First ever virtual EXPO nearly doubles attendance over previous year
LMC, the leading buying group of building material companies in the country, broke an attendance record at the 2020 LMC Forest Products and Building Materials EXPO, held online this year from November 10 to November 12.
The EXPO, typically held annually and in person during the fall, was limited to virtual attendance this year due to the COVID-19 pandemic, but the ability for participants to attend online led to a record 225 unique companies logging on over the course of three days.
A digital platform connected dealers and suppliers virtually, allowed participants to visit exhibitor booths, and attend joint educational and informational sessions in a safe environment.
“This has been a year of adapting to change for everyone. One thing I know moving forward is to expect the unexpected. As the world changes around us, LMC will continue to evolve to the needs of our members,” said LMC President and CEO John Somerville. “Thanks to the support of everyone who attended, we were able to make the EXPO a great success, and our dealers were able to accomplish their goals as they would have in person.”
Throughout the week, participants were able to hear from key principals from some of the leading suppliers in the country, along with talks from industry professionals that touched upon the challenges of 2020 and what to anticipate for 2021. The EXPO serves as a key component for LMC dealers as they gather industry information to build their purchasing strategy for the upcoming year.
“The EXPO is one of the most productive events of the year for me. While I truly missed the personal interaction, the platform used was intuitive, efficient, seamless and very effective for me,” said Steve Hansen, Corporate Director of Purchasing from Professional Builders Supply. “I held a number of individual meetings with suppliers, attended almost all of the presentations, and was able to accomplish quite a bit in a short amount of time. I thought [LMC] did a great job. It was a great event for me personally.”
Annually, the LMC Forest Products and Building Materials EXPO connects LMC dealers and core supplier partners to negotiate purchasing commitments for the upcoming year. The event also provides educational and professional development forums, and networking opportunities for attendees.