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April 3-5, 2013. ISS is the Inside Self-Storage World Expo, and there’s nothing like it in the world, we were reliably informed. The expo hall featured more than 100 exhibits, allowing visitors to explore and converse with suppliers in industry-dominating numbers. The education program offered the up-to-date critical business information delegates needed to excel in today’s self-storage industry. The Education Tracks were organized based on categories regarding each of these markets: Building Blocks, International, Investor Essentials, Limiting Liability, Manager Essentials, Marketing and Owner Essentials. One keynoter talked about adding space by building up instead of out, adding thoughts on when to consider climate-control storage, and how to capitalize on the immediate demand for boat and RV storage in waterside markets. Another session addressed a wide range of issues pertaining to successful facility design, covering site selection, zoning issues, design options, costs, and construction do’s and don’ts. All in all, quite a “store” of knowledge…
April 3-6, 2013. Full name? The International Sign Expo 2013, billed as the industry’s “SIGNature” event for those wanting to take the sign business to the next level. The show brought together 18,000 signage end-users, integrators, manufacturers and suppliers. Beyond the trade show floor, ISA International Sign Academy education sessions offered insight into the latest developments in the signage industry. With more than 550 exhibitors and 18,000 colleagues under one roof, there were ideas and products aplenty to make an immediate impact on display business goals. There was a special focus on dynamic digital signage and how it is revolutionizing the signage marketplace. Targeted sessions were designed with the custom sign company in mind, and provided insights into how to add this new technology to the current business model, and how to sell these new solutions to a company’s current customer base. “Sign” of the times…
March 11-15, 2013. ICBA stands for Independent Community Bankers of America. With nearly 5,000 members representing more than 24,000 locations nationwide and employing 300,000 Americans, ICBA member institutions hold $1.2 trillion in assets, $1 trillion in deposits, and $750 billion in loans to consumers, small businesses and the agricultural community. Such banks can be located in small towns, suburbia or big-city neighborhoods. Community banks improve America’s towns and cities by funding small businesses and using local dollars to help families purchase homes, finance college and build financial security. These banks create symbiotic relationships with the communities they serve, favor local decision-making, and adhere to best business practices and ethical standards. You can bank on it…
March 5-7, 2013. The RPA is a self-governed not-for-profit organization comprised of professionals involved in all facets of production and distribution of retail packaging products including boxes, bows, bags, tissue, wrapping paper, tape, and stuff like that. RPA has member companies representing all entities of retail packaging nationwide and abroad. The RPA is a distributor-driven organization offering sales opportunities for manufacturers of packaging products. Exhibitors had to be producers or manufacturers of retail packaging products or providers of services that benefit RPA members. People came for client referrals, discounts on services, scholarship opportunities for students, and other benefits. There was a “Lunch & Learn” opportunity – participants could reserve a box lunch and attend a sales seminar. No-one felt “boxed in”, though there was plenty of “red tape” on view…
March 4-7, 2013. Heli Expo is short for the Helicopter Association International Show. This year it hosted 60 helicopters, 736 exhibitors, and 20,393 attendees, making it once again the world’s largest helicopter trade show and exposition. Early this year the association hosted an industry forum at which senior FAA representatives addressed members’ questions about the regulations and oversight requirements for public-aircraft operations. The forum also included a presentation by the National Transportation Safety Board. Helicopters can make quite a noise, so staying in good standing with the neighbors is important. It was therefore good to hear that “The most important benefit of responding to a citizen complaint is the opportunity to assure the community that helicopter operators hear their concerns, and are reducing noise impacts when possible. HAI’s Fly Neighborly Program helps reduce noise impacts to the community and provides the cornerstone for an effective noise management program”. Shhhhhhhhh!
February 28 – March 2, 2013. These people have a lot of, well… baggage. If you want to reach traveling consumers you’ve got to get your product in front of travel goods retailers, and The Travel Goods Show, we were told, is where that happens. Attendee lists included big retailers like Macy’s and Costco, as well as small, independent travel goods retailers. The new product pavilion was where manufacturers could grab the spotlight for new items, and get the attention of retailers and the press. Samsonite rubbed shoulders with Heys USA, boutique brands such as GUESS Travel and Hartmann, and out-doorsy crossover brands like High Sierra and Thule — hey, mind out who you’re hitting with that oversized backpack rig, bud! Now, if only someone could come up with a suitcase that would find ITSELF in an airport baggage reclaim area….!
February 4-7, 2013. At 1.1 billion gallons and climbing, biodiesel has become a force to be reckoned with in meeting America’s ever-escalating fuel supply needs. The annual National Biodiesel Conference & Expo is the event that gathers biodiesel decision-makers from all around the United States and beyond. The theme of this year’s conference was Momentum, referring to the powerful platform that drives biodiesel business year-round. The show was attended by fuel producers, petroleum distributors, corn and soybean growers and agricultural commodity organizations, scientists, policy makers, and alternative fuel users and enthusiasts. The Biodiesel Conference explored topics of governmental policy, technical issues and marketing trends in the biodiesel industry. United States Agriculture Department (USDA) Secretary Tom Vilsack addressed a standing room only crowd on the final day, saying that the biodiesel industry is helping the country become secure through innovation. King Corn has a new domain…
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