The entire wood industry is gathering at the Montréal Wood Convention, from March 20-22, where more than 1,000 are expected to attend.
This year, the convention – at Fairmont The Queen Elizabeth – will once again play host to the regional meeting of the North American Wholesale Lumber Association (NAWLA), which includes a panel Tuesday afternoon to discuss the industry’s future.
On Wednesday morning, the economy and markets seminar will provide insight on the state of affairs and trends. At Wednesday’s luncheon, participants will have the opportunity to hear what keynote speaker Darrell Bricker has to say.
Bricker is the CEO of Ipsos Public Affairs, a leading market research firm, and will provide unparalleled perspective on trends affecting business and the economy.
After the luncheon, a panel composed of representatives from Canadian National, Canadian Pacific and Groupe Robert will take stock of transportation logistics and challenges and then have a discussion with participants.
New this year is that the technical convention will be held in two parts, one on Wednesday afternoon and the other on Thursday morning. The presentations, given in the form of vignettes, will address the crucial issue of human resources.
Another innovation is that the convention, in conjunction with Natural Resources Canada, is organizing a seminar specifically on China, an ever-growing business market that cannot be ignored. This seminar will take place on Wednesday afternoon.
A cocktail reception will end the day on Wednesday. As for the hardwoods seminar, it will take place on Thursday morning and address prospects for the sector.
The convention will also give participants the opportunity to learn about FPInnovations’ SM2 Initiative, which is developing innovative approaches, implementing game-changing technologies, and offering sawmills a wide range of unique end products and co-products and access to new markets.
This workshop will close the convention after the Thursday luncheon.
The Montreal Wood Convention is organized by the Quebec Wood Export Bureau (QWEB), the Québec Forest Industry Council, the Maritime Lumber Bureau and the Ontario Forest Industries Association.
(Quebec Wood Export Bureau)
