Photos By Terry Miller
The Montréal Wood Convention (MWC) 2024, the premier event for the wood industry in North America and the largest of its kind in Canada, drew over 1150 participants from across the globe with 112 booths showcasing the latest trends, technologies, and products by the biggest companies in the industry. This marked back-to-back record-breaker years for the MWC.
The MWC took place at the Queen Elizabeth Hotel in Montréal and featured series of seminars, discussions, and panel sessions featuring leading industry experts. One of the highlights of the event was the keynote speech by tech titan Michelle Romanov where she opened up about her own entrepreneurial experiences and offered valuable tips applicable to the wood industry and beyond. Benjamin Tal’s perspectives on economy was also very popular among the participants.
According to Sven Gustavsson, the Event Director, the Montréal Wood Convention 2024 was a great success on many fronts. “The event was a success because we were again able to bring the wood industry together. The networking opportunities along with the learning sessions with our great set of speakers are always a good mix to provide participants a value-added experience. This annual meeting is important for the wood industry in North America and worldwide and the presence of key industry players is always a sign of our relevancy, which we are always aiming to.”
Julie Gravel, organizing committee member and North American Commodities Sales Manager at GreenFirst Forest, reaffirmed the convention’s significance as a key hub for everyone involved in the wood industry. “The event is important to learn about not only your specified field of work, but also to learn about the new trends along the whole wood industry chain. We are all interconnected, whether it’s wood product producers, wholesalers, retailers or equipment companies, and the MWC reflects that reality in a way other events cannot replicate.”
The MWC importance is paired with the importance of the forest industry for the Canadian economy. It represents a contribution to GDP of over $20 billion, representing 8 percent of the Canadian manufacturing sector. With exports of over $38 billion in 2023, the sector boasts a solid positive trade balance (nearly $22 billion). As for lumber, Canada remains the 2nd largest producer, and in 2022, became, once again, the world’s largest exporter. In 2022, the forestry industry accounted for over 200,000 direct jobs (foresters, scientists, engineers, computer specialists, technicians, and skilled workers), and remains a pillar of economic development for many municipalities from coast to coast.
The event, which has its roots in the Canadian Lumbermen’s Association Convention, first held in 1908, was revamped and restarted in 2013 by four industry associations in Eastern Canada, the Maritime Lumber Bureau, the Ontario Forest Industry Association, the Québec Forest Industry Council and the Québec Wood Export Bureau.
Learn more at www.montrealwoodconvention.com.
