AIFP Hits the Trade Show Circuit: Our Four Favorite Events

Throughout the year, AIFP attends a number of industry events and trade shows, which allow our traders to meet with current and potential buyers, stay up-to-date on industry news, and build business connections with other people in the industry. In fact, we’ve been able to send representatives to World of Concrete, FenceTech, Montreal Wood Convention, North American Wholesale Lumber Association (NAWLA), Building Component Manufacturers Conference (BCMC), and the Softwood Log & Lumber Conference. Here are some highlights from a few of our most successful trade shows.

World of Concrete

As far as trade shows go, World of Concrete is a great opportunity for our commodity traders to build business relationships with contractors and future clients. Not only does this annual conference feature over 180 educational sessions, but it features over 130 industry speakers who can provide valuable insight our traders can use throughout the year.

Montreal Wood Convention (MWC)

With over 1,000 attendees, including three traders from American, the Montreal Wood Convention in March was a huge success. Not only were most of the Eastern wood suppliers there, but the event was incredibly well organized, which offered our traders the opportunity to meet with their current mill contacts and future suppliers. Plus, there were plenty of great industry seminars and speakers who provided key insights that will serve our traders for years to come.

Softwood Log & Lumber Conference

With in-depth coverage of key global markets and the supply dynamics in major exporting and importing countries, it truly pays off to attend this conference organized by Forest Economic Advisors (FCA). In addition to learning more about lumber forecasts and key demographics for North America, this conference also served as a great opportunity to network with mills and potential customers.

Building Component Manufacturers Conference (BCMC)

Our traders love the BCMC conference, which offers an array of opportunities to meet with manufacturers, customers, wholesalers, and sawmills, all on the same trade floor. In addition to meeting people from different sectors within the industry, our traders also have the opportunity to learn about new technology and equipment coming out soon. Plus, it gives them the opportunity to meet with customers and mills in the area, forging stronger working relationships and making potential sales.

At AIFP, we understand how important it is to keep up with industry news, trends, and technology, as well as how vital it is to build strong, working business relationships with our suppliers and our customers. We’re proud of all we achieved in 2018, and we look forward to continued profit, shipping, and employee growth. Think you want to become a commodity trader at AIFP? We’re currently hiring for our trader training program in Portland, Oregon. Apply today!