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In the North America COVID-19 is slowing business and halting conferences

Joining previous declarations from National Lumber and Building Material Dealers Association and the National Retail Hardware Association, the Midwest Building Suppliers Association has petitioned governors in Indiana and Michigan to classify lumber and building materials providers as “essential services” which would prevent against mandatory government closures during the COVID-19 pandemic. Sources: 526 Media Group, Timberbiz, LBM

The North American Retail Hardware Association, along with CEOs from the nation’s leading distributors, co-ops and buying groups, have issued a statement asking for local, state, provincial, and federal officials to consider local hardware stores and home centres as “essential” businesses during the COVID-19 threat and should have the option to stay open to serve their communities. Below is the statement in its entirety.

NRHA, industry leaders urge federal, state, local governments to deem home improvement retailers as ‘essential’ as communities pull back and become more isolated, Lumber dealers are grappling with a host of issues related to staffing, customer service, inventory and event travel.

In the meantime, dealers and wholesalers are all forced to deal with an upended schedule of industry events, with most travel on ice at least in the short term.

Some event organizers got creative. Ace Hardware did hold its spring convention March 11-14, but instead of its planned venue, switched to a virtual conference.

Blish-Mize similarly is switching to a virtual spring market. It will be made available online March 19-31, offering the same market pricing, special buys and programs. The market is available to all customers, regardless of how frequently they place orders.

International Wood Products Association will “reimagine” its annual convention and World of Wood show as its first-ever Virtual World of Wood Convention from April 1-3, in place of a physical event.

A number of events were outright cancelled, including:

  • Lumbermen’s Association of Texas annual convention & expo (April 6-8).
  • Southern Forest Products Association/Southeastern Lumber Manufacturers Association spring meeting (March 25-27).
  • Montreal Wood Convention (March 24-26)
  • North American Wholesale Lumber Association spring Wood Basics Course (March 23-27) and Montreal regional meeting (March 24)
  • National Lumber & Building Material Dealers Association’s spring meeting and legislative conference (March 23-25)
  • Redwood Region Logging Conference (March 19-21)
  • International Home + Hardware Show/Inspired Home Show (March 14-17) in Chicago.

Other groups have opted to postpone.

The National Hardware Show has been pushed back from May 5-7 to Sept. 1-3, still at the Las Vegas Convention Center.

New dates have yet to be set for:

  • International Mass Timber Conference (March 24-26)
  • Hardwood Manufacturers Association national conference and expo/Southern Cypress Manufacturers Association annual meeting (March 25-27)
  • NAWLA’s Vancouver regional meeting (originally April 9)
  • Moulding & Millwork Producers Association was still evaluating whether to proceed with its WM Millwork Marketplace April 20-22, as was the Transload Distribution Association with its annual meeting April 28-30, American Wood Protection Association will decide by March 24 what to do with its annual meeting set for April 26-28.

In response to operating and market conditions impacted by COVID-19, Interfor is slashing its lumber production in British Columbia., the Pacific Northwest and the US south by 35 million board feet per week, about 60% of its capacity, for the next two weeks.

The company announced the curtailments, along with its plan to reduce its capital expenditures in 2020 and 2021 by a total of approximately US$140 million.

The decision to curtail production for two weeks was made, “in order to align production with the prevailing market,” the company said, and will be re-evaluated regularly.