SHOW NEWS: NIFS/West Distributor Registration Up 9.4%; Las Vegas Still Short of Columbus Records

John Wolz

Distributor registration rose 9.4%, overall registration was up 5.8% and all 640 booths were filled at the 2006 National Industrial Fastener Show/West at the Paris/Bally”s hotels in Las Vegas. Despite the increase all three key figures the show missed breaking NIFS records.
Show management reported overall registration totaled 5,154 up 5.8% from 4,873 in 2005 in Las Vegas. It was just 72 shy of the NIFS record of 5,226 in 1998 in Columbus, OH.
Registrants came from 37 countries.
A total of 1,542 distributors registered for 2006, compared with 1,409 last year. The record remains 1,753 in 1995 in Columbus. At 2,235 exhibit staff outnumbered distributors.
Show management rearranged space for more booths this year after all 621 sold out in 2005.
NIFS listed 84 new exhibiting companies among the 554 firms this year.
The show will move to the larger Mandalay Bay Convention Center in Las Vegas for 2007. With a waiting list for booths this year, NIFS/West would likely have topped the 653 NIFS booth record set in Columbus in 1996 if show management had moved sooner.
Registration for other categories: importers 149; machinery 15; manufacturing 473; manufacturing reps 184; independent sales reps 110; other 230; platers 10; rod & wire 41; tooling/components 18; spouse/guests 137; and media 5.
Actual attendance is not known as NIFS figures include advance and onsite registration. NIFS management does not use a verified attendance system and the show is not audited by an independent trade show quality assurance system.
The next NIFS/East will be May 22-23, 2007, in Atlanta. The West show will move to the Mandalay Bay Convention Center, on November 12-14, 2007, in Las Vegas. For information contact show manager Susan Hurley. Tel: 614 895-1279 Fax 614 895-3466 E-mail: info@fastenershows.com Web: fastenershows.com \ �2006 FastenerNews.com