SmithBucklin Is New NPE Manager
By Gary Tufel -- Tradeshow Week, 11/22/2004
Organizers said the desire for greater international participation played into the Society of the Plastics Industry's decision to have SmithBucklin succeed Hall-Erickson in providing support services for NPE - The World's Plastics Showcase.
SmithBucklin will provide logistical assistance, floorplan management, exhibit space sales and exhibitor customer service for the show, to be held June 19–23, 2006, at McCormick Place in Chicago. Hall-Erickson had held the contract for seven years.
The triennial NPE was ranked third in the most recent Tradeshow Week 200 list of the largest U.S. expositions. The 2003 show spanned more than 1 million net square feet with 1,922 exhibiting companies. NPE 2006 is projected to fill more than 1 million net sq. ft. again, with some 2,000 exhibitors.
Show director Barbara Voss, president of Voss Works, is a former Hall-Erickson employee. Voss has been part of SPI's management team since 1980, and show director for SPI expositions since 1997. She said the decision to change subcontractors was made several months before NPE 2003.
The tradeshow industry has changed, and has undergone some tough times, Voss said. Although the 2003 show only experienced slight declines, SPI held many meetings to discuss NPE's future.
"We want to get even more international attendees and exhibitors in the show, form more partnerships and create pavilions, possibly in such areas as medical and packaging," she said.
Carol Fojtik, senior vice president of Hall-Erickson, said her company declined to bid on the contract. "NPE and Plastics USA (another SPI triennial exhibition) are wonderful shows, but the Plastics USA and NPE dates conflicted with other tradeshows we manage in September and June, so we elected not to participate in the bid process."
Voss, SPI and NPE talked with several companies, but found that SmithBucklin shared their strategic philosophy and had the talent and other attributes necessary to expand the show.
The changeover began with Plastics USA 2004, held Sept. 28–30 at McCormick Place. Voss said the transition was smooth.
"SmithBucklin did a very good job on our smaller show," Voss said, adding she is confident the association management company will again exceed expectations in the production of NPE 2006. Pat Dwyer, SmithBucklin senior manager of convention and tradeshow services, will work with Voss as co-show director.
Tim Stojka, chairman of the NPE 2006 committee, said the group was looking for expertise in exhibit space sales and customer service. "With the industry changing and becoming more global than ever before, SmithBucklin has the talent, resources, and the strategic planning capabilities to help us reach our goals for NPE 2006," said Stojka, who is also CEO of Fast Heat.
