AWFS call for entries; IWF remains in ‘Fastest 50’

The Association of Woodworking & Furnishings Suppliers is seeking entries from its 2019 exhibitors for the Visionary New Product Awards and Showcase that will be featured at the AWFS Fair, July 17-20, in Las Vegas.

Product categories include: Industry 4.0; Machinery Over $50,000; Machinery Under $50,000; Power Tools; Hardware; Components; Tooling; Software; Raw Materials; and Plastics Machinery/Supplies.

All entries must be received by May 24 and all products must be submitted through the designated Visionary New Product website at https://visionaryaward.artcall.org.

AkzoNobel is making a multimillion-dollar investment to its wood coatings facility in High Point, N.C., to further strengthen the company’s marketing position in the U.S.

It will include the addition of automatic dosing unit technology to produce paint more efficiently, a new raw materials warehouse, research lab and technical application center, according to the company.

Construction is due to begin in April 2019, with rolling projects expected to be completed by 2020.

“This is a significant investment, which will further enable us to meet and exceed our customers’ expectations,” AkzoNobel CEO Thierry Vanlancker said in a statement. “The U.S. is a key market for our wood coatings business, and our customers trust us to deliver world-class products and services.

The International Woodworking Fair has been named one of the Tradeshow Executive’s Magazine “Fastest 50” for exhibit space in 2018. IWF is also honored for the next 50 in attendance and a Gold 100 tradeshow.

“We are honored to be acknowledged as one of the Fastest 50 shows in the tradeshow industry. Tradeshow Executive Magazine has now recognized IWF for Fastest 50 Shows 2012, 2014, 2016 and 2018,” Brian Donahue, chairman of IWF 2020, said in a statement.

“We are excited about IWF 2020 as we will occupy three buildings as well as the expansion hall at the Georgia World Congress Center making IWF 2020 the largest since 2006.”

IWF will take place Aug. 25-28, 2020.

The National Wood Flooring Association has received a Silver Award for its online learning platform, NWFA University, for the second consecutive year in the 2018 Association Trends All Media Contest.

The award was presented in the e-Learning & Live Training category. This category recognizes associations that have successfully implemented an online learning platform.

“Our members have completely embraced NWFA University,” Stephanie Owen, the association’s Education and Member Engagement Director, said in a statement. “Our goal when developing the platform was to engage an entirely new audience of users to educate them about the technical aspects of using wood as a flooring material.

“The courses are brief and very targeted, making them easy to complete in short bursts of time. They’re also convenient. They can be completed at the user’s own pace, and can be accessed from a PC, tablet, or smart phone, which makes them easy to fit into a busy work and family life. We’re looking forward to expanding the platform to provide even more learning opportunities.” 

This article originally appeared in the May 2019 issue.