Summary
• Carrefour International du Bois takes place in Nantes, France, from May 28-30.
• The all timber event will have 507 stands.
• A quarter of exhibitors are from outside France.
• The UK and Ireland provide the third largest visitor group.
• The show’s section focusing on timber construction is 12% bigger this year.

The Carrefour International du Bois exhibition has reinforced its status as the event for the international timber trade in France. In 2006 the biennial show in Nantes had 468 stands. This year it has broken through the 500 exhibitor mark, with 39 more companies than last time taking space at the city’s Beaujoire trade fair complex.

Sam Padden, Carrefour’s British-born co-ordinator, attributes the success of the show, which takes place from May 28-30, to a combination of its comprehensive timber coverage and rising profile outside France.

“The entire French timber offer is on display at the exhibition, including softwood, hardwood, panel products, flooring and structural timber and we also have a strong representation from France’s international timber trading and importing sector,” she said. “In addition, we are becoming very well-known abroad through both word of mouth and our promotional campaign, which has included visits to foreign trade shows and advertising in the major trade media.”

Record visitor numbers

The visitor total in 2006 was a record 9,050, but the organisers also expect that figure to be overtaken this year, with further growth in attendance from abroad anticipated following the event’s latest marketing efforts.

“At the last show foreign visitors made up around 15% of the total,” said Ms Padden. “This year, as well as advertising in the trade press and at exhibitions, we have also started direct calling our international visitor base.”

Carrefour, she added, also has a record of attracting a high proportion of senior management among its visitors. “We do tend to get the decision makers,” she said.

Besides the fact that the exhibition is exclusively focused on timber and wood products and as a result, believe the organisers, has an unrivalled depth of material on show, an added attraction for visitors from the UK and Ireland is improved access to Nantes, with direct flights now available from a number of airports.

“The British and Irish have always been strongly represented among our visitors and our online registrations show them moving this year from fourth to our third largest foreign group,” said Ms Padden.

Foreign presence

Also adding to the dynamism of the event and its visitor appeal, she maintained, is the increasing number of overseas exhibitors. This year they comprise over 25% of the total, up from 23% last time, with newcomers from Germany, Italy, Lithuania, Holland, Portugal, Belgium, Austria, Switzerland and the Congo.

“Foreign companies are undoubtedly attracted to exhibit because the French construction market is still on a high,” said Ms Padden. “And this in turn makes the event more valuable for visitors – they can now see 507 exhibitors from 28 countries under one roof.”

Exhibitors from France and abroad include some big names. Among the softwood sawmillers will be Piveteau Bois, Monnet Seve, Barillet, Dold and Klenk, while the hardwood mills will include Ducerf, Eurochêne and Monniot. The panel sector is represented, among others, by Joubert, Isoroy, Kronofrance, Eggerholz and Nordplan, with companies exhibiting in the international traders category including SCA Timber, Stora Enso, Rougier, Vandecasteele and Willy Carpentier. Structural timber suppliers are also well represented and include Nordlam and Woodlam.

The show will also feature a range of service providers to the industry, including timber treatment suppliers.

Timber techniques and solutions

An aspect of Carrefour which made its debut in 2006 is the Timber Techniques and Solutions section. It covers timber construction products and systems and was introduced to reflect the rapid international growth in timber-based building. This year this part of the show will have 12% more stands, with exhibitors including Finnforest and Simonin.

The Timber Techniques and Solutions area also includes a conference area where seminars and presentations will run throughout the show. The programme has expanded from two years ago, with speakers invited from several countries. Among them will be UK architect Andrew Waugh of Waugh Thistleton Architects who will discuss his practice’s work with engineers Megan Yates on the Murray Grove tower in Hackney. Based on solid cross-laminated panels, the nine-storey structure will be one of the tallest timber buildings in the world.

“After the success of the technical presentations in 2006 and the level of interest, we have doubled the size of the conference area this year,” said Ms Padden.