The International Fastener Expo reported 500 attendees and 60 exhibitors at the virtual 2020 show.

The trade show had been scheduled for September 2020 in Las Vegas but was cancelled due to the pandemic.

The “Match & Meet” digital version was held November 11-12.

In comparison, show owner Emerald Exhibitions had announced 650 exhibiting companies for the in-person 2019 trade show in Las Vegas. For several years, IFE has claimed 5,000 registrations at the live shows in Las Vegas.

An A1-powered digital platform included education sessions and networking.

Emerald announced 3,800 connections and 8,500 messages were exchanged, leading to 700 meetings and video calls.

The Match & Meet digital platform will remain open until mid-2021 and participants can continue to connect until then.

“As our first virtual event, our team recognized the importance of producing an exceptionally strong conference schedule that would captivate our audience and create excitement,” show manager Morgan Wilson said.

The digital event included the annual IFE Hall of Fame and Young Fastener Professional Awards of the year. Inductees for 2020 are John Wachman of Desert Distribution and Tim O’Keeffe of G.L. Huyett. The YFP award was presented to Jessi Solt of G.L Huyett.

The trade show had been held annually since 1981, with 2020 being the first time it was not held in-person.

Emerald declared that “although circumstances of this year made IFE’s in-person conference impractical, the virtual launch was a great success and the team anticipates more digital opportunities in the near future.”

The 2021 International Fastener Expo is scheduled September 21 –23 at Mandalay Bay in Las Vegas. Web: FastenerShows.com