Reed's show, coming up next May in Las Vegas, has already signed up more than 1,900 exhibitors and will co-locate with the Gourmet Housewares Show. This show will span two venues, the Las Vegas and Sands convention centers.
Months of boasting about the 2005 AHMA show ended Oct. 4, when AHMA announced its board voted unanimously to cancel the show and redirect efforts to serve members through other programs, such as its hardlines technology forum.
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"It's a tough decision, because the hardware show has been such an important event to our members and our industry, and our association for such a long time, but that doesn't change the fact that it's the right decision," said Timothy Farrell, president and ceo of AHMA, in a press release. "We're excited about pursuing what's most valuable to our members and our industry now and in the future, not holding on to something that was valuable to them in the past."
An ongoing decline in show attendance through 2003, when the event was jointly sponsored, led in part to the rift. As has occurred with other industry shows, consolidation took its tool, resulting in fewer buyers sent by large retailers and the pullout of major manufacturers such as Black & Decker and The Scotts Company.
About a dozen suppliers surveyed at last year's National Hardware Show from Reed showed overwhelming support for Reed's show based on stronger attendance. A few suppliers that had dropped out in past years even returned, such as Scotts. Many commented that the industry could not support two trade shows due to the expense involved in exhibiting and limited travel budgets for buyers. The Las Vegas setting for Reed's show may have given it an edge versus Chicago for AHMA.
Reed declared victory the same date that AHMA announced the cancellation of its show, announcing more than 1,900 manufacturers had committed to 481,250 square feet of exhibition space. The organization stated that its success "proves it is the only show for the home improvement industry," and that manufacturers and retailers voted in favor of the venue's new location, timing and content.
"And vote they have. With a majority of the industry's top brands already committed to the 2005 show in Las Vegas, the industry has proven that the changes we made were needed and welcome," said Rob Cappiello, industry vp for the National Hardware Show.
