Exhibition director John Smith-Bodden said the first two days had attracted about 5,000 people, with many exhibitors doing more business than previous Woodmex shows.
The Birmingham NEC event, organised by the Woodworking Machinery Suppliers Association (WMSA), has been expanded to include the whole timber supply chain, with exhibitors including James Latham, Timbmet Silverman, Medite, Arnold Laver, Willy Carpentier and several continental glulam producers. A timber frame house, built by Benfield ATT, proved a star attraction.
Mr Smith-Bodden said attendance was expected to be about the same as the last Woodmex, which effectively stops a declining trend. “For a completely new show that can’t be bad”, he said.
The original visitor target had been 18,000, but Mr Smith-Bodden said this was more realistic for the next show in 2008.
WMSA board member David Thompson-Rowlands, also managing director of RW Woodmachines, said: “The Furnicom side of the show is a massive difference. There is a super atmosphere which the old ASFI show did not have for at least 10 years. There is a feeling of a lot of business being done.”
Mr Thompson-Rowlands said 60-70% of visitors to RW’s stand were potential new customers. He expected the company to take £1m worth of business.
Medite’s Malcom Cowley said the exhibition’s new format created “an aura of a strong supply base”, while Arnold Laver reported good interest in its SmartSide OSB cladding product and western red cedar shingles.
Weinig used W6 to launch its Powermat 400 moulder on the UK market.
