The 16th Annual Global Buyers Mission will be held September 11th to 13th, 2019 and we are expected to welcome over 800 delegates from all over the world to Whistler, BC Canada again this year. For those returning Buyers and Exhibitors, please note that the date of the event in changed from the norm – it is the week after Labour Day weekend and will run Wednesday to Friday.
Many thanks must go to our funding Partners who without their continued support, we would not be able to deliver this world-class event: Natural Resources Canada Expanding Market Opportunities Program (EMO), Forestry Innovation Investment Ltd. (FII), and Global Affairs Canada (GAC). We look forward to launching our corporate sponsors, as they are confirmed.
This year, we are inviting international buyers from Australia, Belgium, China, Dominican Republic, France, Germany, Hong Kong, India, Japan, Korea, Mexico, Nigeria, Pakistan, the Philippines, Taiwan, the United Kingdom, the United States, and Vietnam.
With the assistance of the Federal Trade Commissioner Service and BC’s Trade & Investment Representatives from a number of international markets, we anticipate that the recruiting process will ensure qualified buyers again this year. With their continued dedication, there will be many first-time Buyers to the GBM, with the intent of opening opportunities for Canadian manufacturers to develop new business.
We are expecting that incremental sales for Canadian wood products manufacturers participating in the GBM will surpass $37,000,000, in the following year.
We will also welcome North American architects, designers, contractors, developers, engineers and specifiers to our WoodTALKS™ program, held in conjunction with the GBM. This educational programming garners learning unit (LU’s) for the delegates, through lunch and learns and presentations by renowned architects and speakers, and a mini-seminar series on the tradeshow floor Thursday afternoon. In past years, these activities have always been well received by both the architect community and participating exhibitors.
We expect to have Canadian products on display from coast to coast including timber frame structures, engineered wood products, treated lumber, reclaimed wood, windows, building products and systems, Western Red Cedar products, and a variety of other value-added wood building products.
BC Wood will also be organizing Extended Mission programs for incoming international delegates that include site visits and factory tours. This year, pre-qualified Buyers will tour production facilities and new project sites in the lower mainland, to meet participating manufacturers. Besides helping buyers immediately source high quality, innovative, and competitively priced wood products, the tours helped build future business relationships by familiarizing potential customers with Western Canada’s wood species. We thank the many local companies that will make the effort to open their mills and plants for these informative and productive tours.
Held at the Whistler Conference Centre, the GBM continues to be Canada’s largest event dedicated to promoting value-added wood producers.
For more information on how you can participate in the Global Buyers Mission, September 11th to 13th 2019, contact us at 604-882-7100 or email gbm@bcwood.com for details.