SHOW NEWS: Quality & Quantity of Distributors Please Las Vegas Exhibitors

John Wolz

“We thought this was one of the best shows yet,” said one domestic manufacturer who gave the event a grade of “A.”
He also complimented the attendees who “appeared to be more focused than before. There were some serious fastener people walking through.”
Overall exhibitors reported they were delighted with the 2005 National Industrial Fastener Show/West in Las Vegas.
“I thought Vegas had a great turnout,” another echoed. “Friday was also surprisingly busy.”
“Give the devils their due. This was the finest show ever as to attendance and personal contacts with all my key constituents,” declared a multiple-booth exhibitor.
“Vegas provides a single forum for me to meet with my vendors, customers and would-be customers and, of course, friends,”
The most important meetings were business sessions outside the exhibition hall, he added.
One supplier rated the 2005 show as “excellent” for his company “and for most in attendance, I imagine.”
“The show worked out very well for us,” an importer reflected. “The activity was steady and the customers were high caliber accounts. We did enjoy the show being over at 4 on Thursday a bonus! Friday was surprising that we were as busy as we were.”
“This was without a doubt the best show ever for us and I would think everybody else too. We could have run a few more hours on Friday.”
“My general impression is that it was a good show,” said one sales manager who spent most of the time in sales meetings away from the show floor. “I cannot think of any key customers not in attendance.”
“Too big hours really too short,” one importer summarized. He was fully staffed and “all were busy and saw loads of customers and suppliers.”
A domestic manufacturer complained about the number of Asian competitors. “They come over and put up a booth and are not able to speak the language. The show hires an interpreter and any distributor can get into the import business. They also came by my booth wanting to make parts for us. That is just plain wrong.”
Even an importer complained that there were “too many Asian companies displaying.”
More than 70 exhibitors came from Asia, with the majority from Taiwan and China.
This was the first year for the new Las Vegas monorail connecting Paris/Ballys hotels with numerous other hotels and entertainment.
Not new was the popular opening reception hosted this year by EFC International.
Popular Booths
Rotor Clip promoted its “Rotor Clip University” theme with a three mixed-gender cheerleaders dressed in black and yellow uniforms and pom poms. Cheers from the megaphone touted product benefits and a simulated chalkboard offered the company”s formula for success.
Beacon Fasteners made a splash by serving mimosas in neon-illuminated flutes that were spotted throughout the hall.
G.L. Huyett offered free beer in front of its “supermarket” booth.
Auge Industrial Fasteners LLC took creative advantage of their end booth to project company information high on the back wall.
Suggestion Box
“It would be good to get future versions of the show into one hall or ballroom,” suggested one exhibitor this year.
One asked: “Why suggest anything? They”ll just do the opposite. We”ve been telling them for years that the industry had outgrown the Paris ballroom and they keep signing up for more of the same. This year they even ran out of hotel rooms in the Paris Hotel. But they [show management] still re-upped for 2006. Now they are talking about moving to a new convention center and acting like it is their idea. We saw the need years ago.”
Show management did respond this year to years of exhibitor complaints about slower traffic in auxiliary ballrooms by pasting yellow footprints on the carpet reading “Follow Me to More Exhibits,” adding flashing signs and public address announcements.
Past exhibitors” suggestions included giving out free beverages in the smaller ballrooms. One commented that this year there was “at least a cash bar” to draw attendees from the main ballroom though “at STAFDA they give out beverages to keep distributors at the hall and exhibitors happy. Needless to say, NIFS wasn”t giving anything away even though STAFDA booths are $1,100 and NIFS $1,595.”

One prominent sales manager observed, “What Vegas lacks is the common meeting area that the industry had at the Hyatt Hotel in Columbus. This situation leads to less after hours contact between suppliers and customers.”
That might give another Las Vegas hotel an advantage. Over the years Mandalay Bay has been considered but reportedly not booked partly because it is at the end of the Las Vegas strip and thus an expensive cab ride to other entertainment. “Maybe more of my customers would stay around,” an exhibitor suggested.
Another exhibitor suggested “it is beginning to feel like “been there, done that,” in Vegas” and show management should think of “better dates and regions for golf with our customers.”
Several commented on the crowded aisles in the Paris ballroom. During slower traffic years the narrower aisles than traditional in convention centers gave the show a busier feel. “With the full crowd this year it just made it hard to get through,” complained one distributor.
Several exhibitors commented that there are too many fastener shows and asked NIFS to alternate years instead of seasons with the East and West shows. “Once a year like this should be all that we need.”
“Two annual shows are expensive for exhibitors. We could afford larger booths with just one show and one show would reduce their costs too.”
“Las Vegas prices are on the rise,” one multiple booth exhibitor with a large staff observed. “The expense is quite ridiculous.”
“Vegas is getting awfully expensive, especially the restaurants,” declared one importer.
NFDA Presence
One manufacturer mentioned that the National Fastener Distributors Association”s “hospitality suite was a real plus.”
But another questioned why the association doesn”t operate its own distribution trade show. “Think of the programs the NFDA could provide members if they had this income stream.”
A Midwest manufacturer couldn”t resist pointing out the red, white & blue NFDA banners at member booths. “I do get a kick out of the NFDA patriotic theme. If the distributor membership wants to promote patriotism, they should buy American.”
Not a Penny
Industry leaders expressed no surprise that show management didn”t take its 25th anniversary year in 2005 to thank the industry with a significant contribution to any industry cause.
“They didn”t donate a penny when we needed it most, why would they now?” said one in reference to the U.S. Fastener Quality Act legislative process. “Instead they padded their profits with FQA conferences.”
One observer who is keeping track noted that NIFS has held 34 distribution shows and “nobody can recall any check they have ever written to help.”
“Just the booth revenue portion of this one show is about $1 million,” he calculated.
“If they would have established a fastener graduate scholarship even 10 years ago they could have had a half dozen engineers teaching workshops at Las Vegas this year. They could have a leadership position in fastener education. They could be helping educate the industry.”
Scholarship payoffs can come quickly. Marshall Jones, the 2005 STAFDA president, attended college aided by the association”s scholarship program.
The 26th annual NIFS/East will be May 1-2, 2006, in Columbus, OH, and the next West show will be November 15-18, 2006 at Paris/Ballys hotels in Las Vegas. E-mail: nifsco@fastenershows.com Web: fastenershows.com \ �2005 FastenerNews.com