Features
Montreal Wood Convention 2023: preview

Now in a three-day format, the Montreal Wood Convention (MWC) is giving attendees plenty of time to attend sessions and do a lot of in-person networking, or attend virtually if they really can’t make it to Montreal in person. 

“People are ready to get out on the road and network in person. When you look at the list of exhibitors and people who have already registered, you have to ask yourself: ‘How can I not be there?’” event director Sven Gustavsson tells CFI.

Previously done over two days, MWC will be held at the Fairmont Queen Elizabeth in Montreal, Que., from April 18-20.

The event officially starts on April 18 with a welcome reception, followed by two full days of insightful sessions.

The industry seminar on economy and markets on April 19 will give the most up-to-date information on the key issues affecting the lumber industry and the wood products trade.

The day’s first speaker is CIBC Capital Markets deputy chief economist Benjamin Tal, who is well-known for his ground-breaking published research on topics such as labour market dynamics, real estate, credit markets, international trade, and business economic conditions. Other speakers include Paul Jannke, principal of Forest Economic Advisors and one of the industry’s top economic analysts, who will give his take on the evolution of global trade flows in wood products.

Alison Coughlin and Tom Crane of the Chicago Mercantile Exchange will talk about the development of the futures market and the new truck-load-based contract. Greg Kuta and Alex Mead, brokers from Westline Capital and StoneX Financials, respectively, will then try to demystify the apparent disconnect between the cash and futures market.

“MWC will give you insights on important topics for the year to come in the wood industry. This year, we’ve gathered an impressive team of CEOs for the industry panel that will give participants fresh information on major short and medium trends in the market,” Gustavsson adds.

The panel will be moderated by André Beaulieu, a seasoned sales executive from J.D. Irving. Panellists include Do It Best’s Dan Starr, who has a finger on the pulse of the private repair and remodelling sector in the U.S. and Mexico. He will answer the question: Are there any decks still left to be built or replaced in the Midwest in 2023?

Another panellist is Ted Ellis, CEO of Idaho Timber. As a part of the Hampton Group, his experience spans from western operations and trade while still focusing on Idaho’s legacy operations in value-added wood products, servicing industrial customers and other sectors.

Finally, Taiga is a leading independent wholesale distributor of building materials in Canada and the U.S., and the CEO, Russ Permann, covers a wide range of products from engineered lumber to cladding materials.

The event’s keynote speaker is Super Bowl champion Laurent Duvernay-Tardif, who will deliver an inspirational 30-minute speech covering his impressive career in the NFL as a lineman with the Kansas City Chiefs and the New York Jets while studying at McGill University’s faculty of medicine. LDT, as he is known by his peers and fans, will be available to answer questions at the end of his presentation.  

Learn more about the event and register at: www.montrealwoodconvention.com.