Greetings to readers everywhere!!!
As summer winds down and children go back to school…the heavy show calendar of autumn will quickly commence.
All U.S. regions report major show activity with Chicago’s McCormick Place about to stage the mammoth International Machine Tool Show (IMTS) this September followed in short order by PACK EXPO. IMTS is staged every two years, the same with PACK (PACK WEST is staged in Vegas in off years). Rosemont, not to be left out, has Private Label Expo at the Donald E. Stephens Convention Center in November. The workforces of the Chicagoland trade unions have a well-deserved reputation for being able to handle these huge machinery shows. The fact that they manage to make staging these shows look routine is a testament to their great skills.
Our September print edition has plenty of great content on tradeshow marketing and how to really get some real bang for your buck. ECN’s newest columnist, Timothy Carter of Nimlok, is helping exhibitors form a game plan that will maximize their ROI on the show floor. While these face-to-face events are the lifeblood of our industry, the advantages of mobile apps cannot be ignored. Used to complement and enhance the in-person experience, we discuss a few components that should be considered in creating a successful event app.
The introduction of aluminum products to the exhibit builder’s repertoire has led to the exit of a number of materials that were once considered indispensable in booth design. Aluminum extrusions have not only displaced wood, glass and steel, but have also become integrated into an exhibit’s design rather being used strictly as a structural element.
ECN’s 20TH Anniversary Keepsake Edition
A heartfelt THANK YOU goes out to the many companies and organizations that have supported our effort as we prepare to go to press in early October. Separating the top stories from so many news items over 240 months of coverage is no small task. Those of you in the industry over those past 20 years have celebrated many triumphs and weathered lean spells and downturns. The content will be captivating to those whose sweat, blood and bruises helped build and maintain the thriving tradeshow, convention and event business we have today. Ours is a unique industry that helps drive the world economy and markets the products of the future.
Anyone looking to be part of this special project needs to act fast. The cutoff is the third week of September!
Until November…I’ll see you digitally on the Web!
