IWF 2008
Featured Contents
1. Introduction
The 20th edition of the International Woodworking Machinery and Furniture Supply Fair (IWF), which took place at the Georgia World Congress Center in Atlanta from August 20th to 23rd, was seriously hit by the suffering economy. The number of exhibitors, representing 1300 and covering 811 000 square feet, was down about four percent compared with the record breaking show in 2006. The number of visitors was far below any expectations for this Western Hemispheres largest woodworking fair. The aisles were totally empty, with the exception of the second show day.
IWF 2008 was very much under the sign of green. Ecological concerns have reached North America. Manufacturers go for the green, think green and advertise green.
IWF 2008 was very much under the sign of green. Ecological concerns have reached North America. Manufacturers go for the green, think green and advertise green.
2. Exhibitors
The North American market, having developed from a High Pressure to a thermo-fused melamine market, there were few local High Pressure manufacturers exhibiting, while all our customers producing thermo-fused melamine were present. Since Wilsonart, Arborite and Formica have pulled out of IWF, Panolam and Laminart were the only North American High Pressure exhibitors.
Some foreign High Pressure manufacturers had their own booth. This was the case for Lamitech Colombia, Merino Industries Limited and Rushil, the both latter ones from India. Lamicolor Italy and Melatone Korea were represented by their distributor, which also offered Lamitech’s product line.
The thermo-plastic foil business had an international presence with American Renolit Corporation – grouping the collections of Alkor, Cova and Renolit – Hornschuch, Omnova and Riken. The Korean manufacturer, LG, and the German company Klöckner Pentaplast, which both exhibited in 2006, were not present this year.
Technocell was the only Décor paper producer having a booth.
In Décor printing, and comparing with 2006:
- Decotec, DNP and Impress have pulled out of the exhibition.
- Newcomers as exhibitors were the Taiwanese Orchard Group, with a booth in the Machinery hall, and Lamigraf, which had decided to replace its usual hotel suite by a booth in the woodworking manufacturers’ hall.
- Toppan celebrated its 20 years’ birthday of its Atlanta plant and dedicated its booth to coordinated products with an accent on its non-paper foils.
- Chiyoda America had a tiny small booth where a folder with paper sheets was the only promotion tool.
- Interprint and Süddekor had a manned information booth, Schattdecor an unmanned one, to make sure not to be in trouble with the organization of IWF and be able to receive customers for more personal design presentations in hotel suites near by the convention.
The press plate industry, like in 2006, was represented by Hindricks Auffermann, Hueck, Kingsmountain and Sesa.
Some foreign High Pressure manufacturers had their own booth. This was the case for Lamitech Colombia, Merino Industries Limited and Rushil, the both latter ones from India. Lamicolor Italy and Melatone Korea were represented by their distributor, which also offered Lamitech’s product line.
The thermo-plastic foil business had an international presence with American Renolit Corporation – grouping the collections of Alkor, Cova and Renolit – Hornschuch, Omnova and Riken. The Korean manufacturer, LG, and the German company Klöckner Pentaplast, which both exhibited in 2006, were not present this year.
Technocell was the only Décor paper producer having a booth.
In Décor printing, and comparing with 2006:
- Decotec, DNP and Impress have pulled out of the exhibition.
- Newcomers as exhibitors were the Taiwanese Orchard Group, with a booth in the Machinery hall, and Lamigraf, which had decided to replace its usual hotel suite by a booth in the woodworking manufacturers’ hall.
- Toppan celebrated its 20 years’ birthday of its Atlanta plant and dedicated its booth to coordinated products with an accent on its non-paper foils.
- Chiyoda America had a tiny small booth where a folder with paper sheets was the only promotion tool.
- Interprint and Süddekor had a manned information booth, Schattdecor an unmanned one, to make sure not to be in trouble with the organization of IWF and be able to receive customers for more personal design presentations in hotel suites near by the convention.
The press plate industry, like in 2006, was represented by Hindricks Auffermann, Hueck, Kingsmountain and Sesa.
3. Designs
The melamine surface and press plate manufacturers did not use IWF 2008 for launching new collections, but for promoting their existing product lines, using mostly small boards and samples, making it difficult to get an overview of the main trends.
The wood grains at IWF 2008 had the following main features:
- They were dark. In comparison with Europe, the North American collections include numerous chocolate brown designs. The light European wood grain trend has not reached North America yet.
- Walnut with cathedrals was offered in various darker brown tones.
- Fruit trees were very much shown. Cherry, Pear wood and Apple were the species here. Cherry, the most promoted fruit wood at IWF, was presented from mid-tones to dark red-brown colours.
- Exotic wood grains were well represented with straight chocolate brown Wengé, dark red Mahogany, dark Teak, Zebrano and Rosewood – whereof Interprint’s Teresina Rosewood in both dark and light hues. IWF 2008 promoted more exotic wood grains than in any other recent European trade show.
- Wood grains with cross fire – whether Walnut, Anegré, Maple or exotic species – were largely shown, both in melamine and in genuine wood.
- Weathered wood grains are another North American feature seen at this Atlanta fair.
- Ash seems to regain interest also in North America. Many veneer manufacturers promoted Ash.
- Burl wood was very present at the veneer manufacturers and often exhibited with a high gloss texture.
In comparison with Europe:
- Oak was shown here and there, but remained discreet.
- One single exhibitor displayed a white toned wood grain.
- Heartwoods were only to be found on a few European booths.
- Softwood contrasts do not belong to the North American melamine collections.
Panolam, Lamitech and the distributor of various international High Pressure manufacturers were the only booths showing designs other than wood grains, but no particular design direction could be observed here, other than some 3-dimensional effects. Finishes with a deep structure – whether squares or circles - in High Pressure Laminate, metal surfaces visually deep and wood panelling with a 3-D effect draw the visitors’ attention.
Registered embossed, hand-scraped and rifted textures were the items presented by the press plate manufacturers. Interprint’s designs “Lingfield Oak” and Uni pearlescent, pressed with “Flow”, “Hickory” and “Foreland Oak” pressed with a hand-scraped effect, were exhibited by Hueck.
Riken promoted High Gloss with its thermo-plastic foils. The sales in North America of this finish, however, were said to still be very low.
The wood grains at IWF 2008 had the following main features:
- They were dark. In comparison with Europe, the North American collections include numerous chocolate brown designs. The light European wood grain trend has not reached North America yet.
- Walnut with cathedrals was offered in various darker brown tones.
- Fruit trees were very much shown. Cherry, Pear wood and Apple were the species here. Cherry, the most promoted fruit wood at IWF, was presented from mid-tones to dark red-brown colours.
- Exotic wood grains were well represented with straight chocolate brown Wengé, dark red Mahogany, dark Teak, Zebrano and Rosewood – whereof Interprint’s Teresina Rosewood in both dark and light hues. IWF 2008 promoted more exotic wood grains than in any other recent European trade show.
- Wood grains with cross fire – whether Walnut, Anegré, Maple or exotic species – were largely shown, both in melamine and in genuine wood.
- Weathered wood grains are another North American feature seen at this Atlanta fair.
- Ash seems to regain interest also in North America. Many veneer manufacturers promoted Ash.
- Burl wood was very present at the veneer manufacturers and often exhibited with a high gloss texture.
In comparison with Europe:
- Oak was shown here and there, but remained discreet.
- One single exhibitor displayed a white toned wood grain.
- Heartwoods were only to be found on a few European booths.
- Softwood contrasts do not belong to the North American melamine collections.
Panolam, Lamitech and the distributor of various international High Pressure manufacturers were the only booths showing designs other than wood grains, but no particular design direction could be observed here, other than some 3-dimensional effects. Finishes with a deep structure – whether squares or circles - in High Pressure Laminate, metal surfaces visually deep and wood panelling with a 3-D effect draw the visitors’ attention.
Registered embossed, hand-scraped and rifted textures were the items presented by the press plate manufacturers. Interprint’s designs “Lingfield Oak” and Uni pearlescent, pressed with “Flow”, “Hickory” and “Foreland Oak” pressed with a hand-scraped effect, were exhibited by Hueck.
Riken promoted High Gloss with its thermo-plastic foils. The sales in North America of this finish, however, were said to still be very low.
4. Conclusion
The IWF Daily magazine, published by Wood Digest, optimistically announced in its “Day 1” issue: “The more challenging the economy, the more important it is for all industry participants to become aware of the latest technologies, materials and accessories in order to become the most innovative and cost effective producer.” The subprime lending issue, the housing market, foreclosures and the breaking record fuel prices, however, seem to have negatively influenced the developments of new technologies and programs, considering what was shown in the woodworking manufacturers’ hall and definitely discouraged visitors to travel to Atlanta for IWF 2008.
The next International Woodworking Fair is planned from 25 to 28 August 2010.
Elisabeth Zenker
Trend & Market Research
The next International Woodworking Fair is planned from 25 to 28 August 2010.
Elisabeth Zenker
Trend & Market Research