After a brief hiatus, trade shows are back and thriving once again. One of the best places for builders and professionals in the residential construction business to get their brand in front of a large audience is the National Association of Home Builders International Builders’ Show (NAHB IBS).

For businesses launching a new product, hoping to enhance their customer base, or desiring to build brand awareness, IBS is a must-do trade show. It’s a great opportunity to take advantage of a captive audience and connect with other businesses in the residential construction industry. Year after year, Mid-Atlantic Timberframes finds great benefit in attending the education sessions and learning about new products and building trends.

Here are Mid-Atlantic Timberframes’ five takeaways from what we saw and heard at the 2023 International Builders’ Show:

1. Trade shows are back and gaining momentum. In the past, shows were well-attended with high energy and enthusiasm, but due to the pandemic, organizers were unsure whether events like these would rebound to their previous attendance numbers. The good news is trade shows are alive and well. In fact, the 2023 IBS event had record attendance, with over 100,000 people showing up to learn more about the construction industry. A renewed energy for the show grew as attendees enjoyed connecting with other professionals while learning about new products and tricks of the trade.
2. A highlight of IBS is getting to meet with exhibitors and hearing about their new products and services. Meeting representatives in person is a significant motivator for builders to begin using new products, and trade shows are the perfect place to begin forming those relationships. Over the years, trade shows have seen a decline in the number of exhibitors. However, it seemed businesses were as motivated as ever to showcase their products this year. In fact, there were at least two exhibitors for every category of service or product at IBS.
3. IBS is highly beneficial for residential builders who come to the trade show to find products that will enhance their businesses and offer opportunities for growth. With a wide range of products and services spotlighted through exhibitors, builders were able to find exactly what they were looking for. Each exhibit was focused on specific benefits for residential builders in particular.
4. As we’ve seen in recent years, there continues to be a breakdown in the supply chain with not enough labor or materials to meet the demand of residential construction. Supply chain issues will likely continue for the foreseeable future, but builders are working hard to meet the needs of their clients.
5. The cost of most building materials continues to climb. If there’s one takeaway that will have the biggest impact on clients, it’s this: Don’t delay in starting your building projects. As prices increase, it’s better to start now rather than wait for prices to dip. Who knows when that might be.

At Mid-Atlantic Timberframes, we are committed to lifelong learning and growing as a business, which is why we continue to attend the International Builders’ Show and other trade shows throughout the year. Not only do we want to showcase the incredible benefits of building with heavy timber, but we also want to grow our partnerships with other businesses and builders across the United States and throughout the world. To learn more about Mid-Atlantic Timberframes, contact us today.