Attendance Is Sparse at AHMA

Small turnout won't stop association from holding a second show

By Heidi Genoist -- Tradeshow Week, 5/3/2004

CHICAGO—With dogged resolve to put on a positive face, the American Hardware Manufacturers Assn. closed the doors of Chicago's McCormick Place April 20, ending what many participants in the three-day AHMA Hardware Show found to be a disappointing debut. But even more than increased traffic or better food, exhibitors say they want what the association won't give them: one industry show.

At press time, the AHMA put preliminary attendance estimates at between 15,000 and 20,000, including exhibit personnel, and said it was waiting on its registration company's verification. There were some indications this might be a bit high. For instance, two hours before the showfloor closed the first two days of the show, aisles were virtually empty. Some exhibit workers read newspapers; others appeared to have abandoned their booths for the day.

The AHMA claimed 700 exhibitors occupied 200,000 square feet of McCormick Place's South Hall. Only a couple of exhibits stood empty, indicating no-shows. But large, non-revenue-generating swatches of space had been set aside to accommodate an international visitors' center, 20-foot-wide aisles, and a large area near the entrance that contained literature racks and occasionally a brass band or group of home improvement radio broadcasters.

Participants complained about closed food and beverage stations on the showfloor and in the adjacent Grand Concourse that forced them to leave the hall and walk five minutes to the food court near the South Hall entrance.

AHMA President and CEO Timothy Farrell stressed that the quality of those who showed up, not the quantity, was what mattered.

Timothy Florian, president of tool company Allied Intl., said the light traffic came as no surprise, but the absence of some of his biggest clients was unexpected. "Most of our major accounts have informed us over the last two to three weeks that they're not coming," he said.

Other exhibitors said the light traffic let them spend more time with the buyers who were there. "Look around," said Scott Bannell, The Stanley Works' director of corporate advertising and brand management, indicating an exhibit in which every salesperson was engaged with a customer. "There's clearly a desire to see products."

In addition, many didn't see the need for a large, packed show. Paul Willis, retail development director for Focus, a U.K.-based do-it-yourself company, enjoyed the New Products Exposition, which contained more than 500 innovations. "There are a dozen or so we're thinking of picking up," he said, adding that he and a colleague enjoyed their first trip to Chicago.

Phyllis Miller, an independent manufacturer, said she achieved her goals of finding international distributors and spotting industry trends at the show. Miller added, however, that until she actually got to the show, she knew nothing of the rift between the AHMA and Reed Exhibitions, owner of the Natl. Hardware Show, which the association had sponsored for nearly 30 years before parting ways with Reed last year.

Everyone seemed to agree that the two-show scenario presents problems. "Not one person thinks it is good. We hope to evolve back to one show – if not, there may be no show," Stanley's Bannell said.

Jeffrey Bryant, director of retail sales for Sta-Rite, agreed, adding that it's pointless to have two identical shows competing for the same customers within a few weeks of each other. "The two organizations have to get back together," he said.

Farrell said reconnecting with the Natl. Hardware Show is out of the question. "We will conduct the AHMA Hardware Show again next year, and are not considering any kind of relationship with Reed," he said.

Representatives from the association's former partner appeared more open to the idea. "We have publicly stated in the past that Reed would be happy to discuss the AHMA's participation in our Natl. Hardware Show in Vegas," said Dennis MacDonald, Reed Exhibitions senior vice president.

The company reports it is expecting some 2,100 exhibiting companies to fill 480,000 sq. ft. of the Sands Expo & Convention Center for the Natl. Hardware Show May 10-12 in Las Vegas.

Nearly all AHMA Hardware Show exhibitors that spoke to Tradeshow Week said they also planned to attend the Vegas event – if not as paying exhibitors, at least as attendees. "We'll go to both shows and see which one's propaganda is closer to the truth," said Jerry Fine, of Southern California-based Cal-Pump, who has been exhibiting for 33 years and, like other AHMA members, feels loyal to the association.

Farrell said he'll keep tabs on the Reed show, but has a strategy and a good foundation on which to build next year's AHMA show. The association is holding space at McCormick Place for April 3-5, 2005. Although Farrell wouldn't give the number of square feet sold on-site this year, he said the association had exhibiting contracts from big names like Channel Lock, FluidMaster and General Tools Manufacturing.

Bannell said Stanley, like "2,000 to 3,000 other manufacturers," was waiting to see how things go in Las Vegas before committing to a second year in Chicago.