zealand and Australia. “We congratulate everyone at Progress on their success and are glad they are part of our association,” said SFPA President Digges Morgan.

Help Desk Duo Handles Wood Questions

To their co-workers, they’re “Merritt and Ray,” but to the thousands of building professionals and homeowners they talk to each year, they’re the lifeline to a wealth of technical information about everything from how to pass a building inspector’s demands to what kind of wood to use for a do-it-yourself project. Product Support Specialists Merritt Kline and Ray Clark operate a “Wood Products Help Desk” on behalf of the Southern Pine Council, APA-The Engineered Wood Association and Structural Insulated Panel Association (SIPA). Armed with information from the three associations’ publications and Web sites, they’re able to answer almost any question thrown their way. And if they don’t know the answer, they’ll find one and get back to the caller as quickly as possible.

The help desk pros visited SFPA’s office this week to obtain the latest information available for Southern Pine products and update SFPA staff on the types of calls they receive. Merritt and Ray fielded 1,441 Southern Pine-related calls during the past year. More than a third of the calls came from homeowners, 13% were from dealers and almost 30% came from engineers, builders and architects. Callers also included sub-contractors, manufacturers, code officials and trade associations. Merritt reports that www.southernpine.com is a valuable resource for the help desk and its callers.

“We want to remind our members that Merritt and Ray are available as a resource for them and their customers,” said Cathy Kaake, SFPA’s director of engineered and framing markets. The help desk, located at APA’s headquarters in Tacoma, Wash., is available Monday through Friday from 9 a.m. to 6 p.m. Central Time. Call 253/620-7400 or e-mail help@southernpine.com.  

Office Closed for Memorial Day

The SFPA office will close Monday in observance of Memorial Day and will reopen Tuesday.

PRINTER-FRIENDLY VERSION  

mechanical means, without written authorization from SFPA is prohibited.