Dmg and Hanley Wood Both Add to Portfolios

Dmg world media has acquired two European petroleum exhibitions and a Southern California interior design consumer show, while Hanley Wood Exhibitions has added another association construction show to its roster.

The London-based dmg's acquisition of the 21-year-old Gastech and the 19-year-old European Autumn Gas Conference from Turret Rai come as dmg is establishing a Business Media Intl. division designed to link activities on both sides of the Atlantic.

Dmg already operates a number of North American petroleum shows out of its Calgary, Alberta, office, including the Global Petroleum Show, GO Expo, Offshore Newfoundland Petroleum Show and the Oil Sands Trade Show & Conference.

EAGC was held Nov. 9–10 at Fira Palace Hotel in Barcelona and is next scheduled to take place at the ExCel in London. The next biennial Gastech will be held March 14–17 in Bilbao, Spain, and is expected to span 16,500 net square meters (177,605 net square feet). After that, dmg will assume management of both shows.

Dmg is also acquiring the San Diego Interior Design & Landscape Expo, which was founded in 1998 by Penny Domschot and Patrice Meluskey, owners of Seascape Productions. This year's show drew 500 exhibitors to a 140,000 net sq. ft. showfloor at the San Diego Convention Center. The 2005 expo will take place at the convention center Feb. 25–27.

Hanley Wood's purchase of StonExpo, an association-run show for the natural stone industry, includes a 45-year sponsorship agreement with the Mount Sterling, Ohio-based StonExpo Federation, the show owner, and the Cleveland-based Marble Institute of America, which produces the show's educational sessions.

Hanley Wood Exhibitions President Galen Poss said his company talked to the federation two years ago about the possibility of selling. Talks were revived two months ago. Poss added that StonExpo's potential is high, considering the expansion of the natural stone industry into residential construction.

"I'm very pleased with the deal," said Pennie Sabel, StonExpo's executive director. "I think everybody won all the way around. Hanley Wood represents an opportunity to really grow the show into a much larger event."

Hanley Wood will work with the marble industry group and its educational advisory council to develop curricula for future shows

"It's a wonderful industry," said Michelle Troop, Hanley Wood senior show director. "We want to grow the show and make it the industry show. We think there's a lot of potential there."

In addition, the stone show will fit in well with Hanley Wood's collection of construction-related exhibitions and magazines. Backed by Veronis Suhler Stevenson, Hanley Wood operates 10 construction tradeshow brands, including Tradeshow Week 200 shows World of Concrete and Surfaces. Hanley Wood also produces 22 construction-related magazines and operates marketing, e-media and market intelligence divisions.

Sabel will switch from show management to raising funds for the federation's foundation. She said most of the federation's 21-member board — comprised of both exhibitors and industry association members — supported the deal, which came together quickly. "It was an opportunity we couldn't pass up," Sabel said.

The 2004 StonExpo, held at the Los Angeles Convention Center Oct. 28–30, drew about 5,000 attendees and 202 exhibitors to a 70,000 net sq. ft. showfloor, according to the federation. The 2003 StonExpo was held Dec. 4–6 in Atlanta's Georgia World Congress Center, and drew 5,084 attendees and 240 exhibitors.

Next year, the show will move to the Las Vegas Convention Center, where it will collocate with the Nov. 10–12 annual meeting of the MIA.

The U.K.-based dmg produces more than 300 trade and consumer shows worldwide. Last year, it was one of the industry's top acquirers, according to Jordan Edmiston Group Inc.

Since being acquired by private-equity firm VSS Communication Partners in 1999, Hanley Wood's tradeshow holdings have increased from one to its current 17.