[Dallas] Just a month before the debut of The International Surface Event East (TISE East), to be held in Miami Beach, Amie Gilmore, director, The International Surface Event, Hanley Wood Exhibitions, told FCW, “Exhibit sales are strong and we’re on track to hit the targets we had in place. Registration is open and we’re seeing lots of action and positive feedback from attendees right now.”
The show is a dedicated East Coast event for the floor covering industry. And while it is born of the annual Surfaces show in Las Vegas and will have some crossover, Gilmore said Surfaces East targets the products most conducive to the region and offers an opportunity for people who may not make the trip cross-country each January to benefit from the exhibition.
“The goal of our East event in Miami is to offer another event on the East Coast so our exhibitors can reach a different audience. We do not want it to be the same as Las Vegas — however, you’ll see many of the same exhibitors, as well as new ones. The product offerings and mix of manufacturers will be different based on the products sought after and used in that area.”
Gilmore said that the show has also expanded its marketing efforts internationally. “With the show being in Miami, there’s also a huge community of designers and architects we’re marketing to and we have education and tours geared to that audience. The educational program and on-floor demonstrations will be different than what you’ll see in Las Vegas as well.”
Surfaces East is also the answer to the stone industry’s request for a fall show, she said. “The feedback has been truly incredible, the support we’ve received is fantastic and the excitement is building,” said Gilmore, adding, “There’s no show on the East Coast catering to these industries in 2014, so the exhibitors were pushing for it. We have so much industry association and publication partner support behind us; the event is being advocated and promoted from all angles. Having the support from many different sides has helped us not only on exhibit sales, but in drawing attendees to the show.”
Because of product preferences in the region, Gilmore said that there will be a strong presence of stone and tile exhibitors. “We have seen a large part of the show filled with manufacturers of these products, but we’ve also have a great mix of other flooring products as well.”
Gilmore said that by all accounts, Surfaces East is shaping up to be a success. “By looking at the exhibit hall floor, it is a great size for a launch event. We feel we’ve gotten a nice mix of manufacturers from the flooring, stone and tile industries as well as new exhibitors that we haven’t seen in Las Vegas before. In terms of attendance, the numbers we’re seeing in pre-registration are strong. Once the show is open and they start making their way to the floor to meet with exhibitors, we’ll deem it a success.”
More than just product
The TISE East education program will feature sessions geared to every audience segment — architects and designers, retailers, distributors, fabricators and installers to name a few, according to Gilmore.
The emphasis, she said is an “active-learning” format. “Additionally, attendees will benefit from live, on-floor expert instruction, demonstrations and hands-on training on the show floor during exhibit hours. Many sessions offered in the program qualify for certifications such as AIA/CES, IDCEC, IICRC and IABD. We have many programs, exhibit hall tours and offsite tours geared towards the architect and design community as well as spouse programs. These are not the same educational courses you will be seeing in Las Vegas,” Gilmore said.
TISE East will also feature the 140 Under 40 Mentors luncheon. Mallory Cruise, Floor Covering Weekly’s assistant managing editor, was invited to be one of the mentors for the program.
“One of the ever-increasing audience segments are the emerging professionals,” noted Gilmore. “140 under 40 luncheon will celebrate this group within the flooring, stone and tile industries and allow them to mingle with other young professionals while spending time with the industry’s most influential experts.”
—Amy Joyce Rush
Amie Gilmore