BCMC 2021 Brings the Industry Together Again

“By every measure, BCMC 2021 was a huge success,” says Greg Dahlstrom of Villaume Industries, a US LBM company, and co-chair of the BCMC Committee. “It was great to see so many manufacturers and suppliers from throughout the industry come together again and spend the week learning from each other.”

BCMC had a raucous start on Tuesday with over 200 participants in the Industry Roundtables & Happy Hour, where topics like “Absorbing the Increasing Cost of Labor,” “Embracing Opportunities for Innovation,” and “Navigating Schedule Delays with Customers” were among more than thirteen subjects discussed in numerous small peer groups. “The roundtables are truly one of the most valuable aspects of the show,“ says Mike Kozlowski of Apex, the other co-chair of the BCMC Committee. “It’s been a rough year for the industry and the roundtables were the perfect opportunity for everyone to share their challenges and talk through solutions.”

The idea sharing continued throughout Wednesday and Thursday in twelve education sessions, “Meet the Speaker” events, and nine show floor Learning Labs. Covering everything from “Assessing Automation Accurately” to “Getting Paid for What We Do,” attendees had access to an immense treasure trove of industry knowledge to learn from and take back to their companies. “Whether you’re new to the industry or you’ve been doing this for twenty-plus years, there is always something incredibly valuable to take away from these sessions,” says Dallas Austin of Big C Lumber and co-chair of the BCMC education sub-committee. “It’s always been one of the main reasons I attend BCMC.”

A lot of learning also occurred on the 55,530 square-foot BCMC show floor. With over 825 registrants pouring through 92 exhibitor booths, it was crystal clear the component manufacturing industry is experiencing strong demand for its products and services. “It seemed like more people were here to compare and buy than in recent years,” says Jay Halteman of Wood Tech Systems, “It was a very good show for many exhibitors and a reminder there is no better place to increase your customer base than at BCMC.”

The show floor also appeared more vibrant with numerous live podcasts and streaming shows broadcast out of multiple booths. Chief among them was Dave Cooper, a thought-leader in the off-site construction movement, who brought his production to BCMC and interviewed several exhibitors and industry leaders throughout the week. “BCMC is an incredible event that showcases the vital role this industry plays in the viability of off-site construction,” says Dave Cooper. “The innovation and technology on display throughout the BCMC show floor underscores just how creative this industry can be in meeting the needs of today’s builders, framers and general contractors.”