Two years in the making, the Southern Forest Products Association’s (SFPA) 34th Forest Products Machinery & Equipment Exposition – Expo 2017 – opened June 14 at the Georgia World Congress Center in Atlanta. For three days, June 14-16, 186 exhibitors showcased the latest technology and services for the wood products industry, displayed across more than 54,000 square feet. The expansion of industry participation at Expo 2017 was reflected by 35 first-time exhibitors. Total attendance is expected to surpass 2,000 people.
“Expo 2017 is the culmination of an industry coming together to demonstrate the advances in technology and services,” notes exposition director Eric Gee. “There’s a promising future for both softwood and hardwood operations in today’s market, and mill owners were here to help upgrade their facilities,” he adds.
Expo 2017 is the largest such event in many years. Partnering with the INNOTECH educational program taking place June 14-15, visitors to the show experienced the very latest the industry has to offer. There was an expanded presence on social media, too. Visitors followed the show on Facebook (@FPEXPO17), Instagram (@sawmill_show) and Twitter (@forestprodexpo), receiving up-to-date news, images and video about the event.
New for 2017: a Show App for mobile devices. The App provides full coverage of the event’s exhibitors, the floor plan, special events during the show, with links to social media. It’s available for Android and iPhones – download on the Goggle Play or iTunes App Store; search for FOREST EXPO.
Sponsored and conducted by SFPA every two years since 1950, this event has traditionally included many of the biggest names in the business displaying everything from sawmill machinery to materials handling equipment, attracting key representatives from the nation’s largest wood products manufacturers.
Complete details about Expo 2017 are available at the show’s website, www.sfpaexpo.com.
NOTE to Editors: EXPO 2017 logo and photos from EXPO 2017 are available upon request; contact Richard Wallace, rwallace@sfpa.org or Erin Graham, egraham@sfpa.org.