14th Annual NIFS/West Opens in Las Vegas
FEATURE
1997 FIN – Las Vegas Show Gamble Pays Off
From Fastener History on GlobalFastenerNews.com:
November 21,1997 FIN – The owners of the National Industrial Fastener Show & Conference, held annually in Columbus, OH, since 1981, gambled that a western version of their show would be a winner in Las Vegas.
At least for a first time event, Jim Bannister and Mike McGuire believe they hit the jackpot.
The National Industrial Fastener Show/West held November 14, 1997, drew more than 1,400 attendee registrations.
“I had said all along that if we had 1,200 to 1,500 the first year I would be delighted,” Bannister told FIN. “And we came closer to the top end of that range. I am very pleased.”
The 1997 Columbus show reported 3,007 advance and on-site attendee registrations.
“We noticed distributors from western states and the western provinces of Canada and even Mexico who we’ve never seen in Columbus,” Bannister noted. “In Columbus we see a good influx of folks from Quebec, Ontario and other eastern provinces.”
“Exhibitors told me it was nice to meet the principals who were attendees,” Bannister said. “Those companies may have sent buyers to Columbus, but the principals from western states came to a show for the first time.
“In talking to exhibitors several mentioned that they learned from the Mexican attendees they had been selling fasteners to Mexico without knowing it.”
All 228 booths were sold out well in advance of the show.
Prior to the show many questioned whether western distributors would come to Las Vegas and whether they would be at the show or be in the casinos. “They showed up,” Bannister declared.
However, after the show several exhibitors were speculating that the Las Vegas event could exceed Columbus numbers within the next few years. ©1997/2009 Fastener Industry News.
For NIFS history click on Fastener History and scroll down to: 2002 FIN – How the Fastener Industry Discovered Columbus. ©2010 GlobalFastenerNews.com
Show management for the National Industrial Fastener Show/West predicts total registration for the 14th annual show in Las Vegas will total 3,500 registrations. The number of booths will be up 11%.
Show management recently reported 688 booths sold for the November 8-10, 2010 trade show at Mandalay Bay Convention Center – up from 602 last year. The NIFS/West record is 829 in 2007.
The first show in Las Vegas drew 228 booths.
Show management for the National Industrial Fastener Show/West predicts total registration for the 14th annual show in Las Vegas will total 3,500 registrations. The number of booths will be up 11%.
Show management recently reported 688 booths sold for the November 8-10, 2010 trade show at Mandalay Bay Convention Center – up from 602 last year. The NIFS/West record is 829 in 2007.
The first show in Las Vegas drew 228 booths.
For 2010 there were 2,958 registrations as of the end of October. Last year registration totaled 3,943.
Included in the end of October figure are 761 distributors. Last year show management reported a final total of 1,052 distributors.
Conferences and an opening reception are on Monday. The trade show will be 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. Tuesday and 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. Wednesday. ©2010 GlobalFastenerNews.com
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