December 6, 2021 | Bill Esler
Atlanta, GA—The International Woodworking Fair issued a call for entries in the 2022 IWF Challengers Distinguished Achievement Award® Competition for Technology and Innovation.
The internationally recognized competition honors IWF Exhibitors that have developed new and innovative technologies that advance the woodworking industry. The highly anticipated Challengers Award event is one of the most closely watched features of IWF, and is a major draw for attendees, since they know entrants are required to be on display during the show.
First established in 1966, the most recent IWF Challengers Award Competition took place in 2018. Though the 2020 Challengers program was suspended due to the COVID-19 pandemic, show management is waiving restrictions to allow those entries to resubmit applications for the IWF 2022 Challengers Distinguished Achievement Award®.
Exhibitors already booked for IWF 2022 have received invitations to enter the competition, and the entry forms are now available on the IWF Challengers Award landing page. Deadline for entries is April 4, 2022.
The Challengers Award Judging Committee—all industry professionals representing a broad cross-section of the wood manufacturing sectors, reviews and analyzes entries—narrows down the entries (typically 50 to 60) to a list of 20 IWF Challenger Finalists.
The competitors will perform live demonstrations before the judges on Monday, August 22, the day before IWF 2022 opens. The judges will then make their decisions, and winners will be announced and receive their awards Tuesday, August 23, the first morning of the show. The winners remain on display in The Challengers Award Gallery for the duration of the show.
View the list of previous winners of the IWF Challengers Distinguished Achievement Award® for Technology and Innovation.
The IWF Challengers Distinguished Achievement Awards® Competition for Technology and Innovation is known throughout the world for recognizing outstanding companies who have distinguished themselves by developing innovative technology in products, services, or manufacturing techniques that will advance the industry. Time-saving, money-saving, and environmentally friendly products are among the traits of many successful Challengers Award entries.
About IWF 2022
Occupying all three buildings of the Georgia World Congress Center in Atlanta, IWF 2022 will reflect the true scope and scale of the global woodworking industry, featuring virtually all major manufacturers, emerging brands, and new-to-market producers and service providers. The large and diverse exhibitor mix will showcase products and services in more than 545 categories covering all key market sectors.
About International Woodworking Fair
In continuous operation for more than a half century, IWF is one of the world’s top events serving the custom and general woodworking industries with extensive penetration in these specialty sectors (to name a few): architectural woodwork; cabinetry; flooring; furniture manufacturing; engineered products; doors and windows; machinery, tools and metals; plastics; and more.
IWF attendees come to experience all that’s new and next in manufacturing technology, innovation, product design, learning, networking and emerging sectors in North America’s largest woodworking event. For the global woodworking community—from small shops to major manufacturers—IWF is where the woodworking business does business. www.iwfatlanta.com
International Woodworking Fair
Tuesday–Friday
August 25–28, 2026
Georgia World Congress Center
285 Andrew Young International Blvd
Atlanta, GA 30313