By Erin Kessler

The Northeastern Forest Products Equipment Expo (a.k.a. Loggers’ Expo) brings together forestry professionals, loggers, equipment dealers, and anyone interested in the timber industry for two full days of exhibits, machinery displays, demos, and a celebration of excellence in the industry. This year, the event was held at the Champlain Valley Expo grounds in Essex Junction, Vermont, May 1-2. The show is a major event organized by the Northeastern Loggers’ Association (NELA).

Clear skies and beautiful weather drew large crowds on Friday. Attendees included loggers, truckers, saw millers, firewood companies, and others who make their living in the Northeast’s forest products industry. On Saturday the weather was overcast and chilly, with a rain shower cutting down the dust in the morning. Despite the colder temperatures, a steady influx of curious attendees kept many exhibitors busy. “There was rain in the morning, [but] the people don’t care, they came anyway,” said sales rep. Maury Wilkinson of Kiln-Direct. “I’m from North Carolina so somebody had to remind me to bring a coat.”

In addition to displays showcasing lumber mill products, saws, gear, and other adjacent forestry products, the 2026 Expo featured chainsaw, portable saw, and firewood processor demos, along with an “old school” grinder demo presented by High Ground Equipment and DJ’s Tree Service.

The Weiler Log Loader Championship was back again, testing operators’ skills with Milton Cat’s K560 knuckleboom loader featuring live heel and circle saw hydraulics. Contestants moved eight blocks of hardwood from one checkerboard to another and back again as quickly as possible. Reigning champion Shawn McLucas of Rangely, Maine, took first place with a time of 2:09:54.

The mood at the show was one of very cautious optimism, with several heavy equipment dealers, timber processing companies, and loggers commenting on the tough business climate. The uncertainty created by tariffs, high interest rates, and the now high cost of diesel fuel has made timber harvesters think twice about buying new machines.

One logger based in Pennsylvania said, “I thought overall the show was great. I am a very optimistic person, so I keep plowing ahead with my business plans. The tariffs are easing thanks to the Supreme Court decision so that helps.” He added that fuel is a big issue now. “It has changed my mind about replacing a few machines. The news says fuel is up by 40% but I am here to tell you it’s up a 100%. Here in PA, we were paying $3.15 a gallon in February, [now we are paying] $6.00 for the same gallon. That is a huge burden on the bottom line. This too shall pass, we hope.”

Lumber companies reported mixed market conditions. For Columbia Forest Products, which has mills in Maine, Vermont, and Wisconsin, markets for veneer and plywood are doing well. “We added some shifts in Newport and Mellon,” said log buyer Richard Pierce. “We are just hoping it’ll stabilize a bit. We raised our fuel surcharge almost 17% in the last six weeks. Everybody’s got to make money.”

Vice President of Procurement for Kennebec Lumber, Conor Callahan, reported that markets are tight – both hardwood and softwood lumber have been suppressed the last few months. Kennebec has both hardwood and eastern white pine mills in New Hampshire, Maine, and Canada. “Markets are tough right now, but we will get through it.” Callahan added that exhibiting at the Expo is important for Kennebec and is key to maintaining relationships with suppliers. “We can't imagine not showing our face here. It would probably take us two months to visit 300 loggers, but here we can see that many loggers in a day. We network and we’re always hoping to get more suppliers.”

Despite the current tempered market conditions, several exhibitors reported high traffic and sales. Jack Beckwith, northeast sales manager for WoodMizer, said, “We had real good traffic on Friday, and Saturday was pretty good considering the weather. It was a good show for sales, and it was just great to connect with customers.” Beckwith added that many attendees come to see their equipment in action. WoodMizer brought around 1,500 board feet of white pine logs to use for portable sawmill demos. Some prospective customers were able to try out a mill and saw a board themselves, including the hobbyist LT15 mill and the next step up, the LT28 portable mill.

Andrew Easton, owner of Eastonmade Wood Splitters, shared his enthusiasm for the 2026 Loggers’ Expo. “This show has been the best one we’ve gone to so far. It was a really good turnout here in Vermont. Really good quality of traffic, we made a lot of sales down here. We sold a couple of firewood processors we don’t normally sell at the shows, and we sold a lot of splitters this weekend too… both big and small equipment so it was well worth our time to come to this show.”

Comparable to the Loggers’ Expos of the previous four years, this year nearly 150 exhibitors showcased their equipment and wares on 248,046 square feet of expo space, drawing in around 5,000 attendees. For NELA’s Executive Director, Kristin Armendola, the Expo was her first as official show manager. “Walking the grounds on Friday and Saturday, it was incredibly rewarding to see so many happy exhibitors and engaged attendees. Nothing is better than witnessing those connections in action – and it was especially exciting to see several pieces of equipment change hands. Moments like that truly reflect the value and energy this event brings to the industry,” Armendola said.

Armendola added, “I’m incredibly grateful to our exhibitors, whose innovation and dedication bring the show to life, as well as to our attendees, whose enthusiasm and support make the event truly meaningful. A special thank you goes to the hardworking staff behind the scenes – their long hours, attention to detail, and commitment make an event of this scale possible.”

Plans are already moving ahead for the 2027 Loggers’ Expo to be held May 14-15.

 

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