Freeman Acquires Independent Electric
By Michael Hart -- Tradeshow Week, 6/14/2004
Freeman Decorating has acquired Las Vegas-based Independent Electric and plans to move all of its electrical services for tradeshows in Nevada and California in-house. At the same time, the contract Edlen Electrical Exhibition Services has with Freeman to service its shows in those two states will expire at the end of 2004.
Ellen Beckert, marketing and communications director for Freeman, said the general service contractor is making the move because "we feel we can provide greater efficiencies, quality control and service convenience for our customers."
Freeman bought Independent from Bombard Electric, owned by Ken Kefelas. The parties would not disclose the purchase price.
Beckert pointed out that supplying electrical service to Freeman customers — both tradeshow managers and exhibitors — is not a first for the company. Freeman already handles electrical services at its shows in Florida and Toronto through a division known as Kerry Technical Services.
Sam Hornbeck, formerly president of Independent Electric, will become vice president, electrical services of a company that will henceforward be known as Freeman Electrical Services.
Independent currently has seven employees and Hornbeck said that number will grow substantially, although it is not clear by how much yet.
Independent has concentrated primarily on the Las Vegas market up to now but will expand to provide services for shows in Reno, Sacramento and other West Coast cities. Hornbeck said one of the major challenges ahead for the new unit is making all the decisions necessary to both ramp up to a new level of activity in Las Vegas at the same time it works to expand into cities and venues it has not worked in before.
Independent's biggest show — which it services as an independent contractor for Freeman already — is the SEMA Show. When the unit goes into full operation in the first quarter, among other shows, it will service World of Concrete/World of Masonry and the SHOT SHOW almost immediately.
"That alone will double what we've been doing in just one month," Hornbeck said.
Hornbeck said the acquisition allows what was once Independent the opportunity for growth.
He said, "This will help us to do what we set out to do, which is to be one of the biggest in the business. Freeman's everywhere and it opens a lot of doors for us."
Edlen had supplied electrical services to Freeman since 1993, the year Freeman opened its Las Vegas office.
In a press release, Freeman Decorating stated that, though its contract with Edlen would be ending in December, it "is continuing to explore options with Edlen about their future role with Freeman."
James Wetterling, president of Edlen Electrical Exhibition Services, did not return calls to Tradeshow Week.
