Global Fastener News

Months ago show director Susan Hurley predicted the 36th National Fastener & Mill Supply Expo would top 1,000 booths.  The 2016 trade show this week has 761 companies in 1,000.5 booths.

A half booth?

The standard U.S. booth is 10×10 or 100 sq ft.  Yes, this year there is with one company in a 10×5 booth, Hurley explained.

The 2016 NIFMSE blasts the record set at 829 last year with a 21% increase. Previous NIFMSE booth records were set in 2007 at 821 and 822 in 2014.

The booth record for the original NIFS held in Columbus, OH, was 678 booths in 1998.

The first fastener show was held June 3-4, 1981, in Battelle Hall in the old Ohio Center. The Las Vegas show was first held in 1997.

 • Hurley told FIN that as of the advance deadline October 14, registration was up 25%.  It was 1,590 at that point a year ago and 1,994 thus far this year.

Beyond the booth record, there will be at least two firsts with the 2016 NIFMSE:

• The trade show is Tuesday-Wednesday-Thursday format instead of events beginning Wednesday.

• The 36th annual show will be the first under the ownership of Emerald Expositions LLC.  NIFMSE was acquired by Emerald after the 2015 trade show. Emerald operates more than 50 U.S. business-to-business trade shows plus face-to-face events in total, including conferences, summits and other events.  The lead Emerald executive for NIFMSE is executive vice president Karolyn Sprouse.

Sprouse has emphasized the trade show company understands the difference between the “total number attending” and “quality attendees.” Sprouse has been asking exhibitors: “Who aren’t you seeing at the show?” and promising Emerald has “a team to go out and get them.”

NIFMSE traditionally has a distributor-only policy.  Beyond traditional CEOs, Emerald has been inviting purchasing staff and engineers to the 2016 expo.

For more on the new ownership of NIFMSE click on the following links to FIN articles in the past year:

December 1, 2015 FIN:  Bannister & McGuire Sell NIFMSE To National Firm

The National Fastener & Mill Supply Expo has new owners. California-based Emerald Expositions operates 80 business-to-business trade shows and conferences in the U.S. Earlier this year, Emerald acquired design, healthcare and pizza trade shows.

December 3, 2015 FIN: Emerald VP: Quality Attendance 1st & Foremost

“We have a team of experts that understand first and foremost that quality attendance growth is our #1 priority to propel the businesses we serve forward,” Emerald Expositions executive VP Karalynn Sprouse told FIN. “It is our job to connect our customers with theirs and we are confident we can quickly make a positive impact on the show in 2016 and beyond.”

February 22, 2016 FIN: NIFMSE Seeks to Expand Attendee, Exhibitor Base

New Las Vegas trade show owners seek STAFDA-type exhibitors – adhesives, specialty tools, plant maintenance and safety products. Engineers and specifiers also welcomed.

April 8, 2016 FIN: New NIFMSE Owners Listening to Fastener Industry

Emerald Expositions VP Sprouse asking Las Vegas exhibitors: “Who aren’t you seeing at the show?” Emerald has “a team to go out and get them.”

October 4, 2016 FIN; New NIFMSE Owners Hire Fastener Veteran

Morgan Wilson, CFS, to be trade show’s business development manager.

For the background of the trade show first held in Ohio in 1981, go to the Fastener History section of GlobalFastenerNews.com:

2002 FIN – How the Fastener Industry Discovered Columbus

Officially, it was the “National Industrial Fastener Show & Conference” through most of its 22-year history. But to the industry the easier name and the term of endearment for the show held in the capital city of Ohio was simply “Columbus.”

1997 FIN – Las Vegas Show Gamble Pays Off

The owners of the National Industrial Fastener Show & Conference gambled that a western version of their show would be a winner in Las Vegas.