Attendance up at stair makers’ conference

The Stairway Manufacturers' Association reports that attendance was up by more than 20 percent at its 2011 annual conference and business meeting, compared to last year.

The SMA is a national organization holding two conferences each year at venues that rotate geographically across the country.

"Although generally the membership is reporting some increased activity, some parts of the country are still treading water. The reason for the increase is unrelated to the economy but due to the introduction of growth strategies to provide more value for SMA members through education opportunities and making them affordable. In 2009, when most trade associations were cutting back or canceling events, the SMA introduced a second conference held in the fall to focus on technical topics and member certification," according to a statement from the association.

This year's fall education conference is scheduled for Nov. 11-13 in Indianapolis.

The 2012 annual conference will be in Reno, Nev. Attendees can earn learning units toward stair design, stair code, architect educator, and stair safety educator certifications.

For information, visit www.stairways.org.