All space in the Zone in Hall 6 of the NEC was booked, with 37 companies taking stands.
TRADA was heavily involved in devising and promoting the initiative with show organisers EMAP Construct, and its stand formed the centre piece, including a theatre where it ran seminars throughout the event.
According to TRADA chief executive Andrew Abbott not as many architects as expected had visited. However, that picked up sharply over the following three days. In fact, many of the TRADA seminars couldn’t accommodate all the people who wanted to attend, so some of the audience had to listen from the corridors alongside the open plan theatre. Overall, said Mr Abbott, the Zone had lived up to expectations.
“It’s important that timber has a focus at Interbuild – this is all about demonstrating that it can punch its weight alongside all the other construction materials,” he said. “It looks like something we’d be interested in repeating next time.”
Osmose was particularly happy with its Zone stand. “It’s been very good for us, with specifiers particularly interested in the environmental performance of our products,” said marketing director Osmose Europe Andy Hodge. The company’s Indurite wood densifying process was a runner-up in the Interbuild new product awards.
UltraJoist producer Glenalmond Timber was also buoyant. “The Zone focuses interest in timber into one area and the level of technical enquiries is better than before,” said managing director Fraser Steele.
Eleco Timber Frame’s display, a two storey house frame, was just outside the Zone. “But I think being nearby was mutually beneficial in terms of visitor flow,” said managing director Paul Taylor.
Interbuild will be held again next year, reverting to its historic late October timing. A full report on this year’s show will follow in the next issue of TTJ.
