ESCANABA – The Great Lakes Logging and Heavy Equipment Expo will bring together vendors and loggers from all over the United States and beyond when it is held at the U.P. State Fairgrounds Thursday through Saturday.

One long-time attendee from the U.P. is Jim Moraska, owner of Moraska Saw and Supply in Powers. This year, Moraska Saw and Supply will be showing a display of circular saws up to 56 inches in diameter, along with other cutting tools used in the logging industry.

Like Moraska, Northgate Equipment and Sales owner Al Gartland enjoys attending the show when it is in Escanaba. He said his goal at the expo is to give attendees from the U.P. a chance to buy equipment from a local business. He will be primarily showing chainsaws at the show.

Another long-running presence at the convention is OK Industrial Supply, based in Ishpeming. Business Manager Jackie Etelamaki said OK Industrial Supply has regularly attended the expo for years now.

The company will be showcasing safety products, Milwaukee Power Tools, hydraulic hose lines, and other items at this year’s show.

A newer vendor from the area is the Escanaba-based Midwest Truck Driving School. They will be at the convention for their first time this year to promote a new logging truck driving course they introduced on Aug. 31.

“There is a big demand for logging truck drivers,” McKnight said.

The school’s logging truck is unusual, in that it was designed to fit both a teacher and a pupil.

“Our logging truck is unique because it has two seats in the back – one for the instructor, and one for the student,” McKnight said.

Midwest Truck Driving School will be showing the truck at the convention, along with a school bus for their new school bus training program.