ISPA says supplier show drew buying power
By David Perry -- Furniture Today, March 19, 2006
Alexandria, Va. — Attendance at the International Sleep Products Assn. Expo in San Antonio earlier this month was down from recent ISPA supplier shows, but buying power was up, the trade group said.
ISPA President Dick Doyle called it a strong event. "Overall," he said, "I was very pleased with the show."
Exhibitors had said that traffic appeared to be down, but that buyers were serious about growing their business and approached the show in that spirit.
Components major Leggett & Platt, which has left ISPA, did not exhibit. L&P has been one of the largest exhibitors at ISPA shows. Also, ticking suppliers Culp, Burlington and Blumenthal did not show, but officials with all those companies attended, "underscoring the value of the event," Doyle said.
There were 56 first-time exhibitors. Exhibit space was down 25% from ISPA's record showing in Indianapolis two years ago. Doyle said there were some 2,700 manufacturers and suppliers in attendance, 29% less than in Indianapolis, and 22% less than attendance at ISPA's Expo in Denver in 2002.
He said it's more appropriate to compare the show in Denver with the one just held in San Antonio because neither is a "drive-in" city. ISPA shows in cities like Indianapolis and Charlotte, N.C., benefit from drive-in traffic from bedding producers based near those cities, he said.
There was a 13% drop in manufacturer attendance from Denver to San Antonio, Doyle said. "On the other hand," he added, "we saw a 38% increase in manufacturer buying power (purchasing decision-makers in attendance) over Denver. Sixty-four percent of the manufacturers that attended San Antonio had purchasing authority."
A number of exhibitors said the San Antonio show gave them the chance to spend more quality time with buyers. Doyle said exhibitors told him they saw "quality buyers" at the show.
He acknowledged that "I would have liked to see all of the industry's suppliers ... at the ISPA Expo," adding, "I believe those that didn't exhibit really missed a golden opportunity to showcase their products to the vast majority of mattress manufacturing executives from all corners of the world.
"We will continue to work hard with our members to produce a first-rate mattress supply show. Our board has authorized the formation of an ISPA Events Committee to achieve this goal," Doyle said.
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