Traders Market returns to Ghicago

f,-lollowrNc AN IMPRESSIvE, show last f' year in Las Vegas, the NAWLA Traders Market retums to Chicago for 2014.The premier event will be held Nov. l2-14 at the newly renovated Hyatt Regency Chicago, a familiar venue for regular attendees.

Since 1996, the Traders Market has held a unique position among lumber and building material trade shows, as it is the only one that is focused almost exclusively on the lumber supply chain. Unlike other shows, the exhibitors are almost always manufacturers of lumber and lumber-related products, not machinerY or other equipment providers.

"The NAWLA Traders Market is the must-attend event in the forest products industry. It's the one time and place where buyers and sellers of all types of wood and related building products can get together for two days and 'talk shop' face-to-face," said Jim McGinnis, Traders Market chair.

This focus on supply chain partners has fostered an unrivaled atmosphere for networking. In today's global marketplace, the Traders Market provides a chance to meet current and prospective clients face to face. In an industry where million-dollar deals are still made with a handshake, that personal networking is invaluable.

NAWLA chairman Rick Ekstein, president of Weston Forest Products, said that the Traders Market truly provides value to his company, and that his "purchasing team can accomplish in two days, what it would take weeks to accomplish traveling on the road."

Last year, the show hosted 246 exhibiting companies and 1435 attendees-its highest attendance since 2008. The attendee profile continues to be near evenly split between wholesalers and manufacturers.

The Traders Market Committee is adding a few new wrinkles to the 2014 show, but is keeping the essence of the floor experience the same as in Past years, said McGinnis. "We're expecting 1,500 or so attendees, and it promises to again be the one event of this type that just can't be missed."

Registration is now oPen. Visit www.nawlatradersmarket.com.