The 38th annual NEFBA Trade Show continues growing and this year sold out for the fifth consecutive year.
Hundreds of builders, vendors and housing industry affiliates poured through the exhibitors booths, seeking information about new products and services, making new contacts, signing up for free prizes and having a good time.
“NEFBA’s Trade Show is a highly anticipated event for those in the building industry,” said Elizabeth Hill, NEFBA event coordinator. “For the exhibitors, it’s a concentrated marketing opportunity, and for the visitors, it’s one way to keep up with what’s new.”
Hill said the nearly 150 booths at the Morocco Temple drew the largest crowd in the show’s 38 years. Originally consisting of tabletop exhibits at the old Hilton Hotel, the NEFBA Construction Industry Trade Show is now the area’s largest trade exposition.
The show’s major sponsor was PPW/DuPont Tyvek, and DiscoverTec provided wireless Internet.
The Trade Show hosted the annual High School Nail Driving Contest championship. Sponsored by the NEFBA Training Department, the competition includes students from area high schools who have competed for the right to advance to the championship in contests prior to the Trade Show.
The competition has several goals, according to Laura Laseman, NEFBA training director.
“The competition is a lot of fun - and that in itself is a good reason to promote it,” Laseman said. “And, we see it as a morale booster for high school construction technology students and the faculty.”
This year’s winners:
Boys First Place:
Travis Smith,
Sandalwood High School
Boys Second Place:
Michael Williams,
A. Philip Randolph
Academy of Technology
Girls First Place:
Terry Dimsdale, Pedro Menendez High School
Girls Second Place:
Amber Freeman, Florida Youth Challenge Academy
Apprentice First Place: Andrew Hall, employed
by Nelson Plumbing
The top boy and top girl from each school receive a winner’s certificate and a framing hammer. Championship winners receive $100, and a traveling trophy is presented to the winners’ schools. Second-place winners receive $50 each.