This year’s Interbuild show will feature no Timber Zone, but around 40 timber companies have booked stands for the event.
TRADA, which successfully helped co-ordinate the Timber Zone with Interbuild organiser Emap in previous years, had decided not to help run the zone this year.
Interbuild director David Pierpoint told TTJ that without TRADA’s seminar theatre or other central feature it was difficult to create a Timber Zone as in previous years.
Companies that have confirmed their attendance include American Softwoods, Ante-Holz, John Brash, Klausner, Snows Timber, UK Timber Frame Asociation and TRADA Technology.
Mr Pierpoint said the wider show was currently running about a third behind last year’s level of exhibitor bookings when 680 stands filled three halls at Birmingham NEC. This year there are only two halls.
“It will be a smaller show than last year but in some ways that may not be a bad thing,” he said. “But we have some great brands attending and some sectors are doing a lot better than others, structural building companies and doors and windows for example.
“We would expect that we are a third down on exhibitor numbers. Normally you would expect that to be reflected in visitor numbers, but we are actually 15% up on visitor registrations.”
Mr Pierpoint said reorganisation of Interbuild into two distinct sections – Specifier and Onsite – coupled with the key themes of education, sustainability and refurbishment would make the 2009 event highly focused on attracting the right sort of visitor.
He said some potential exhibitors were holding back on confirming attendance and he said there could be a late surge of companies signing up.
