Events

Were you at this year’s AHR EXPO at the McCormick Place in downtown Chicago? If not, you only missed a spectacular show that literally shattered their all-time attendance record with nearly 62,000 attendees. That’s right, 62,000. The amount of exhibitors was so massive, they had to fully use up all the floor space on both the north and south halls.

For three days in late January, This fully packed show had something for all professionals in the industry. Attendees could walk through approximately 480,000 square feet of exhibits, which is equivalent to at least 9 football fields. In addition, professionals had access to a bountiful supply of presentations, seminars, educational courses, and training sessions. Several courses included, The Path to Net Zero through Hydronics, Tips on Selling Radiant to Homeowners, Steam Solutions, and Fundamentals of Risk Management just to name a few.

There was great energy at the AHR EXPO with exceptional interaction between exhibitors and attendees. Over 2,000 exhibitors showcased and displayed their new and existing products and services. This Expo had it all from fans to furnaces, boilers to chillers, and even software to hardware with hands on tool testing for contractors.

Of course not everyone is able to attend with such busy schedules these days. But don’t worry, the AHR EXPO travels each year to different cities for convenience. And the 2016 AHR will come quickly to sunny Orlando, Florida at the Orange County Convention Center. Not a bad place to be come January.

So what else was there and what else did you miss? There could be so much more said but you simply had to be there. This may sound like just another AHR EXPO endorsement and in a way, yes it is. But there’s many reasons why this broke several records from expos in the past. And since a picture is worth a thousand words…….and more sometimes, we’ve included some inspirational pictures from this years show so you can decide for yourself. Perhaps this will create some excitement and buzz in anticipation for next year’s show in Orlando, Florida. Will you be there?

The Plumbing Contractors Association hosted their annual South Florida Plumbing and Mechanical Trade Show & EXPO on November 20, 2014, and once again the show was a huge success for both exhibitors and attendees. This year, the number of exhibitors at the show broke an all-time record with over 80 booths for attendees to visit. It was a clear sign that the economy is definitely improving and construction is picking up once more in South Florida.

Gloria Salazar, Executive Director of the Plumbing Contractors Association says she spends most of the year planning the show. Her goal is to feature everything at the show a contractor may need in the course of their business that’s easily available from local suppliers up to manufacturers. Most contractors do not have the time to see individual vendors at their place of business or are unable to stay up-to-date with the latest products available but by attending the show, they are able to do all this in one evening. It’s also a great benefit to the exhibitors to be able to meet the decision makers as they canvas the show as opposed to trying to catch them individually at their place of business. Over 3,500 invitations were sent to licensed contractors in southeast Florida, including Miami-Dade, Broward, Monroe and Palm Beach counties producing a spectacular turnout making this the largest plumbing trade show in Florida.

In an interview with Josh Aberman, General Manager of Lehman Pipe and Plumbing Supply said, “I have had the privilege of exhibiting at the show the past 6 years”. He added “Every year this show has gotten much bigger and much better. The exposure we get here is second to none”. New to the show and exhibiting for the first time was Stuart Berke, President of Action Plumbing Supply, who said, “I was impressed with the show. Gloria did an amazing job putting it together and the turnout’s amazing. We were glad to be a part of it”. Other exhibitors also found the show beneficial such as Andy Faza, with MOEN, who said “It’s an excellent show, highly attended, I would highly recommend it for anyone who is interested in doing business in plumbing and construction in South Florida”. While Jorge Megias, of Viega, said, “I would not miss exhibiting at the show for anything!”

As attendees made their way into the show, they were given the opportunity to view live demonstrations from exhibitors such as Liberty Pumps, Viega, and Milwaukee Tool. Viega, who has a traveling exhibition truck, exhibited their product and gave attendees the opportunity to walk through and view their products. Milwaukee Tool had tables of tools to exhibit giving attendees a great opportunity to compare what is available. SpaWorld, a local manufacture of high-end tubs, brought out a few tubs to exhibit. Growers Equipment had mini bobcats and bulldozers on exhibit. You could even find the Nissan dealer who brought out 3 of their latest commercial vans they say are in high demand by contractors. Many other well known names such as MOEN, Kohler, Grohe, and Delta were also exhibitors.

Attendees such as Manny Alonso, Jr., President of Manny & Lou Plumbing quoted, “I have been attending the show the past 15 years and by far, this year’s show was the best show I have attended so far”. And Joseph Mokher Jr., President of Mokher Plumbing stated “I see the show as very beneficial to business owners such as myself to be able to see the latest products available. The ability to meet face to face with his suppliers is of great benefit”.

Next year’s show is already in the works. Registration will commence January 5, 2015, with the show taking place Thursday, November 19, 2015, at the Miami Airport Convention Center. For more information, you can visit www.pcamiami.com.

Registration for the Country’s Largest Plumbing Tradeshow Is Open!                                 

Chicago, Illinois (May 1, 2014) — This year’s premier tradeshow dedicated exclusively to the plumbing industry—the ASPE Convention & Exposition, produced by the American Society of Plumbing Engineers—will combine professional education and networking with a celebration of ASPE’s 50th Anniversary, making it a can’t-miss event for plumbing engineers, designers, specifiers, manufacturers, and code officials. Being held September 20–24 at McCormick Place in Chicago, the ASPE Convention & Exposition is a one-of-a-kind opportunity to view the largest display of the newest plumbing products and services available while networking with thousands of plumbing industry professionals from across North America. Registration is now open at aspe.org/expo.

Attendees to the 2014 ASPE Convention & Exposition will experience:

• 300+ manufacturers of the latest plumbing products and technologies
• Direct contact with the technical experts who designed the products
• 25 technical education and professional development sessions geared toward plumbing industry professionals at all career levels
• Thousands of networking connections with engineers, designers, manufacturer representatives, specifiers, and others from across North America
• Sunday Night at the House of Blues presented by Sloan Valve
• Keynote speaker Dan Hampton from the 1985 Super Bowl Champion Chicago Bears
• The chance to earn almost a year’s worth of continuing education units for relicensing and recertification

Those who sign up for the full ASPE Convention & Exposition get access to the Exposition, all professional development seminars, the Sunday Night Party, CEUs, and networking events. The free Exposition on September 22–23 is open to everyone. Register now at aspe.org/expo.

ASPE is the only professional organization devoted to the training and certification of plumbing engineers and designers. ASPE and its 6,000 worldwide members are dedicated to protecting the health, welfare, and safety of the public through the dissemination of technical data and information to expand the base of knowledge among plumbing engineers, designers, contractors, code officials, inspectors, and manufacturers. For more information, visit ASPE.org.

Kohler Booth at KBIS was a Hub of Activity and Entertainment

With celebrity hosts, live DJ music and WiFi, KOHLER booth shines among the best and brightest with new product intros, product demos and social media activities

KOHLER, Wis. – Jan. 28, 2014 – The Kohler Co. booth (#N2005) promises to be the trade show destination at the Kitchen & Bath Industry Show during the inaugural Design & Construction Week, Feb. 4-6, where Kohler is constructing its village-inspired booth inside the Las Vegas Convention Center. In addition to KOHLER®, the company will unveil new products from its family of brands: ROBERN®, ANN SACKS®, KALLISTA®, STERLING®, and KOHLER® Generators.

In its booth, Kohler will have several activities to not only inform, but also engage and entertain attendees by creating a memorable experience with plenty of buzz. Kohler is providing complimentary WiFi in its booth, as well as opportunities to engage directly with the brand on its media wall on Twitter, Instagram or Vine using #OnlyKohler. Setting an energetic tone with the perfect musical vibe each hour will be DJ Alex Merrell, one of the most sought after DJs for high-profile events and top venues internationally. In addition to getting hands-on with Kohler’s newest products, visitors can look forward to entertaining and informative presentations from the following industry celebrities:

• Alison Victoria, Interior Designer and host of Kitchen Crashers on DIY Network. Victoria will serve as booth host on Tuesday and Wednesday, Feb. 4-5.

• Stephen Fanuka, Contractor to the Stars and host of Million Dollar Contractor on DIY Network. Fanuka will be in the Kohler booth on Thursday, Feb. 6, from 10 am – noon.

• Jeff Devlin, Contractor and host of I Hate My Bath on DIY Network. Devlin will be in the booth on Thursday, Feb. 6, from 1:00-3:00 pm.

• Ed Del Grande, Master Plumber/Contractor, GBCI LEED green associate and 30-year industry veteran, is the premier go-to guy for any contracting, plumbing, or home remodeling task. He will be in the booth Tuesday, Wednesday, and Thursday, Feb. 4-6 facilitating product demonstrations.

“Our goal is to demonstrate that Kohler is the total solution partner for design leadership and product innovation,” said Steve Bissell, Kohler’s vice president of marketing. “By creating a compelling exhibit presence and experience – featuring a strong line-up of new products and an engaging and knowledgeable staff of booth workers and expert presenters – we’re confident that we will create a considerable amount of buzz and preference among our target audiences. We like to give attendees a taste of what’s new and exciting and then ask them to go to their local showroom to create their dream kitchen and bathrooms.”

Of course, it’s not a trade show unless there are new products to showcase, and no company delivers more innovative and beautiful kitchen and bath designs than Kohler. Headlining new KOHLER products are the extensive and customizable tailored vanity collection with multiple vanity, countertop/sink and accessory options; the Artifacts bathroom faucet collection allowing users to personalize their faucet by selecting the spout, handle and finish; Nightlight toilet seats; new stainless steel and enameled cast iron kitchen sinks; and an array of showering products that feature the latest technology and designs to provide the ultimate showering experience.

• ROBERN will be expanding its innovative and beautiful Digital Wood finishes on vanities including the new Adorn Freestanding Vanity, as well as new options in Decorative Frames.

• ANN SACKS collaborated with highly acclaimed Interior Designer Martyn Lawrence Bullard on three tile collections – Eastern Promise, Hermitage and Mousharabia. Bullard will be in the ANN SACKS booth on Tuesday, Feb. 4, to discuss these collections.

• KALLISTA pays homage to the 1950s and 60s with the Per Se bathroom faucet collection, with its squared, geometric form, softened by the gentle rounding of corners.

• STERLING will unveil new options in shower doors, including a heavy glass option and the Birchwood glass pattern, as well as the Ensemble Medley bath/shower enclosure made of exclusive Vikrell material.

• KOHLER Generators will be showcasing a range of permanently installed home generators, remote monitoring equipment – including the new OnCue Plus mobile app – and a brand new line of rugged portable generators for commercial contractors.

via KOHLER | Kohler Booth at KBIS Is a Hub of Activity and Entertainment | Recent Press Releases | Press Room |.