SURFACES | StonExpo/Marmomacc Americas 2013 Brings New Energy to Flooring and Stone Industries
A renewed sense of energy and excitement was visible at SURFACES | StonExpo/Marmomacc Americas 2013. Attendees and exhibitors were enlightened and overly-satisfied with the outlook for the future of the industry based on the show and are already making their plans for SURFACES | StonExpo/Marmomacc Americas 2014, January 27-30 at the Mandalay Bay Convention Center in Las Vegas.
SURFACES | StonExpo/Marmomacc Americas, which took place January 28-31at Mandalay Bay Convention Center in Las Vegas, Nevada saw a 4.3% increase in attendance from 2012. Industry professionals packed both floors to see the largest, trendiest, and best selection of floor covering and stone products in North America. Exhibitors presented an overflow of products, tools, and technologies that attendees will inevitably find success with in 2013.
“We are very optimistic about the state of the industries we serve after SURFACES | StonExpo/Marmomacc Americas 2013. There was a new and energetic buzz on the show floor that consumed both attendees and exhibitors throughout the duration of the show,” commented Dana Teague, Group Director, SURFACES | StonExpo/Marmomacc Americas. “We are confident that everyone who was in attendance will find rejuvenated success in 2013.”
Exhibit Hall
S2 SURFACES | StonExpo/Marmomacc Americas continues to offer the widest range of products and services of any other North American flooring or stone industry event. With 699 exhibiting companies at this year’s show in over 341,419 net square feet of exhibit space, attendees had the perfect opportunity to see thousands of product lines under one roof. SURFACES welcomed 166 new exhibiting companies, while StonExpo/Marmomacc Americas welcomed 38.
“We sold booth space until the latest possible deadline on Monday, the day before the show started,” said Amie Gilmore, Associate Show Director of SURFACES | StonExpo/Marmomacc Americas. “Companies understand the significance of being in the show and how it can impact the future of their business. It is necessary to be at S2 to stay competitive.”
SURFACES | StonExpo/Marmomacc Americas is also becoming a world renowned event attracting attendees from 78 countries and more than 100 exhibiting companies from key global markets such as Italy, Germany, Spain and Taiwan.
“We are very pleased with the results of SURFACES | StonExpo/Marmomacc Americas 2013. The energy on the show floor was beyond our expectations. It was a great selling show for us and the traffic on the show floor was phenomenal. We had quality leads and look forward to seeing what the year will bring us as a result of our attendance at the show,” said Ted Skaff, Director of Marketing for Pearl Abrasives Company and GranQuartz.
Tiffany Davis, Marketing Brand and Product Manager for Home Legend explained, “SURFACES has once again allowed Home Legend the opportunity to launch exciting and innovative products into our product line, while cultivating our existing customer base and gaining new Home Legend customers at the same time.”
“SURFACES 2013 was great and exceeded our expectations. The show draws exactly the right attendees and allows us to meet with existing and potential customers as well as dealers from around the country. It was also an honor to have been selected as a stop for the Designer Day Speed Trending Tour,” said Steve Wagner, Director of Sales and Marketing for Wellmade Performance Flooring.
Alex Bachrach, Publisher of Stone World, TILE Magazine andContemporary Stone & Tile Design recounted “The buzz and traffic at StonExpo/Marmomacc Americas last week was the best I’ve seen since 2007. Everyone seemed to be so enthusiastic and it’s a great sign for this industry overall.”
Ed Duncan, Senior Vice President, Residential Marketing commented, “Mannington had a fantastic SURFACES show this year. Our booth was incredibly busy all three days, and it’s obvious that the retail flooring business is picking up. We’re optimistic about 2013 and SURFACES was a great way to kick it off and show the attendees all our great new products.”
Education Program
This year’s Education Program was stocked full of in-depth information and proven strategies to benefit floor covering and stone professionals. With a 20% increase in Education session attendance, many of the 70+ education sessions were filled to capacity with attendees serious about learning the latest information in business, sales/marketing, flooring installation, tile installation, building design and trends, care/maintenance/restoration, sustainability, and stone fabrication/installation.
SURFACES | StonExpo/Marmomacc Americas continued to offer the S²Masters Certification program for the second year, allowing education program participants to qualify for a “Master” status in any of the eight tracks offered in the program. Attendees were required to take a minimum of eight hours to receive the certification, which includes a certificate, mention on the show website and a ribbon to attach to their badge at next year’s show.
Top attended sessions included Unleashing Your Potential, presented by Warren Tyler; Carpet Fibers: New Technologies and Advancements You Should Know to Keep You Out of Trouble, presented by Lew Migliore; and Grade Your Shop’s Performance and Change Its Future presented by Robert Bromley and Jeff Brekhus.
“I came to SURFACES specifically to attend some of the educational sessions to learn more about how to run my business. I look forward to using the knowledge I learned at the show year-round to increase the success of my business,” said Sandy McKee, Memphis Flooring Company.
Show Floor Highlights and Special Events
SURFACES | StonExpo/Marmomacc Americas added new show floor features to enhance attendees’ overall show experience and hit the mark with The BEC (Business Enrichment Center), NWFA Hardwood Flooring Pavilion and Lounge, Tool Alley, S²Theater, Trends Hub, New Product Marketplace, Cleaning and Restoration Pavilion, The CAGE, and StoneLIVE Stadium.
The BEC (Business Enrichment Center), sponsored by GE Capital, was an all-new area on the show floor that featured an on-floor education stage with seating, SURFACES Social Media Lounge, and the Technology Trends Lounge, sponsored by Floor Trends. It also featured a cash bar, free Wi-Fi and a charging station. Attendees were very excited to take advantage of everything The BEC offered and it turned into a mainstay on the show floor.
The NWFA Hardwood Flooring Pavilion and Lounge was a brand new, popular area on the show floor. This area, which was dedicated to hardwood flooring products and current or prospective NWFA members, allowed for networking and browsing among new manufacturers and suppliers of innovative hardwood products.
The S² Theaterfeatured action-packed live product and installation demonstrations which instructed attendees on how to use, sell and install the latest in floor covering products, tools and technologies.
Tool Alleyfeatured exhibitors showcasing the latest tools and technologies in floor covering installation. In addition, the Tool Alley stage held daily live product demonstrations so attendees could see the tools in action. Chris Grundy, host of DIY Network’s “Cool Tools” was on-hand to assist with the demonstrations on Tuesday and signed autographs for exhibitors and attendees.
The Trends Hub was a high-traffic area on the show floor featuring the best “on trend” products for 2013. Several exhibiting companies participated in this area by displaying their newest products in framed sample boards on the walls of the Trends Hub along with trend boards featuring the hottest colors and textures. Attendees relaxed in the R&D Laboratory themed space and listened to featured designers in 15-minute “Live in the Hub” presentations, which revealed a round-up of the trends and products. Victoria Redshaw of Scarlet Opus, a leading trends forecaster in the United Kingdom, conceptualized and designed the Trends Hub.
The New Product Marketplace returned with a new location in the Bayside Lobby and featured a sampling of the newest products for attendees to browse through before making their way to the manufacturers’ booths for additional information. Floor Trends, TILE Magazine and Stone World sponsored the New Product Marketplace. A new voting process was introduced in 2013 allowing attendees to cast their vote via text message. SURFACES’ Best New Product of 2013 was awarded to Tile Redi for their product, Redi Trench. StonExpo/Marmomacc Americas’ Best New Product of 2013 was awarded to Omni Cubed for their product, Pro-Cart AT2 All-Terrain Countertop Installation Cart.
The Cleaning and Restoration Pavilion was another hot spot on the floor as The Experience hosted several daily demonstrations on the cleaning and restoration of both hard and soft-surface flooring. In addition, The Experience held their Floor Covering Symposium in conjunction with SURFACES on Monday and Tuesday during the show. The symposium was presented by Textile Consultants and LGM & Associates.
The CAGE, presented by Stone Fabricator’s Alliance, returned featuring hands-on testing, new products in the fabrication industry, as well as reliable favorites. Multiple demonstrations were presented daily for attendees to watch and source new products.
StoneLIVE Stadium, presented by GranQuartzwas a StonExpo/Marmomacc Americas show floor favorite. Attendees were able to grab a drink and take a seat on the bleachers while watching all of The CAGE’s demos streamed live on big screen televisions.
Designer Day was extended in 2013 tooffer two inspiring days filled with captivating products, tours and education helping designers become more familiar with the latest styles, colors, trends and inner-workings of the floor covering and stone industries.
Highlights included designer luncheons with celebrity designers Erinn Valencich, sponsored by QuickStep, and John Gidding, as well as exclusive tours of The 2013 New American Home led by Blue Heron and The M Resort Spa & Casino led by Marnell Architecture. Victoria Redshaw and Shelley Pond of Scarlet Opus took participants on speed trending tours of the show floor, introducing them to some of the hottest product trends for 2013 and Mark Woodman, President of Color Marketing Group, shared design tips and international trends.
Designing with Natural Stone, a day of continuing education for building design professionals, hosted by Marmomacc, educated architects and designers about the use of natural stone in building projects. The day included a tour of the Smith Center for the Performing Arts, educational sessions, and a guided walking tour of the show floor.
The Mobile App, sponsored by FCA Network, received a positive response for the second year from exhibitors and attendees. The free app allowed attendees to quickly find exhibitors, seminars, speaker information, and more from iPhones, iPads, Androids and Blackberry devices. Users were also able to connect to Facebook and Twitter feeds, hotel/transportation options, local restaurants and more.
Save the Date
Planning for SURFACES | StonExpo/Marmomacc Americas 2014 has already begun, which will take place January 27-30 at the Mandalay Bay Convention Center, Las Vegas, Nevada USA.
For information on exhibiting at or attending SURFACES 2014, visit www.Surfaces.com or call 800.547.3477 or 972.536.6400.
For information on exhibiting at or attending StonExpo/Marmomacc Americas 2014, visit www.StonExpo.comor call 800.547.3477 or 972.536.6434.
