"From its founding days, Merenda has been an enthusiastic member of IWIN. When Bill Vernon and Dermot O' Donovan first spoke of the possibilities for the Irish furniture industry in collaborative learning, shared business experiences, a new approach to securing talent and a collective will for internationalisation and growth, I knew Merenda could only benefit from being on that journey. In real terms, the annual conference, golf outings and the connections made with ATU Letterfrack is already paying dividends for Merenda.


I would highly recommend IWIN membership to businesses in our industry who want to scale strategically and resource that growth with good practice and profit. I encourage all businesses in our industry to sign up for 2023 and beyond and reap the benefits"


- Ronan Haslette, CEO, Merenda


"We have greatly benefited from being members of IWIN. The access to networking events as well as information provided around industry exhibitions has been very beneficial to the company. We have gained considerable value as a result of a workshop organised by IWIN in relation to circularity in upholstery and textiles (CUT Project). This has re-framed how we think about our furniture and service. Being part of this group of companies has spawned some great inter company connections as well as some smaller projects that we feel could benefit us in the long run. The network is going from strength to strength and we feel there is still growing to be done"


- Kilian Finane, General Manager, Finline Furniture


"The Peer to Peer program through IWIN was a fantastic experience. The program was very beneficial for Holbein Carpentry & Joinery and I found it very helpful on a personal level. Coming together with different companies from the same industry gave us the opportunity to share experiences, see different operations and learn from one another. Often companies work very differently, but still face very similar challenges, whether these be internal issues or external factors outside our control. By communicating and learning from one another, I feel we continuously improve our businesses for the benefit of our customers, employees and suppliers alike. Collaboration is key"


- Oliver Holbein, Managing Director, Holbein Carpentry & Joinery


"IWIN provides us with the opportunity to network with companies that are facing similar challenges and to share experiences. We recently worked with IWIN on the circularity in upholstery and textiles (CUT) project and the contacts generated from this project have helped us greatly to develop our thought processes in relation to product development and circularity. The IWIN network is providing an excellent opportunity for all businesses in our industry to learn from the experiences of the group and appreciate the challenges that will arise in the future. Thank you to the team at IWIN for opening up this door for us and pointing us in the right direction in the pursuit of sustainable growth"


- Philip Fagan, Managing Director, Kelletts (Oldcastle) Limited

Host Over 20 Companies For A Factory Tour

January 20, 2026
We were delighted to host over 20 companies for a factory tour, discussion on exporting with Gareth Sherry of IWIN , and for a presentation + meet and greet with John Kiely Limerick hurling manager. Congratulations to our team for putting this together. Thank you to all of our visitors and contributors. We look forward to further progression on export cluster discussions over the coming weeks and months. Carnehill Joinery Ltd , Carroll Joinery Ltd , Woodfit - Joinery and Acoustics , Truwood Ltd. , Topform Ltd , Timeless Sash Windows , Western Postform Limited , MFM Joinery , GEM Joinery , W.Howard Kildare , Mivan Ltd , Simon O'Keeffe Pembroke Alliance , Vision Creative Studios , Loughnanes Joinery , Canavan Joinery Services Ltd , Tretzo Aidan McKenna

(NBMDA) Distributors’ Event

By Gareth Sherry • January 20, 2026
What an amazing week we had in Chicago! Myself, Eoin Ryan from The Galtee Group , and Damian Woods from W.Howard 'The MDF Specialists'​ attended the North American Building Material Distribution Association (NBMDA) distributors’ event, with over 1,000 delegates present. I had the privilege to do a presentation on behalf of the Irish Wood & Interiors Network ( IWIN ), showcasing the expertise and capabilities of our member companies. I also shared our collaboration with Cieblink , who are launching a Product Information Management (PIM) software we are starting to implement in the network. It was a brilliant opportunity to connect with dozens of prospective buyers, build key relationships, and generate leads for future business. We were lucky to be hosted by industry experts Freya Hannah (Cieblink) and David Smith from The David Smith Group, who introduced us to many of the top buyers/distributors in the US and Canadian markets. The event was packed with key figures from the North American and Canadian building materials supply industry, particularly woodworking products and sheet materials—a perfect fit for our network. We also had some great experiences exploring Chicago, including seeing 9-time Grammy winner, Buddy Guy, perform live—an unforgettable night! We toured the city and had a productive meeting with David O'Flaherty of Enterprise Ireland USA , who shared that Chicago is home to 200,000 Irish diaspora, 25,000 of whom are in construction—highlighting the strong cultural ties and opportunities for Irish suppliers in this market. The US is open for business—with trade from China down, buyers are actively looking for alternatives. For Irish companies ready to supply, there’s a real chance to make an impact. It was a smashing week, and we’re excited for what’s ahead! Thank you to Frederic Pare and Freya Hannah for the invitation to the event, and to Michael Wilbur for hosting such an excellent gathering.