February Trade Show Wrap-Up: HIMSS, World of Asphalt, IBS and KBIS

February 26, 2019

Here’s a glimpse inside of some of this month’s top trade shows, which brought together industry professionals specializing in home building, health care technologies and more.

World of Asphalt

The 2019 edition of World of Asphalt Show & Conference and AGG1 Academy and Expo, held Feb. 12-14 at Indiana Convention Center in Indianapolis, was a smashing success by all accounts. Attendance was at an all-time high, according to show officials — this year’s 10,063 attendees accounted for a 28 increase over the 2018 show in Houston.

All 50 states were represented in delegation and international attendance also grew, with professionals from all 10 Canadian provinces and 52 other countries worldwide. Combined, WOA and AGG1 achieved record exhibit size, spanning a combined 201,450 net square feet of expo space and 500 exhibitors (including 145 first-timers).

Megan Tanel, WOA show director, attributes this positive growth to a few things: stronger industry partnerships overall; increased digital marketing efforts that paid off in registrations and targeted direct-mail campaigns to surrounding states to increase drive-in traffic. The latter tactic worked especially well, with state of Indiana attendance up a whopping 797 percent over last year’s show, according to Tanel.

HIMSS

More than 43,000 attendees from 90 countries convened at Orange County Convention Center in Orlando, Feb. 11-15, for the HIMSS19 Global Conference & Exhibition. Known as a global advisor and thought leader in the area of health information and technology, HIMSS is a non-profit with more than 72,000 individual members worldwide.

More than 500 education sessions were on the agenda and major themes of the show this year included interoperability and patient engagement (which was covered in depth in a pre-conference specialty program called HIMSS Patient Engagement & Experience Summit).

These focus areas marked a shift in the conversation led by HIMSS in years past, moving from technology to improving patient care, according to show officials. The show also created space for more venture capital firms and emerging technology companies to engage with its audience.

NAHB International Builders’ Show

The Las Vegas Convention Center was abuzz with more than 67,000 homebuilding professionals from around the world on Feb. 19-21 for the 75th anniversary of the NAHB International Builders’ Show. It, too, set record attendance this year.

“With the largest attendance in 10 years, we’re proving once again that IBS is the only place to experience such a diverse collection of innovative products, education sessions and networking opportunities all in one place,” said Geoff Cassidy, NAHB’s senior vice president of exhibitions and meetings.

Exhibit space at IBS grew to 608,000 sq. ft. (up from 583,000 in 2018) and included nearly 1,500 exhibiting companies displaying the latest in building products and technology. Many exhibitors noted increased foot traffic to their booths this year, according to show officials.

Once again, the show colocated with Kitchen & Bath Industry Show for the annual Design & Construction Week, which attracted more than 100,000 attendees.

KBIS

This year’s KBIS boasted more than 600 exhibitors spanning 430,000 sq. ft., and when combined with IBS, the showfloor occupied 1 million sq. ft.

Salon by KBIS, a tented area behind South Hall that featured primarily European brand exhibits and DMM Talks, was new this year. The area had its own hashtag (#IntheSALON), and attendees had the ability to win swag by using it when posting about their favorite products in this area. The Salon also featured the Lightovation Lounge, with experts in illumination, resources from the American Lighting Association and a virtual reality experience.

Conversation platform Design Milk X Modernus Talks Lounge proved to be popular again this year, designed for talks about business and current events among industry insiders, influencers and design VIPS. The first-ever New Modernist Mixer social event was also hosted in this space.

Another new addition to the 2019 show was KBIS Think, an adapted education format where event attendees had the chance to create a topic, post it and invite others to join the conversation.

 

Don’t miss any event-related news: Sign up for our weekly e-newsletter HERE and engage with us on TwitterFacebookLinkedIn and Instagram!

Add new comment

Partner Voices
Overview: The award-winning Orange County Convention Center (OCCC) goes the extra mile to make every day extraordinary by offering customer service excellence and industry-leading partnerships. From their dedicated in-house Rigging team to their robust Exhibitor Services, The Center of Hospitality brings your imagination to life by helping you host unforgettable meetings and events. With more than 2 million square feet of exhibit space, world-class services and a dream destination, we are committed to making even the most ambitious conventions a reality. In October 2023, the Orange County Board of County Commissioners voted to approve allocating Tourist Development Tax funding for the $560 million Phase 5A completion of the OCCC. The Convention Way Grand Concourse project will include enhancements to the North-South Building, featuring an additional 60,000 square feet of meeting space, an 80,000- square-foot ballroom and new entry to the North-South Building along Convention Way. “We are thrilled to begin work on completing our North-South Building which will allow us to meet the growing needs of our clients,” said OCCC Executive Director Mark Tester. “As an economic driver for the community, this project will provide the Center with connectivity and meeting space to host more events and continue to infuse the local economy with new money and expanding business opportunities.” Amenities: The Center of Hospitality goes above and beyond by offering world-class customer service and industry-leading partnerships. From the largest convention center Wi-Fi network to custom LAN/WAN design, the Center takes pride in enhancing exhibitor and customer experience.  The OCCC is the exclusive provider of electricity (24-hour power at no additional cost), aerial rigging and lighting, water, natural gas and propane, compressed air, and cable TV services. Convenience The Center is at the epicenter of the destination, with an abundance of hotels, restaurants, and attractions within walking distance. Pedestrian bridges connect both buildings to more than 5,200 rooms and is within a 15-minute drive from the Orlando International Airport. The convenience of the location goes hand-in-hand with top notch service to help meet an event’s every need. Gold Key Members The OCCC’s Gold Key Members represent the best of the best when it comes to exceptional service and exclusive benefits for clients, exhibitors and guests. The Center’s Gold Key memberships with Universal Orlando Resort, SeaWorld Orlando and Walt Disney World greatly enhance meeting planner and attendee experiences offering world-renowned venues, immersive experiences and creative resources for their events. OCCC Events: This fiscal year, the OCCC is projected to host 168 events, 1.7 million attendees, and $2.9 billion in economic impact.  The Center’s top five events during their 2022-2023 fiscal year included:  AAU Jr. National Volleyball Championships 2023 200,000 Attendees $257 Million in Economic Impact MEGACON 2023 160,000 Attendees $205 Million in Economic Impact Open Championship Series 2023 69,500 Attendees $89 Million in Economic Impact Sunshine Classic 2023 42,000 Attendees $54 Million in Economic Impact Premiere Orlando 2023 42,000 Attendees $108 Million in Economic Impact