From the Executive Director: August 2023

2 Weeks Until Forest Products EXPO!

Just 16 days from today, we’ll kick off the 37th Forest Products Machinery & Equipment EXPO in Nashville. The SFPA Board of Directors and SFPA team can’t wait to cut that ribbon at 9 a.m. Wednesday, August 23 and open the doors for this record-breaking show!

If you haven’t finalized your plans (or registered yet), hurry! Here are a few reminders to take note of:

Registration

Advanced registration, which is required, is $35 per person and includes access to the exhibit hall floor for all three days. This also is your chance to sign up for the Timber Processing Productivity & Efficiency Conference co-located at EXPO, from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. Thursday, August 24.

• • Take note: While registration officially closes August 18, did you know the first 1,000 registrants are guaranteed a commemorative EXPO T-shirt from The BID We’re down to the last few, so claim yours today!

Links of Interest

• • • Schedule of Events
    • What to Do In Nashville
    • Map of Downtown Nashville and EXPO?Hotels
    • All About EXPO

Sawmill & Safety Awards Breakfast

We’ve extended the Sawmill & Safety Awards Breakfast reservation deadline to August 9! This special event, open to all EXPO exhibitors and attendees for the low admission price of $15, is located right inside the Music City Center, just steps away from the main exhibit hall, so you don’t have to worry about catching breakfast on the run and getting to the exhibit hall on time!

Come celebrate sawmill safety excellence with 150 leading industry professionals while enjoying a plated breakfast with musical entertainment!

You’re not gonna get a better plated breakfast anywhere else and be an axe’s throw away from the exhibit hall! This isn’t your average breakfast:

• Fluffy scrambled cage-free eggs
• 3 slices Applewood smoked bacon
• Roasted Roma tomato halve
• Cast iron-baked red bliss potatoes with peppers and onions
• All served with freshly baked biscuits, butter, fresh fruit preserves, orange juice, brewed coffee, decaffeinated coffee, and hot tea selection

Reservations must be made by end of day August 9, 2023!

Sawmill & Safety Awards Breakfast | Thursday, August 24 | 7:30 a.m. – 8:45 a.m.

Level 2, Room 202 | Music City Center

Click here to make your reservations!

• • If you’ve already registered for EXPO, great! All you’ll need to do is follow the link above, and then select the “Already Registered” link at the bottom. Then it’s as easy as submitting the email address you used to register and your confirmation number (if you don’t have that handy, email) SFPAexpo@mcievents.com and they’ll get you that number.
  • If you haven’t already registered for EXPO, still click the link above and select “yes” on the popup that asks if you’d like to start another registration. Then complete your registration, and make sure to add the “Breakfast” option when asked.
  • Please email SFPAexpo@mcievents.comwith any questions regarding adding the breakfast option to your registration!

Sponsorship Spotlight?

I’d be remiss if I didn’t thank the following exhibitors that have committed to sponsoring special parts of EXPO (many of which are bringing an element of fun to the show floor):

• Axe Throwing:
  • Regal Rexnord
• Beer Stations at Welcome Reception:
  • MiCROTEC
  • Nyle Dry Kilns
  • Optimil
  • Real Performance Machinery
  • The Timken Co.
  • USNR
• Coffee:
  • Carbotech | Autolog
  • Reliability Solutions
• Cornhole:
  • Bright Star Auctions
  • Hurst Boiler
• Executive Golf:
  • Brunette Machinery Co.?
• T-shirts:
  • BID Group
• Bags:
  • Cooper Machine & EWD
• Hotel Keycards:
  • Taylor Machine Works
• Lanyards:
  • USNR

Any last minute questions? Email expo@sfpa.org!

Another New Member!

I’m always excited to welcome a new member, and we’re keeping that streak alive by welcoming Endurance Equipment to the Southern Forest Products Association! For those keeping track, that’s 11 new members so far in 2023.

Do you know someone, either a lumber manufacturer or company that supports the Southern Pine lumber community, who would benefit from SFPA membership as much as you? Send them our way by clicking here.

If they have questions, you can share this new membership brochure with them; however, we’re always happy to talk with them, too!

New SFPA Website Update

Our new homepage has been coded and is now functional in development (sorry, not ready for the public just yet). But I am excited to share a snippet of what the new site will look like.

If you’ll recall, this project is combining our multiple existing websites into one to create a more unified and user-friendly experience for all and to further reinforce SFPA as the resource for all things Southern Pine lumber. I’ll definitely keep you updated as we move forward, but mark your calendars to be part of the launch this fall!

Southern Pine Promotion Activities

SFPA is always somewhere in the world promoting the benefits and best use of Southern Pine. While July was slower than normal, we’ve got a busy fall with the following events coming up:

• Techno Mueble in Guadalajara: August 16-19
• Southern Pine seminars in the Bahamas and Cayman Islands: September 5-7
• VietnamWood Show in Ho Chi Minh City: September 20-23
• Southern Pine seminar in Bangkok, Thailand: October
• Taipei Building & Construction Show in Taipei, Taiwan: December 7-10

We’re also evaluating participation in the Saudi Expo in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, from September 2-4, 2024, so standby!

I can’t wait to share reports and insights from each as they occur!