Something Old, Something New
The 2004 TSW 200 lists usual suspects and some new faces
By Heidi Genoist -- Tradeshow Week, 5/10/2004
One of TSW's most anxiously awaited publications of the year, the Tradeshow Week 200, has been released and, although regular readers of the weekly magazine could probably quickly guess five of the top 10 shows, the list has a few surprises as well.
Topping the 200 (again) is the Consumer Electronics Assn.'s Intl. CES. The mega-show practically takes over the city of Las Vegas each year, filling the Convention Center, Sands Expo & Convention Center, Las Vegas Hilton and Alexis Park Resort. The Jan. 9-12 show added more than 40,000 net square feet from 2002 to 2003, topping out at 1.2 million net sq. ft, and drew 2,296 exhibitors and 84,092 professional attendees, according to independently audited statistics.
Upon learning of the show's No. 1 status, CEA President and CEO Gary Shapiro said he was "thrilled beyond belief. We're very proud of this."
Intl. CES has been the top-ranking annual show in the TSW 200 for three years running. Last year's No. 1 show, CONEXPO-CON/AGG, is a triennial event, and the second- and third-largest, PACK EXPO Intl. 2002 and the Intl. Manufacturing Technology Show, are biennial events. Intl. CES placed first in 2002.
Shapiro said what's kept the show strong is CEA's strategy to partner with other organizations, stay paranoid about competitors and operate the show like a for-profit company.
Shapiro said the association will continue to innovate, focusing on increasing international attendance and providing a new experience for attendees each year.
Finally breaking into the top 10 this year is the Specialty Equipment Marketing Assn.'s SEMA Show, an annual event for automotive after-market products and services. Having hovered in the low 20s for several years, SEMA Show hit No. 12 in last year's TSW 200, and this year comes in at No. 4 with 907,650 net sq. ft, 1,825 exhibiting companies and 72,537 professional attendees. These figures represent growth rates of 18 percent, 17 percent and 26 percent, respectively, over last year.
SEMA President Chris Kersting said he thinks the show's rise is a reflection of the growth and enthusiasm in the industry, as well as the association's partnership with managing firm ConvExx.
"Our core strategy has been to continually find ways to make the show more valuable to exhibitors," he said. For example, at the 2003 event, show management had all new products photographed and put on a disk with descriptions provided by exhibitors. The disks were handed out to attendees and the media on opening day.
Appearing on the TSW 200 for the first time this year, at No. 146, is Oxford Publishing's 20-year-old Nightclub & Bar/Beverage Retailer/Food & Beverage Convention & Trade Show. The annual Las Vegas institution that started out as a bazaar-meets-pub-crawl has grown into a 171,000 sq. ft. gathering of 658 suppliers and 38,808 buyers in the food and beverage industry.
Oxford President and CEO Ed Meek said the show has achieved 15- to 18-percent growth in floor space and revenue over the last five years. He chalked up the growth to assembling an advisory board of representatives from major spirits distributors, and focusing on the idea that food and beverage are merging, with beverage driving profits more than food.
