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HIGH POINT – A building materials trade group held its annual product buying show in High Point.

Sponsored by the Southern Building Material Association, the event came at a time when the housing industry continues to sag and a UNC Charlotte economist predicts commercial construction won't rebound until 2012.

Dozens of exhibitors ranging from software and lumber suppliers to manufacturers of doors and windows came looking to jump start business.

“Definitely for us being the new guy in the territory, it's obviously relationships, getting to know some new people, getting to let them know a little bit more about our company, some of the services and products we can offer them," said Mark Simmers, regional sales manager for Wolf, a building products company.

Now in its eighth year in High Point, the annual show is proving to be a big draw.

“The attendees are lumber and building material dealers, contractors, architects,” said Larry Adams, the association's president. “Anybody in the building trades industry."

UNC Charlotte economist Tony Plath, who analyzes the building industry for Carolinas Associated General Contractors, said recently that he expects commercial construction to struggle until 2012.

Adams said Plath is probably right on target.

“Residential really started down in September of 07,” said Adams. “Commercial really didn't start feeling it severely until about the middle of last year, and so they went into it later and it's probably going to be a little longer before they come out of it."

Carolinas AGC data show some federal stimulus money has found its way to the state's construction industry, but many exhibitors say an industry turnaround will depend largely on banks.

“We need to see banks actually start turning loose some money,” said Bill Lasater, general manager of Interstate Distributors. “I don't say take a little more risk but you know there, that's the money flow problem."

The last couple of years have been difficult ones for many of the companies at the show, but Adams said many of the companies were optimistic that better times are ahead.

“They are resilient and you know, most of our members are family-owned businesses and they'll be back and they'll be stronger,” said Adams. “They'll learn from this just like most of us do during bad times."

The product buying show winds up Thursday at 2:30 p.m.