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March 2-5, 2013. IHA tells us it’s “the home authority”. The acronym stands for International Housewares Association. This body is the 75-year-old voice of the housewares industry, which accounted for over $300 billion US at retail worldwide in 2010. The not-for-profit, full-service association sponsors the world’s premier exposition of products for the home, and offers its 1,700 member companies a wide range of services. The International Home and Housewares Show is, we are told, the world’s premier housewares marketplace, featuring 2,100 exhibitors from 34 countries, and more than 20,000 buyers from over 100 markets around the world. The Inventors’ Corner Pavilion was anchored by 60 creative inventors and hot-off-the-press new products, a magnet for buyers and news media alike. The International Housewares Association partnered with the United Inventors Association (UIA) to attract a new wave of inventors to the show. What do you get when you cross an inventor with an inventory…?
Mar. 14-17, 2012. ISPA claims to be “the only trade show in the world dedicated to the Mattress Industry”. This biennial event featured exhibits of the latest innovations in machinery, equipment, components, materials, supplies and services for the mattress industry. The ISPA EXPO enabled mattress manufacturers from around the world to shop and compare – and more than 3,000 of them showed up to prove it. Attendees were drawn from disciplines like CEOs, Owners, Presidents, Vice Presidents, Plant/Production and General Management, Sales/Marketing Management, Purchasing and R&D/Engineers. Who knew that sleep was so technical? The post-show verdict? Better to sleep on it…
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Welcome to IHA 2012
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Interview blocking the aisles
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Into the Hall following the suited arses
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BedHead – what half the attendees at 9am have. No coffee carts
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Bounty on Bounty
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Cakepop Demo
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Cakepop Demo
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California Avacado Board represents
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Home Cotton Candy Demo. Jillian must not have seen this
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My favorite thing-champagne lucite ice bucket
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OXO instore exhibit
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PediCab from SodaStream
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There was a pet section too
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Jillian Michaels touting healthy soda from SodaStream
Mar. 10-13, 2012. The International Housewares Association (IHA), we hear, is “the Home Authority”. Their 2012 International Home + Housewares Show got the thumbs-up from buyers and sellers alike. The show was a sell-out, with more than 2,100 exhibitors, and achieved nearly a 7% increase in total buyer attendance, including significant growth in international buyer attendance. The housewares industry accounted for three hundred billion dollars at retail worldwide in 2010. The association offers its 1,700 member companies services, including industry and government advocacy and export assistance. With tens of thousands of new product introductions, over 500 new exhibitors and the introduction of new Innovation Awards, buyers found novelty and innovation at every turn”, said the post-mortem appraisal. Time to head for home…
Jan. 15-18, 2012. NRF is billed as “Retail’s BIG Show”. The 101st Annual Convention & Expo was a banner celebration with more than 21,000 retail professionals in attendance. It was packed with “one-of-a-kind education, amazing networking and pioneering solutions and services”. The program answered those nagging questions always on retailers’ minds, questions like: ”Why has the web won?”, “Not on Facebook? Here’s why you should be”, “Thinking about India? What retailers need to know”, and most intriguingly “Who is the Chinese consumer?”. (We can actually answer that last one: his name is Ah Lo Fun, and he lives with his mother and sister in one of the new towns near Shanghai. He lists bicycle-riding among his hobbies, and his favorite color is red…)
Jan. 10-12, 2012. Surf, skate and beach lifestyle brands show renewed energy in the market as Surf Expo hosts more than 14,000 buyers, exhibitors and media. Since 1976 manufacturers and retailers in the surf, skate, water sports, swim and resort industries have come together in a buying and selling environment at Surf Expo, which features approximately 2,000 booths of apparel and hardgoods, and a full line-up of special events, including fashion shows, annual awards ceremonies, and demos. Buyer and exhibitor turnout exceeds 12,000 attendees including retailers, exhibitors and media per show. There is a comprehensive wearing apparel and accessories collection, including tees and shorts, casual shirts, dresses, sarongs and batiks, jewelry, towels, plus premiums and souvenirs. But where in Orlando can you actually surf, dude?
Jan. 10-12, 2012. You’re surprised that archery has its own trade show? You’ll be even more surprised by what’s on the minds of the bow-and-arrow enthusiasts visiting ATA. A typical new year resolution was “getting in the woods more and killing a bigger buck or bull than last year”. Other topics included “how to shoot a kudu”, “in search of mule deer”, and “public land elk”. These bowhunters are a sight to see. The ATA Trade Show is the archery and bowhunting industry’s largest show. It’s also the industry’s most inclusive show, BUT the ATA Trade Show is a member-driven event to promote commerce within the archery and bowhunting industry, and the show is closed to the public. So don’t even think about dressing up as William Tell and trying to sneak in or anything…
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