AWFS show shatters records in Vegas
By Jeff Linville -- Furniture Today, August 22, 2005
Las Vegas — The Assn. of Woodworking & Furnishings Suppliers Fair, the every-other-year show that moved here from California to piggyback on the inaugural Las Vegas furniture market, reported record numbers of exhibitors and attendees.
The supplier's show opened on Wednesday at the Las Vegas Convention Center, aiming to grab furniture manufacturers' attention after the rush of the first two days of the furniture market.
Some manufacturers showing at the World Market Center said they brought along plant managers to check out the AWFS show.
"Onsite attendance at AWFS Vegas the first three days of the show — Wednesday, Thursday, Friday — was up over past shows by 21%," said Angelo Gangone, AWFS trade show director. "Registration figures are approaching 20,000 (attendees), which exceeds all previous registration figures. In addition, numerous exhibitors told us the attendees were serious buyers."
The AWFS still was crunching numbers last week, Gangone said.
"People were thrilled" with the show, said AWFS Executive Director Dale Silverman, adding that many attendees were at the show for the first time, which meant lots of new business for exhibitors. She expects final numbers will show the event attracted three times the international attendance than before.
One exhibitor who had complained about moving the show from California apologized to her on the third day of market, Silverman said, and the next day told her he had had his best show ever.
AWFS plans to return to Las Vegas for its next show in 2007, with changes in its use of space at the convention center. The South Hall, used this time, isn't adequately equipped to handle the show's heavy machinery and extensive power requirements, Silverman said. The plan is to move the big machinery to the Central Hall, with other suppliers occupying the North Hall.
Silverman couldn't remember the exact square footage the fair occupied, but was told it was 25% larger than the previous show. AWFS began in 1911 as the supplier's chapter of the California Furniture Manufacturers Assn.
