Coverings May Test Chicago Work Rules
Flooring products show set to make switch from OCCC to McCormick
By Michael Hart -- Tradeshow Week, 4/17/2006
ORLANDO—The new era of peaceful labor relations in Chicago could get a major test a year from now.
The unique move-in challenges of Natl. Trade Productions' Coverings, No. 34 on the most recent Tradeshow Week 200, haven't ruffled any feathers at the Orange County Convention Center in Orlando, where work rules are more relaxed.
But there are concerns that when the ceramic-tile industry show moves to Chicago's McCormick Place April 17–20, 2007, exhibitors bringing in their own workers to lay tile beforehand might cause some consternation among the city's union workers.
This year's April 4-7 edition of Coverings attracted at least 30,000 attendees to 1,149 exhibiting companies in 511,300 net square feet of the OCCC's north and south halls. Final attendance figures were not yet available at press time.
But NTP and the five industry associations it manages Coverings for want more — not more space to sell, because Orlando has plenty of that — but even more attendees.
"We don't need more revenue," said Tamara Christian, president of NTP and Coverings show manager. "We need more people."
So, the Chicago Convention & Tourism Bureau went to work to make the case that it could deliver them.
"Within 300 miles, there are 24,000 companies that speak to (Coverings') attendee base," said Marc Anderson, CCTB managing director of convention sales.
He said the competitive analysis he prepared for NTP indicated that those 24,000 companies equaled twice the number available within 300 miles of Orlando.
The 18-year-old show's first time in Orlando was 2002, when it took up a slightly smaller 491,798 net sq. ft. floor and attracted only 21,641 attendees. In those days, Trade Show Intl. managed the show on behalf of the industry associations. NTP took over with seven months' notice before the 2004 show.
Getting up to speed so quickly with such a big, complex show was, "I think, NTP's greatest achievement so far," Christian said.
This year's show in Orlando required shipping almost 17 million pounds of freight and took 10 days for move-in, mainly because many of the exhibiting companies from 56 countries bring their own workers to install tile floors for display in their booths.
Orlando's reputation for relaxed labor rules has made what in many cities would have been a difficult process much easier.
"Trust me," Christian said, "no union wants to be responsible for this."
The obvious question then, given Chicago's reputation for difficult labor rules, is whether the move-in will be as uncomplicated next year.
The CCTB and the Metropolitan Pier and Exposition Authority, owner and operator of McCormick Place, have convinced NTP that it will, Christian said. A year ago, the authority made a number of changes that were designed to make it easier and more cost-effective to exhibit at McCormick Place.
All issues are now resolved by a Labor Management Council, made up of representatives of the MPEA, CCTB, show management firms, service contractors and labor unions. Rules are in place to give exhibitors more flexibility in the number of move-in tasks that they can take care of themselves.
"Some of the changes implemented with the Labor Management Council last summer will no doubt make this a very successful show for Chicago," Anderson said.
He and other representatives from Chicago were in Orlando the week of April 4 offering information sessions for exhibitors. Nine workshops attracted 250 exhibitors.
What's more, NTP is offering free registration to Coverings exhibitors who wish to attend the NTP-owned TS2 2006 to be held, coincidentally, at McCormick Place July 25–26, where there will be more workshops specifically for them.
"We're going to do everything we can to help them learn how to work smarter in Chicago," Anderson said.
Most exhibitors contacted by TSW during Coverings in Orlando were eager to go to Chicago because it promises a larger number of buyers. Few seemed concerned about potential move-in challenges.
"If that's where the people are, I want to go," said Jean Jose Alvaro of Vives Azulejos y Gres in Alcora, Spain. "The other thing, I don't know too much about."
"They tell us it will be better there in Chicago, and I believe them," said Marco Ribitti of Gruppo Ceramiche Ricchetti in Sassuolo, Italy.
If all goes well next year, the plan is for Coverings to rotate between Orlando and Chicago every other year.
"But we have to have a good experience to rotate," Christian said.
