Questex Buys, dmg world media Sells to HSI

Staff -- Tradeshow Week, 2/19/2007

Questex Media has acquired a U.K.-based company with events that correspond to publications and events Questex already owns, and dmg world media has sold one more of the home and garden shows it put on the market last year.

Questex has made a deal to buy McLean Events, based in Kingston, U.K. It produces 13 appointment-based events around the world, several of them in the hotel and beauty sectors.

"McLean and Questex complement one another very well, as McLean is already in a number of markets covered by Questex," said Noor Kassam, chairman of McLean.

Kassam will continue to run what will operate as a subsidiary of Questex.

With its HOTEC series, McLean hosts a number of forums focused on the hotel industry, and with its SPATEC series, the company runs appointment-based events focused around spas, skin care and fitness.

Questex owns American Spa magazine, as well as the American Spa Exhibition.

Questex Media President and CEO Kerry Gumas said, "Noor spotted the need for targeted, appointment-based events a decade ago, before any trend toward them had been established. With such a demand for this type of business event, we are looking forward to working with his team to extend their successful model across our customer base."

Terms were not disclosed.

Dmg world media has sold the Dayton Home & Garden Show to HSI Show Productions, based in Indianapolis.

The Dayton show is one of nine consumer shows dmg world media announced it was putting on the sales block last summer.

No terms were disclosed. Corporate Solutions handled the transaction for dmg world media.

HSI Show Productions owns two other complementary events, the Indiana Flower & Patio Show and the Christmas Gift & Hobby Show, both of which are held at the Indiana State Fairgrounds in Indianapolis.