The NAHB Research Center and the U.S. Forest Service will host a series of one-day seminars to help hardwood manufacturers learn about emerging product-demand trends in the building products industry and how to respond effectively to these trends. Titled “Gaining a Competitive Advantage: In-sights for Smaller-Sized and Startup Eastern Hardwood Manufacturers,” the seminars will be held in Asheville, N.C., on March 24, and in Williamsport, Pa., on April 4.
The seminars will target smaller-sized and startup manufacturers of Eastern hardwood products, from primary producers to secondary manufacturers, with the goal of helping them gain a competitive advantage by accessing specialized market-trend data provided by the NAHB Research Center. The Research Center collects market-trend data about builders and consumers annually through its Builder Practices Survey. This survey documents materials usage in new-home construction, providing one of the industry’s most comprehensive sources of data on residential building materials available. Covering purchases by vol-ume, size, style, type, and other characteristics, the survey provides perspective on the U.S. market for home building products and product market share, including brief and lasting trends resulting from various factors such as product shortages, emphasis on energy efficiency, and innovations. The Research Center will use these seminars to demonstrate the usefulness of this highly relevant market-trend information to audiences that may not have access to it.
Participants will also have access to the new suite of product development and commercialization tools that the Research Center recently developed with support from HUD’s Partnership for Advancing Technology in Housing (PATH) program. These tools help manufacturers and service providers develop new products and successfully get them into the marketplace.
For more information about seminar locations or to make a reservation to attend one of the sessions, contact Ronda Oglesby at 301-430-6262 or roglesby@nahbrc.org.
