Trade Show News by Tradetec Skyline Chicago

Trade Show Projections & Statistics

Dana Meyers of Tradeshow Week examines the Trade Show Projections & Statistics for California - Industry statistics based on organizer projections supplied to TSW,

• A total of 482 trade shows are scheduled to take place in California in 2009, a 1-percent increase, compared with 2008’s 478 shows.

• Collectively, trade shows held in the area are projected to span nearly 58 million net square feet, feature 166,000 exhibiting companies and attract 4.4 million attendees. These figures give the area 8.2 percent of the U.S. market share of trade show exhibit space, 9.8-percent share of exhibiting companies and 5.5-percent share of attendees.

• Despite holding steady in terms of total number of trade shows, year-over-year comparisons reveal shows held in California will decrease in size according to all three indexes measured. The number of trade show attendees at the average show is expected to decrease by 15 percent in 2009, while net square footage and exhibitor figures reflect decreases of 7.5 percent and 4.9 percent, respectively, when compared with projected figures from the previous year.

• The average trade show booth space will encompass 348 net sq. ft., down from 358 net sq. ft. this year.

• The average business-to-business tradeshow will span 113,048 net sq. ft., host 322 companies and draw 7,244 attendees.

• The average hybrid show is expected to have 263 exhibiting companies spread across 78,171 net sq. ft. and attract 7,258 attendees.

• The average consumer trade show is expected to span 108,417 net sq. ft. and feature 209 exhibiting firms with 14,040 attendees.

Industry profileB-to-B shows will make up 52 percent of all the trade shows held in California. Consumer trade shows will account for 26 percent, followed by combination shows with 22 percent.

The state will host 56 health care trade shows, making it the No. 1 industry based on number of events. Tying for second are computers and computer applications and home furnishings and interior design, with 30 trade shows each.

Top cities and venuesSan Diego outshines all other California cities as the most popular destination with 87 events slated to take place in 2009. Following not-so-close behind is San Francisco with 63 shows and Los Angeles with 55. San Diego is the only California city to make the Top 10 list for North America, according to the Tradeshow Week Data Book, with a No. 7 ranking.

The San Diego Convention Center earns top billing as the venue with the most trade shows, 46. The Los Angeles Convention Center claims the No. 2 spot with 29 shows, and the Anaheim Convention Center nips at its heals with 28.

Top months for Trade ShowsStaying consistent with the rest of the U.S., the first quarter is the busiest season for California with 164 trade shows held between January and March.

March leads the way with 59 shows, and February comes in a close second with 58. October creeps in as the third most popular month with 53, followed by January with 47.

ConclusionWith five convention center expansions and plans for a new facility – the Gaylord Resort & Convention Center in Chula Vista – either proposed or under construction, California is looking to further expand its offerings to the tradeshow industry.

Projected statistics are voluntarily supplied by shows during TSW Data Book data collection and updated throughout the year as information becomes available. Shows submitting projections vary year to year, which may affect region totals.

Growth in IT & Electronic Trade Shows

There is continuous expansion and growth in the IT industry as well as the Electronics Industry,  trade shows focusing on solutions & products and electronics continue to draw in large crowds of attendees and buyers that are looking for the newest solutions in technology.

Web 2.0 Expo in San Francisco brings in Web Developers, Designers, Consultants and Business Leaders.  Keeping your trade show display on the cutting edge with high quality graphics, presentations and A/V Equipment can make you an industry leader among the elite in the Silicon Valley.

Whether your business is based in Chicago, New York,  Orlando or San Francisco, your trade show display needs to define your products and services for the greatest advancement in this fast growing industry. WiMax World just concluded in Chicago with a record breaking attendance, further showing the value of trade shows in a fast paced industry.

Technology & Electronics Trade Shows:

CES - The largest Electronics Trade Show - January 8th - Las Vegas
MacWorld  - January 5th, 2009 at the Moscone Center - San Francisco, California
SPIE Medical Imaginging - February 7th, 2009 - Kissimmee, Florida
EHX - Electronics House Expo - March 12th - Orlando, Florida

OpenSource World Conference & Expo, a new event that is scheduled to take place in August of 2009 at San Francisco’s Moscone Center.

Sinking your Teeth into Trade Show Services

Chicago Dental Society  - 144th Annual Trade Show - Midwinter Meeting will be taking place at McCormick Place in Chicago on February 26th-March 1st.  With close to 10,000 exhibitors at the 2008 Annual Mid-Winter Meeting, there are some deadlines coming up for exhibitors.

With a dedicated and knowledgeable trade show service & asset management team, your registration and deadlines can be managed easily and flawlessly, with no need for worry when it comes to all the rules and regulations to exhibit at the upcoming Annual Midwinter Meeting for Dental Professionals.

There are many facets of Trade Show Asset Management & Services that require proper paperwork to be turned in, if you are still managing your own exhibit, do no forget to submit your requests with the proper documentation and trade show service forms for all the following elements that will make up your entire trade show display.

Exhibitor Certificate of Insurance
Exhibitor-Appointed Contractor Certificate of Insurance
Trade Show Display & Exhibit height variance requests
Requests to hold demonstrations within your trade show display
Sound Projection requests
Trade Show Entertainment & Celebrity requests for approval
Proposals for Trade Show Give-a-ways, prizes & raffles

Each of the above elements are necessities for a succesful trade show exhibit & display program, your local Chicago Skyline Exhibit Dealer can assist you with the details of your trade show program so that none of the requirements are overlooked.

Private Label - PLMA and Exhibit Design

As retailers increasingly leverage celebrity endorsements and licensing to promote their store brands, the Private Label Manufacturers Association’s (PLMA) 2008 Chicago trade show — running Nov. 16-18 at Chicago’s Rosemont Exhibition Center – will present a special pavilion of companies that offer opportunities for private label licensing partnerships.

Beyond the Licensing Pavilion, the PLMA show will present over 2,000 exhibit booths featuring the latest products, packaging and promotional ideas for retail brand programs.

Consider your trade show display as a Private Label all by itself,  this is your companies opportunity to stand out in your industry.  When you begin to define your trade show marketing and start plans for your upcoming event and are looking to create something more than a pop-up display, you may want to consider a custom rental trade show display.

Tradetec Skyline Chicago can offer you a variety of solutions with a team of experienced graphic  designers that will guide you through the process of your trade show display design and lead you to the best possible solution.  Creating an exhibit display that will convey your marketing message clearly,  giving you the desired impact that will focus on your companies look and feel.

With a consistent trade show marketing plan, you can begin to Private Label your entire exhibiting experience; keeping your branding consistent with pre-show mailers, promotional materials, literature and your exhibit graphics and design.  Your products and services will stand out and become recognizable in your industry.

What are people looking for at trade shows?

I pulled the information below off of The Capital Times in Madison, Wisconsin News Page -   It’s in regards to the Dairy Expo that is taking place.   I found the details of this article to be an interesting look into what people are looking for at trade shows.  This is Information directly from people attending the Dairy Expo.

People don’t go to trade shows to see the same old things they already know about and understand. It’s all about new, better, easier, faster and maybe more profitable.

The most noticeable and maybe the most discussed change in the displays filling the 100,000-square-foot Exhibition Hall fits none of the previously listed categories except for “new”: half a dozen GEA signs hanging over what has long been the WestfaliaSurge dairy equipment display.

The farming community is often considered a bit slow to accept change, and the worldwide adoption of the GEA moniker to the WestfaliaSurge brand is causing much discussion. The fact is, GEA, headquartered in Bochum, Germany, owns the Naperville, Ill., milking equipment operation (old-timers knew it as Surge) along with some 250 companies in 50 countries in an effort to meet the demands of world competition.                                                  John F. Oncken

Exhibiting at trade shows is great for new product launches and services.  It is the “new”  that we as a society are always looking for.  It is this very reason that your trade show display should be kept up to date, fresh & broadcasting a clear message.  If you continue to use the same trade show display year in & year out, no matter where you are exhibiting; Chicago, New York, Las Vegas or Orlando, you want to give your audience something different & unique to look at, a unique trade show display can attract visitors from the past more quickly if it has new elements to it.

Custom Modular Trade Show Displays are versatile exhibit solutions with a variety of components, accesories & features that are easily changeable and can offer a lightweight, yet compelling & inviting environment for prospective clients.

Exhibit Halls are a buzz with people looking for solutions and innovative ideas that will help their business and their productivity.  Your trade show booth should send them a clear message of how your products and services will enhance their business plan and goals.

RSNA - Rules & Regulations

November 30th-December 5th 2008 - Chicago’s McCormick Place will once again house one of the largest trade show events for the Radiological Society of North America.  RSNA 2008 has expanded to three buildings at McCormick Place, creating an array of exhibiting opportunities and educational events throughout the week long trade show.

Some of the rules & regulations to keep in mind for your trade show display & exhibit booth staff are clearly lined out by the Technical Exhibit Committee

Exhibitors may not sponsor any educational or marketing activities to RSNA meeting professional registrants other than ones that have been specifically authorized by RSNA (such as an approved Non-RSNA Satellite Symposia event)

Your trade show exhibit badge may not be defaced, such as inserting stick on cards, or applying stick-on novelty items.

Do not leave your trade show display unattended

Make sure your the Audiovisual devices that are in your trade show display are not too loud. (80 dps or lower).

Refreshments may not be used so as to attract attendees into your trade show display or as a promotion, but liquid refreshments are allowed with prior approval.

If you are looking for more information on the trade show rules & regulations, contact your local Chicago Trade Show Display & Exhibit House for more information and exhibiting assistance.

RSNA is sponsoring a series of tours and events while you are attending the Chicago Area Trade Show, for more information visit rsna2008.rsna.org to find out more details.

Chicago Trade Shows

Chicago may not be the host of the Magic Fashion and Apparel Trade  Show but it does have a abundance of trade shows in the upcoming months hitting local exhibit halls and conference centers.  Chicago does host some of the largest trade shows with an incredible amount of exhibit space at McCormick Place, Donald E. Stephenson Convention Center and the various venues that are scattered across the Chicago land area.

Preparing your exhibit for a Chicago Trade Show is easy with a local Chicago Trade Show Display & Exhibit House that is well versed in design, fabrication as well as trade show services.  Offering a comprehensive program  with background knowledge of the logistics, planning and rules and regulations of  Chicago land Convention Centers and Exhibit Halls.

Getting your trade show displays and exhibits ready for the upcoming events should be a priority in your planning process.  Looking forward on your trade show calendar with the following upcoming events, is your trade show exhibit display ready to meet your competition face to face when the convention center & exhibit hall doors open for the upcoming events?

* NSC Congress & Expo (Natl. Safety Council)
* The ASI Show! Chicago
* ASCO Annual Meeting
* PITTCON
* Coverings
* International Home & Housewares Show
* GRAPH EXPO
* NRA Restaurant-Hotel-Motel Show
* RSNA Scientific Assembly & Annual Meeting
* Supermarket Industry Convention & Educational Exposition
* NXTCOMM
* ProMat
* The Motivation Show
* CMM International
* NeoCon World’s Trade Fair
* Worldwide Food Expo
* Chicago Midwest Beauty Show America’s Beauty Show
* Food, Dairy & Beverage Exposition
* National Manufacturing Week
* Chicago Dental Society Midwinter Meeting
* Chicago Gift & Home Market
* Mid-Am Horticultural Trade Show
* FoodSmarts Meeting & Expo (IFT AMFE)
* True Value Spring Market
* Chicago Boat, RV & Outdoor Show
* Carquest World of Wheels
* Supercycle Show and Parts Expo
* VollExpo
* Chicago Auto Show
* American Chemical Society
* Hot Import Nights
* Building Service Contractors Association
* International Trademark Association
* FMI Show
* International Fancy Food Show
* IAASS Conference on Space Flight Safety
* American Association of Museums

AHR Trade Show - Green Theme

Keeping with the ‘green’ theme, the AHR EXPO will produce much of its promotional materials in
digital format and make them available online, thus eliminating thousands of sheets of paper. Hosting the 2009 AHR EXPO at Chicago’s McCormick Place also reflects the Show’s ‘green’ commitment.
McCormick Place utilizes many recycled and environmentally friendly products. These include 100%
recycled paper products in restroom facilities, cold beverage cups made of PLA (Poly Lactic Acid-resin
derived from natural corn starches that are 100% annually renewable and fully compostable), flatware in dining areas made of compostable potato starch, and all packaged food boxes are 100% compostable, including the lunch box, napkins, cookie bag, flatware, sandwich and salad containers.

Much of the focus at AHR this year is the “green theme”, it is difficult to say if or when Green will become the standard in exhibit products and services.  Tradetec Skyline offers several solutions to Green Exhibiting when it comes to your overall trade show display design.  Comprehensive solutions for Green Exhibiting starting with Graphics Solutions that have eliminated printing errors by 80%, creating less waste. Painting Procedures that no longer need harmful solvents for clean up as well as shipping consolidation.

With custom lightweight modular trade show displays, and environmentally friendly manufacturing Tradetec Skyline can start you on the road to Green Exhibiting.

AHR Expo & Trade Show - Chicago McCormick Place - January 26th-29th, 2009
ASHRAE Expo & Trade Show runs concurrently along with AHR Expo & Trade Show - January 24th - 28th, 2009

TradeWinds Fabric Pop Up Displays & Literature Rack

Tradetec Skyline announces the New TradeWinds Fabric Pop Up Display to their product offerings.  A new definition for easy! An aluminum pop-up frame with a single-piece fabric graphic in minutes,  no tools are required for set up, making this trade show display simple, yet a comprehensive trade show exhibit solution.

With an aluminum frame, this is a light weight solution for your trade show display and exhibiting needs, a single piece fabric graphic and aluminum feet for added stability.

The fabric graphic is wrinkle resistant stretch knit, and comes attached to the frame providing a taut fitting mural and stays attached for packing and shipping.  Available with or without end panels, flame retardant, and is an interchangeable  trade show display solution.

Packaging options include either a soft carrying bag or a hard shipping case, that can turn into a portable and function trade show table.

In addition to the TradeWinds Fabric Pop Up Display we have added a  new literature rack to give a stylish and streamlined look to your trade show display.

Simple set-up, this 6 tiered literature rack, 3 positions on each side holding up to 600 sheets of literature.  It comes in Silver or Black and easily coordinates with other TradeWinds and Skyline products.

This trade show display has many advantages for exhibitors looking for ease of use as well as a bold statement:

Lightweight
Quick 5 Minute Set Up
Seamless Graphic Mural
Wrinkle Free Graphics
One Shipping Case
Clip on Lights
Case Table

Product Available September 30th, 2008
Portable & Reliable Trade Show Solutions from Tradetec Skyline - you local Chicago Skyline Dealer.

The PreCast Show - A Niche Market Trade Show

Targeting your niche market by exhibiting at smaller trade shows & venue’s, the inception of the Precast Trade Show began in Chicago.  The home of  Precast/Prestressed Concrete Institute - PCI, The PreCast Trade Show will be held in February 2009 in Houston.  PCI has a large list of upcoming trade shows & events in the industry.

“The Precast Show is an equipment and services trade show designed by precasters and suppliers, and it puts the focus squarely on manufacturing, safety, technical training and the producers who are doing award-winning work in this industry,” according to Ty E. Gable, president of the National Precast Concrete Association. “The Precast Show was designed from scratch by the experts – the exhibitors and precasters who will be doing business on the trade show floor.”

NPCA held extensive brainstorming meetings with exhibitors and precast manufacturers and developed the event along with longtime trade show partner, the American Concrete Pipe Association. The Precast Show has been in the planning stage for more than two years, starting with a meeting of 66 major exhibitors held in Chicago in 2006. The group started with a blank sheet of paper, Gable said, and worked toward their vision of the ideal show.

The show will never be as large as the trade shows geared toward the entire concrete industry, but that’s actually one of its main benefits. Richard Isaacson, principal with iwi group LLC, based in Norcross, Ga., said that the largest shows are so massive that “some of your customers aren’t going to be able to find you. That’s the benefit of a smaller show. Everyone will be able to find you and you’ll be able to spend time with them. I’m excited about it,” Isaacson added. “I think it will give us a good opportunity to see our customers in a setting that is conducive to selling. It’s quality, not necessarily quantity.”