For immediate release
Kim Rogers
Hanley Wood Exhibitions
KRogers@HanleyWood.com
972.536.6353
2009 INTERNATIONAL POOL | SPA | PATIO EXPO DRAWS A FULL HOUSE IN LAS VEGAS
DALLAS – December 8, 2009 – Proving to still be the most trusted source for leading-edge products, education and networking, the 2009 Int’l Pool | Spa | Patio Expo recently concluded its 2009 event amid much energy and excitement.
Held November 16-18 in the Bayside Halls at the Mandalay Bay Convention Center in Las Vegas, Nevada USA, the show exceeded the expectations of attendees who found a wide collection of products, services and technologies, while exhibitors were pleased with solid attendance.
Total attendance was 9,118, with 825 less verified attendees than the 2008 show. Attendees included pool/spa builders/installers, retailers, service companies, landscape architects/design agencies and manufacturers.
“We greatly appreciate the attendees and exhibitors who supported the International Pool | Spa | Patio Expo this year,” said Donna Bellantone, Director of the Expo. “The show floor was busy with buying and selling activity, while the conference seminars and special events were at capacity or standing-room only.”
In attendance were representatives from the industry’s leading retailers and pool builders, including Leslie's Poolmart, Blue Haven Pools & Spas, Gohlke Custom Pools, Mermaid Pool, Spa & Patio, Advanced Pools, Backyards of America, Memphis Pool, The Deck and Patio Co, Texas Blue Lake Pools, Riverbend Sandler Pools, Arkansas Pools & Spas, Pinch-A-Penny, Tubs of Fun!, Swan Pools and The Pool Doctor of Rhode Island.
Attendees represented all 50 states, with the largest number from California, Texas, Arizona, Florida, Nevada, New York, Illinois, Ohio, Pennsylvania and New Jersey. The largest number of international attendees came from Canada, Mexico, Sweden, Australia, United Kingdom, France, Brazil, Netherlands, China, Belgium, Switzerland, Israel, Ecuador and Venezuela.
Exhibit Hall
With 109,100 net square feet of exhibit space and 433 exhibiting companies, the show floor was packed with a wide variety of pools, spas, hot tubs, water features, casual furniture, pumps and heaters, lighting, landscape décor, hearth, grills and much more.
While there were less exhibitors than last year, attendees were quite pleased with the assortment of companies and product selection. “I found the show to be of top quality this year. The quality and quantity of the exhibitors was well worth our time and cost to attend,” said Brian Quint of Aqua Quip in Renton, WA. “We walked away with several new and innovative products for 2010 that we would not have seen had we chose not to attend.”
Exhibitors were pleased with the number of leads and inquiries that were generated. “I was very pleased with the return on our investment. The volume of customers was better than expected, and our booth was full of activity for the three days,” said David Nibler of Zodiac Pool Systems. “I know we would have missed a valuable opportunity had we not attended and displayed at this year's show.”
“We were pleasantly surprised by the amount of buyer traffic at this year’s show. We stayed busy all three days,” said Mitch Smith of Great American Merchandise & Events [GAME]. “We had a list of about 50 of our top 100 customers that we expected to attend the show, and saw around 80% of those accounts.”
“We had hoped for a good response from our new Leisure's Edge hot tub launch at the Expo, but instead we got a great response,” said Brian Wiley of Premium Leisure. “We couldn't believe how busy we were all three days, and we signed a lot of dealers and distributors.”
“The 2009 Expo was fantastic! We met lots of new customers who were serious about their business and made critical new industry contacts that position us for a banner year in 2010,” said Brian Meagher of Critter Ridder, LLC. “This show surpassed our expectations and could not have been more pleased with the quality of the attendees.”
“The attendees who came were selective and were there for a purpose,” said Lou West of Big Green Egg, Inc. “We scanned more prospects than last year and got more out of the show than expected."
Of the 433 exhibiting companies, 100 were first-time exhibitors or exhibitors who haven’t exhibited in several years, including BBQ Hooker, Bowswim, Earthstone International, Emotron, Golden Blount, Rocket Pockets, Santa Barbara Modular Lap Pools, Soudal, Vacless Systems, Mystic Spas, Gordon Feron, Pyramid Cement Products, POOLCORP and Superior International Industries.
“The show was very successful for us and surpassed our expectations,” said Michel Cuccioletta, S.D.P. International, a first time exhibitor. “We met important people and signed a few contracts that were not expected so all and all, so it was a great success.”
Educational Conference
In addition to the assortment of products on the show floor, the show’s conference program offered a robust platform for education, training and knowledge through 61 seminars designed especially for residential and commercial builders/contractors, retailers, service companies and landscape architects/designers.
“The seminars were better than ever,” said R'nelle Lazlo of Blue Haven Pools & Spas in San Diego, CA. “They offered great, practical ideas that I could implement with our offices around the country.”
“The seminars were worth the price of attending the Expo by themselves,” said Bonnie Kleinpeter of OutdoorLivingDotCom.com. “I walked away with some good, sound, common sense pointers that I plan to implement immediately. This was my first year but it will not be my last.”
“Attending was worth the trip as the seminars were great,” said Brant Rydberg of Metroplex H2O Solutions of Keller, TX. “They were worth the money especially to be able to keep up with the industry standards and stay ahead of the curve.”
In addition to the show’s core educational program, advanced, pre-show educational programs were offered for pool/spa builders/designers and service company professionals through the APSP Builders Institute, APSP Technical Service Institute and the Genesis 3 Design Schools.
Power Panels
A new feature to the 2009 Expo was a series of three one-hour discussions that brought together the best forward-thinking minds in the industry. Targeting three specific niches, the presentations took place simultaneously prior to the opening of the show. Replacing the Keynote Address, the Power Panel format was well received by attendees.
The Builder Power Panel featured industry leaders Brian Van Bower, co-founder, Genesis 3 Design Group; Greg Howard, CEO, Carecraft, Inc; and Brett Abbott, President, MYM Austin. Sharing insights on emerging technologies, economic trends, issues facing the industry and future growth, the panel was sponsored by Zodiac Pool Systems and moderated by Lew Akins, President of Ocean Quest Pools by Lew Akins.
The Retail Power Panel, sponsored by BioGuard, was made up of Cal Boothby, Owner, Redlands Pool & Spa Center; Penny Johnson, Owner, Johnson Pools & Spas; and Arlene Stachel, Owner, Mountain Lake Pool & Patio. Moderated by Kathleen Carlson, SVP Sales & Marketing of Aqua Quip, the panel spoke about customer retention and service, as well as advertising and marketing to fight the “big box” stores.
The Empowerment Hour featured Clay Nelson, Founder of Clay Nelson Life Balance, Inc., who presented “Embracing the Gold,” which encouraged attendees to take what has been learned during these lean times and use those lessons to make a difference in their businesses moving forward.
Show Floor Highlights and Special Events
A popular destination on the show floor was the new VGB Education & Product Pavilion that was created for attendees looking for VGB Safety Act-related products such as anti-entrapment drain covers, safety devices, fences and more. In addition to the products, a series of 30-minute demonstrations were presented by from Pentair Water Pool and Spa, Waterway Plastics, Payan Pool Service, Lawson Aquatics, Vac-Alert Industries, A. O. Smith and the APSP Technical Committee.
Another pavilion that was popular among attendees was the Product Showcase, sponsored by AQUASALT, where attendees could find the hottest industry trends and the latest new, cool and green products. From a selection of 67 products, a panel of industry experts awarded Technidea Corporation with the “Best New Product” for their ZIPLEVEL PRO-2000 Precision Altimeter, the replacement to the rotary laser for all phases of pool construction. The second place winner was Zodiac Pool Systems for their Polaris 9300 Robotic, an in-ground robotic automatic pool cleaner. Capturing third place was GABco Products for its Wall Whale XL pool brush with a larger brush that is structurally engineered to be stronger than metal-backed brushes.
At the Backyard Living Pavilion is where attendees found dynamic products, resources and information from every segment of the backyard living industry.
The Genesis 3 Pavilion is where attendees found products and services especially for builders, designers and the watershape industry.
The APSP Live Workshops taught attendees how to use, sell and install the latest pool and spa equipment, materials and techniques through a series of 11 sessions. Sponsored by the APSP Builders Council and Service Council, workshop topics included salt water pool chemistry, decorative coatings, control systems, pumps and hydraulics, safety systems, suction entrapment, as well as a plastering and shotcrete demonstration.
The Propane Education & Research Council presented “Outdoor Room Innovations with Propane,” an Exhibitor Product Clinic that was held daily throughout the show providing attendees with the latest information on the many outdoor applications for gas equipment, such as fire features, outdoor cooking and partnering with solar energy.
One of the show’s most popular special events was the opening night Welcome Party at the House of Blues, attracting nearly 1,500 participants. Sponsored by Cal Spas, the venue featured multiple levels so attendees and exhibitors could mix and mingle while enjoying complimentary drinks and hors d'oeuvres.
Make Plans for 2010
The 2010 International Pool | Spa | Patio Expo will be held November 3 - 5, two weeks earlier than originally scheduled. Held in the Bayside Halls at the Mandalay Bay Convention Center in Las Vegas, Nevada USA, the educational conference will be held October 31 - November 5. Housing will open in March and online registration will open in June.
About International Pool | Spa | Patio Expo
Rebranded in 2008 as the Int’l Pool | Spa | Patio Expo, the show is made up of the former Int’l Pool & Spa Expo, Backyard Living Expo and AQUA Shows. Ranked #125 in the 2008 Tradeshow Week 200, the show is held annually in Las Vegas. The event is owned and produced by Hanley Wood Exhibitions, a division of Hanley Wood LLC. Sponsors include the Association of Pool & Spa Professionals (APSP), Pool & Spa News. The show is endorsed by the Genesis 3 Design Group.
About Hanley Wood
Hanley Wood, LLC is the premier media company serving housing and construction. Through four operating divisions, the company produces award-winning magazines and Web sites, marquee trade shows and events, rich data and custom marketing solutions. The company also is North America’s leading publisher of home plans. Hanley Wood Exhibitions [Dallas] conducts events serving the industry’s strongest market segments, including World of Concrete, one of the top 20 trade show events in the country.
Founded in 1976, Hanley Wood is one of the ten largest B-to-B media companies in the United States. Hanley Wood is owned by affiliates of JPMorgan Partners, which uses CCMP Capital Advisors to manage this investment.
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Show photos available at: http://www.poolspapatio.com/press/show-images.aspx
