From the Executive Director: October 2024

Breaking Down the Latest on the EUDR

The European Commission has announced a proposed 12-month delay in implementing the EU Deforestation Regulation (EUDR) to provide more time for companies to prepare for compliance.

Approval would be welcomed by all, but the delayed go-live date of December 30, 2025, for large companies and June 30, 2026, for micro- and small enterprises will still loom. While there are still more questions than answers at this point, SFPA continues to work with its industry partners to continue finding – and sharing – information to help our members and the Southern Pine lumber industry come into compliance when the EDUR does go into effect.

Limited Forest Products EXPO 2025 Exhibit Space Remains; Do You Have Yours?

I can’t recall this much Forest Products EXPO exhibit space being under contract one year out from the event, but here we are! Can you believe only 14% of exhibit space remains available within 11 months until the EXPO 2025 doors open?

Demand to be part of the No. 1 event on the sawmill industry tradeshow charts is so strong, we opened additional exhibit space, which you can review by clicking here. Hurry before it's gone! We are expecting a sellout, and we want you to be there!

Not receiving EXPO-related emails? If so, great! The SFPA team will be communicating primarily through the Map Your Show exhibitor platform, so if you're not receiving emails about EXPO, including next week's sponsorship announcement,?whitelist these email domains ASAP, we recommend you whitelist the mapyourshow.com domain to ensure you don’t miss any important Forest Products EXPO news.

Have questions about the show? Visit?SFPAexpo.com or email?[email protected].

Stand Out at EXPO 2025 With a Sponsorship!

Prepare now: Forest Products EXPO 2025 sponsorship opportunities will be released Tuesday, October 15.

The SFPA team has put a lot of effort into refining our sponsorship opportunities to develop an energetic environment on the exhibit floor while keeping attendees in the exhibit hall so you can make impactful connections and develop meaningful relationships.

New opportunities in 2025 include Blood Mary bars, hospitality/networking lounges, specialty coffee carts, column wraps, and more!

SFPA Staff Moving Into Association Management System (AMS)

We reached our first major milestone last week by getting all our members imported into our new association management system powered by Growth Zone and are well on our way to educating you on how to use this new technology before the end of 2024.

Our next major milestone will be running our 2025 Associate Member 2025 renewal campaign through this new software! Stay tuned for details!

2025 Membership Renewal Drive Begins November 4

That’s right! I can’t believe another year is nearly done, but I am excited to keep moving forward. Our members are a huge part of that (without you, SFPA and crucial Southern Pine lumber promotion wouldn’t exist!).

This year has been another record-breaker with 32 new members through October 1 (with an additional two new lumber manufacturing members), bringing us to a total of 157 Associate Members. That follows a huge 2023 when 44 new members joined SFPA.

That speaks volumes, not only that the Southern Pine lumber industry is growing and healthier than ever, but that members find value in the networking, intelligence, promotion, support, and resources that come with SFPA membership. The SFPA Board of Directors and staff want to thank you for your support – time and financial. We’re stronger together. That was the motivation behind the initial founding of the original Southern Pine Association in 1915, and it remains our core mission today.

Associate member dues will remain the same at $1,000. The deadline to renew is December 31, 2024, so don’t let that membership expire or you’ll lose access to key industry data and the power of community.

Not a member yet? What are you waiting for? If you or your company is engaged in some business connected with the manufacture of Southern Pine lumber, we’d love to have you! Learn more by clicking here.

American Wood Council Lifecycle Reporting

Just a reminder that the American Wood Council (AWC) Life Cycle Survey is live, and SFPA is proud to coordinate with its Lumber Manufacturer members to engage in this important project to meet the growing transparency demands and position wood – and Southern Pine – as the premier building material.