By Elizabeth Lunt
The explosion of interest in hemp products since the Farm Bill of 2018 has gone in many directions, including fiber, building materials and even guitars. A strong and renewable building material, hemp is moving into the spotlight in natural building arenas as it gains ground on certification efforts.
Reflecting the hemp plant’s many uses, a wide variety of hemp products will be on display at this year’s Southern Hemp Expo (SHE4) taking place on August 18-20, in Nashville, TN, presented by entrepreneurs, producers and others on the vanguard of hemp innovation.
The celebration of all things hemp will kick off with a SHE4 Welcome Party at the Nashville Tap House on August 18, 6:00pm-9:00pm, followed by two days of robust programming showcasing all aspects of the industry with a stellar lineup of speakers. Below are some highlights of the hemp processing and materials exhibitors joining the show, and a complete list can be found here.
Global Fiber Processing, Booth #411
Global Fiber Processing is seeding innovation, growing markets, and harvesting sustainable opportunities for American hemp farmers and manufacturers. The company provides equipment, seeds, raw materials, and processing and logistical expertise that farmers and manufacturers need at every point in the American industrial hemp supply chain.
IND HEMP, Booth #307
Based in Fort Benton, MT, IND Hemp operates as the first true industrial hemp grain and fiber processing campus. A family-owned, mission driven company, IND HEMP works to connect American farmers to businesses and innovators seeking to use hemp for the benefit of our communities and the planet. Throughout the western United States, IND HEMP contracts thousands of acres of grain and fiber production in Montana, Idaho, Washington and Oregon. Also processing for hemp foods, animal feed and fiber ingredients and materials, IND HEMP is the scalable supply chain which partner companies and industries work with to bring hemp into their products.
HempWood, Booth #502
Anything Wood Can Do Hemp Can Do Better! Widely considered to be the premier wood substitute and smallest ecological footprint of any lumber alternative, HempWood® can be used for anything that wood is used for, such as construction materials, flooring and furniture. Offering a large selection of non-toxic hemp composite woods, HempWood® can be used for both interior design and general construction.
US Hemp Building Association & Foundation, Booth #201
Hosting the Fiber, Materials & Industrial Applications Area at SHE4, USHBA supports and advocates for hemp building professionals, projects and materials in the United States, while facilitating the stabilization of a thriving American hemp building industry. As part of USHBA, the US Hemp Building Foundation strives to fund the development of building codes and testing standards while educating the industry on hemp’s beneficial properties and best practices. These projects are changing our industry and bringing hemp to the forefront of the future in building materials.
Tathum, Booth #320
Tatham is a textile engineering company based in Bradford, UK. Established in 1866, Tatham is today one of the world’s leading names in textile machinery. Their decortication and cleaning equipment machinery is manufactured in the UK to strict engineering standards. Offering a complete service from ‘Field to Fiber for industrial hemp fiber production, their decortication & cleaning process has a gentle opening action to maintain the fiber length, making it suitable for subsequent processing. The company has two of the most efficient hemp decortication lines operating in the world, measured in machine utilization, low maintenance costs and machine operatives.
Formation Ag, Booth #215
Equipment Built for Hemp. Formation Ag engineers and fabricates equipment solutions for harvesting, processing and decortication. The company works with farmers to develop cost-effective and cutting-edge technology to make crops like hemp possible at an industrial scale. Plant, grow, harvest, and process more with equipment from Formation Ag!
Greenfield Global, Booth #321
Greenfield Global is a leading producer and supplier of high-value, mission-critical raw materials, ingredients and additives that are vital to businesses and integral to a lower-carbon economy. From start-ups to the largest brands in the world, customers trust Greenfield’s extensive portfolio of premium products, regulatory expertise and industry-leading service to improve people’s lives and the health of the planet.
Silver Mountain Hemp Guitars, Booth #454
Silver Mountain Hemp builds guitars and amplifiers out of hemp! A boutique custom guitar company offering hemp guitars, amps, combo amps, cabinets, straps, and more, come listen to their unique sound and hear why hemp makes great instruments.
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