D'FIBOIS 2011 Show, it's the cooperatives and their members who talk about it best

By COM4 - PR Agency Published on Tuesday, January 11, 2011 at 01:00

Photo credits : ORCAB

Following the success of the first edition in 2009 in Nantes, the 20 "Wood & Derivatives and Roofing" cooperatives grouped within ORCAB - Organization of Purchasing Cooperatives for Building Tradespeople - will meet from March 31 to April 1, 2011 for the D'FIBOIS trade show. The Angers Exhibition Center will become a true forum for the expression of wood craftspeople and the relationships they establish with their supplier partners.

For Alain Hubert, director of the Triangle 37 cooperative in Amboise, D'FIBOIS will be "constructive and qualitative. It is an opportunity for us to become aware of the weight of our network and to align innovative and quality products or concepts with our members and the market."

A testament to the validity and strength of the cooperative movement, Triangle 37 has grown from 30 to 90 members since its creation in 2007.

Among them, the roofing company of Bruno Sennegon In Azay le Rideau, there is also a MOB entity that has just won the first prize for "Grands Espaces" at the last Salon Maison Bois d'Angers. A third-generation roofer, Bruno Sennegon perfectly embodies the "spirit" that will drive D'FIBOIS: "for us, it's an important event that allows us to bring together tradesmen and women, all speaking the same language."

Joel Thibault, a carpenter and roofer in La-Croix-en-Touraine, agrees: "We are in direct contact with each other for two days. We can see other products, other suppliers, and improve the quality of our offering. By talking to suppliers, we can encourage them to make changes to their offering or the composition of their products."

Yannick Remaud, a member of the UAB cooperative in Vendée, set up his carpentry/joinery business in Saint Gilles Croix de Vie 12 years ago. D'FIBOIS will be for him "the opportunity to meet as many craftsmen as possible from different regions, to discover new products and to share our values."

FOCUS ON THE UAB COOPERATIVE

Created in 1981 in La Ferrière (Vendée), UAB - Union of Wood Craftsmen - is the country's very first cooperative bringing together wood craftsmen. It has positioned itself as an alternative and a response to the high concentrations in distribution. 19 other structures grouped within ORCAB have since emerged throughout France.

New techniques, new regulations, and the craft industry are evolving rapidly. As organizer of D'FIBOIS and keen to meet the expectations of its members, ORCAB sees this trade show as an opportunity to take stock of existing knowledge and pool it to meet new market demands.

D'FIBOIS in figures

From March 31 to April 1, 2011 at the Angers Exhibition Center

Organized by the 20 “Wood & Derivatives and Roofing” cooperatives of ORCAB

3 visitors expected

Nearly 200 exhibiting supplier partners present

ORCAB

ORCAB brings together 48 cooperatives and 5200 member companies providing 25 jobs in 000 French regions and 14 employees for a turnover of €1 million in 400 sectors of activity: Wood & Derivatives and Roofing / Heating, Sanitation, Electricity / Structural work, Tiling, Roofing.

ORCAB is ranked 24th in the TOP 100 French building distributors.

In the "Wood & Derivatives and Roofing" sector, ORCAB has now entered the top 10 distributors (9th place) with 20 cooperatives and 540 employees for a turnover of €261 million.

To know more : www.dfibois.fr - www.orcab.com