2024 SFPA Value Report Now Available
The Southern Forest Products Association believes strong partnerships are essential for sustaining growth and success. That starts with our most valuable partnership — our members. Your commitment is the driving force behind our success.
That’s why we extend our deepest gratitude for our members’ loyalty, leadership, and unwavering support, which allows SFPA to continue our mission to advance the Southern Pine industry and promote the use of member products.
I hope you’ll check out our 2024 Value Report to see how you’ve contributed – and how SFPA, by way of its members, drives value throughout the entire forest products supply chain.
11 EXPO 2025 Exhibit Booths Remain
We’re down to less than 4% of exhibit space remaining (with booths of varying sizes), so if you haven’t secured your booth, now is the time!
Of the nearly 1,350 attendees in 2023…
- 32% of attendees were company owners or officers.
- 46% represented softwood sawmills, while 32% were from hardwood manufacturing.
- 72% were directly involved in the manufacturing and processing of forest products.
With a growing list of exhibiting companies – we’ve already exceeded the number of exhibitors and square feet of exhibit space we had at EXPO 2023 – the floorplan is filling up quickly. Because of the increased demand, we’ve opened additional space, but we’re getting close to capacity.
Have questions about the show? Visit SFPAexpo.com or email expo@sfpa.org.
Congratulations Are In Order
We couldn’t be more excited to see our board member, Richie LeBlanc, who’s also president and CEO of Hunt Forest Products, receive Timber Processing’s 2025 Person the Year recognition.
SFPA is excited and grateful to have Richie and the Hunt Forest Products team help further our mission of making Southern Pine lumber the premier building material. The SFPA team and I look forward to celebrating Richie’s honor during Timber Processing’s Person of the Year event at Forest Products EXPO on August 7, 2025.
Speaking of Celebrations…
SFPA’s Executive Committee has approved a credit of $155,000 for its lumber manufacturer members, equating to 51% of each member’s 2025 dues. This marks the second consecutive year a credit has been approved, underscoring SFPA’s continued dedication to supporting its members and fostering industry growth.
This dedication has enabled SFPA, for only the fourth time in its 119-year history, to return excess revenue to our lumber manufacturer members, so I hope you’ll join me in celebrating this achievement.
Do you manufacture Southern Pine lumber? I invite you to become a member of the Southern Forest Products Association! Our membership has grown more than 62% in the past two years, so now is the time to join our community! Email me at egee@sfpa.org and let’s get your application started.
3 Reasons to Create Your SFPA Member Account
Still haven’t created your account login for the new and improved Southern Forest Products Association member portal? Here are three things (there are a lot more) you’re missing out on:
- Monthly Shipment and Export/Import Analysis: SFPA provides monthly data, trends, and analysis on Southern Pine lumber shipments, Southern Pine lumber exports, and softwood lumber imports to monitor the health of the Southern Pine lumber industry. It’s also great data and analysis if you’re looking to build or redefine your export strategy – domestically and abroad!
- Real-Time Trade Leads: SFPA has facilitated international trade of Southern Pine lumber for more than 35 years by issuing verified trade leads that come in via a product inquiry to its network of members experienced in lumber exports.
- International Travel Requests: Members who wish to submit a travel request for any of the international events SFPA participates in will need to create an account to submit those requests.
Need help? Email Christian Moises, SFPA communications manager, at cmoises@sfpa.org.
EXPO 2025 Hotel Notice
We are on track to open the official housing block in early-mid April. Those room blocks will be the only official rooms available for EXPO 2025.
Please note: Hotel pirates are already emailing and calling exhibitors and attendees presenting themselves as being an official part of EXPO 2025. They are not. Securing your room in the official hotel block can only take place at SFPAEXPO.com. Reservations made through any other agency cannot be guaranteed by SFPA or the Forest Products EXPO.
International Promotion Planning
We continue to wait on our official funding letter from the USDA to see how much funding SFPA will receive for 2025 promotional events and international tradeshow participation, but that’s not stopping us from planning.
SFPA team members and I are meeting with our American Softwoods partners from APA and the Softwood Export Council this week in New Orleans to develop our 2026 Unified Export Strategy to continue promoting and positioning Southern Pine lumber as the sustainable building material around the globe.
I can’t wait to share what that plan looks like once it’s complete and approved.