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21/11/2006
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Remodeling show 2006 delivers unmatched opportunity at a record setting event in Chicago
The marketing campaign leading up to the 2006 Remodeling
Show promised to bring “Opportunity at Every Turn” and with record setting numbers, this was one
event definitely full of opportunity. For three days, October 19 - 21, the residential and commercial
remodeling industry came together at Lakeside Center | McCormick Place in Chicago, Illinois to
find new products, equipment and education that would take their businesses to the next level.
Owned and operated by Hanley Wood Exhibitions and officially sponsored by NAHB, NAHB
Remodelorstm Council and REMODELING magazine, the Remodeling Show provided attendees with
MORE opportunity in terms of exhibits, networking and education. 371 companies filled the trade
show floor, a 17% increase from 2005, providing attendees with 108,290 square feet of cuttingedge
products, services, show floor education and networking opportunities. The 2006 Remodeling
Show had a total verified attendance of 10,161 with buyer attendance up over 32% from the 2004
event in Chicago. Comparing total verified attendance, the 2006 Remodeling Show increased a
total of 3% compared to the 2005 Remodeling Show held in Baltimore. More notably, this year’s
Remodeling Show reached the 10,000-verified attendee landmark.
In addition to being an Official Sponsor and education partner with the Remodeling Show, NAHB
also sees the events from an exhibitor’s perspective. “The value to NAHB and the Remodelorstm
Council grows each year that we participate in the Remodeling Show, and 2006 was no exception”
said Remodelorstm Council Chairman, Vince Butler, CGR, CAPS, GMB. “Everything from the floor
traffic to the energy of the attendees was fantastic, which is why NAHB continues to time our
premiere events for the remodeling industry during this show.”
In addition to viewing exhibit displays and networking with manufacturers, the show floor provided
attendees with a wealth of unique educational opportunities and one-of-a-kind show features.
Always an ever popular component of the Remodeling Show, this year’s event featured six free,
hands-on Installation Clinics from sponsoring companies USG, Jeld-Wen, Azek, Georgia-Pacific,
Home Depot and Schluter Systems. Installation presenters included top remodeling professionals
Myron Ferguson, Rick Arnold, Frank Caputo, Bill Robinson, Gary Katz, Mike Sloggatt, Mike Guertin
and Michael Bryne. In addition, the show featured two Presenting Exhibit Demonstrations from
sponsors Andersen Windows and James Hardie Siding Products, a new offering for this year’s
attendees and exhibitors.
The Remodeling Show also expanded the clinic offerings to include condensed versions of popular
and practical business topics. New for 2006, The Business Clinic sponsored by OPEN by American
Express presented attendees with hour-long power sessions that focused on money-related
matters such as margin and mark-up, pricing strategies and driving accountability. Attendees were
able to find many free, business-related resources throughout the show from the Meet the Editors
Corner, to the REMODELING Magazine Bookstore or the Remodeling Show Job Board to the
PowerRounds.
One of the most exciting things to debut at the 2006 Remodeling Show was the Kitchen and Bath
Showcase. The Showcase encompassed an 8,700 square foot pavilion located on the show floor
that was identifiable by its unique décor and signage. The area was filled with official Showcase
sponsors exhibiting the latest products and services for the kitchen and bath market. At the heart of
the showcase were 4 unique clinic demonstration areas, two for kitchen and two for bath. Each
area had one clinic focusing on installation and another focusing on design. With presentations
ranging from Cabinet Installation and Moisture Management in the Bathroom to Style Elements in a
Modern vs. Traditional Kitchen and Water Effects and Features in the Bathroom, the packed
crowds reinforced that the Showcase was offering something in high demand to remodelers. “The
Showcase is about knowledge,” says Don Dunkley, Construction Manager, for Hanley Wood
Exhibitions. “Knowledge to help remodelers grow their business and prosper in the kitchen and
bath industry.”
Exhibitors had their chance to be in the spotlight as the Remodeling Show announced the Best
Booth Awards for 2006. Best Booth Design was awarded to Electrolux, Most Innovative Booth was
awarded to Chief Architect and Most Interactive Booth was awarded to Home Depot. Introduced at
Lakeside Center in 2004, the New Product Pavilion was again a big hit at this year’s show. With
over 40 new products displayed, attendees were able to vote on their favorite new product for
2006. Awards were given to Mobile Shop for 1st Place, Easy Heat for 2nd place and Focal Point
Products for 3rd place.
For those looking for additional networking opportunities and one-of-a-kind education, the
Remodeling Show had a variety to offer. The Welcome Party kicked off the entire show on opening
day as a sold-out crowd mixed, mingled and danced to a live band at the House of Blues in
downtown Chicago. The party continued across town that evening as over 300 guests celebrated
the 2006 Big50 inaugural class as REMODELING Magazine and sponsors hosted a SportsNight
themed event at the Hilton Chicago. For Remodeling Show attendees looking for Chicago-themed
education, this year’s event offered a White City Bus Tour based on the NY Times non-fiction
bestseller, “The Devil in the White City,” which chronicled the 1893 World’s Columbian Exposition
story. And back by popular demand after the 2005 debut, the General Session Town Hall
answered the audiences’ tough questions. This year the Town Hall panelists included top
remodelers Dave Bryan, Susan Cosentini, and Devon Hartman and it was moderated by Tom
Swartz, CGR.
Always an important component of the Remodeling Show, the conference program offered 80+
sessions in 8 unique tracks by leading industry professionals. At this year’s show, classrooms were
filled with over 1,200 remodelers looking for tips and techniques to simplify their businesses,
streamline their processes and increase their revenues. For many remodelers, attending the
annual Remodeling Show conference program helps them make small adjustments year after year
which compounds to big changes through the years. Brian and Linda Buss have been attending
the Remodeling Show since its inception in 1991 and continue to learn valuable information that
contributes to the profitability of their business. “We remember listening to these guys talk about
going back and charging 20% to 30% mark up and we use to think, we’ll never be able to do that.
But now it’s like, yeah, we did it. To tell you the truth, I can’t tell you how we did it, but we did it,”
said Brian Buss. “We just started doing little things. And we did 6.5 million last year. And we’re a
Ma & Pop operation!”
The Remodeling Show 2007 will be held in Las Vegas, Nevada at the Mandalay Bay Convention
Center. Exhibits will be held from October 10 - 12. Conferences will be held from October 9 - 12.
For more information on the Remodeling Show, including a complete list of 2006 exhibitors, please
visit www.TheRemodelingShow.com.
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(Fuente de información: Hanley Wood Exhbitions)
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