Upfront: Looking back, and ahead, at GIE+EXPO

Dave Vettori with his new iPad2, courtesy of OPE and Green MediaBy Steve Noe

If you missed any or all of the 2011 Green Industry and Equipment Expo (GIE+EXPO) — which was held Thursday through Saturday, Oct. 27-29, at Louisville’s Kentucky Exposition Center — you have come to the right place.

In this edition of Outdoor Power Equipment (OPE), I will share with you my extensive coverage of the show in this column, as well as in the “GIE+EXPO 2011 recap” on pages 10-24 and 38. Additional coverage can be found at www.outdoorpowerequipment.com.

For starters, managers of GIE+EXPO and Hardscape North America (HNA) reported that total participation at the combined event was approximately 17,900. GIE+EXPO and HNA drew a combined 590 exhibiting companies, including 125 that did not exhibit at the shows in 2010. Plus, 113 companies exhibited in the adjacent, 19-acre Outdoor Demonstration Area.

Highlights included the Dealer Resource Pavilion, which offered free educational opportunities for dealership owners and managers from industry experts; the sold-out New Products Arena, which featured 66 products from 46 exhibitors; and a dozen press conferences held on the New Products Arena stage. In addition, show goers were treated to free evening concerts at downtown Louisville’s 4th Street Live by Stealing Angels and The Monarchs on Thursday, as well as the Davisson Brothers Band and The Charlie Daniels Band on Friday.

“I think our 2011 event was the best in recent history,” said Show Director Warren Sellers. “We are very excited about the glowing exhibitor feedback we have received.”

Format changes for 2012: Instead of following the traditional Thursday-through-Saturday format, GIE+EXPO 2012 will be held Wednesday through Friday, Oct. 24-Oct. 26. But that’s just the beginning of the format changes.

GIE+EXPO’s Policy Advisory Board has agreed to designate a day — Wednesday, Oct. 24 — exclusively for dealers, retailers and distributors to receive the opportunity to meet one on one with exhibitors, and preview the products at GIE+EXPO and HNA.

Meeting rooms at the Kentucky Exposition Center will be made available for exhibitors to host dealer meetings Monday, Oct. 22, through Wednesday, Oct. 24, leading up to the show opening on Wednesday afternoon. During a Wednesday-evening reception for dealers, retailers and distributors on the show floor, exhibitors will be encouraged to hold special events in their booths. GIE+EXPO, HNA and the Outdoor Demo Area will be open to all industry participants on Thursday, Oct. 25, and Friday, Oct. 26. The show will close Friday at 5 p.m.

“We hope this new plan will save exhibitors and dealers money and time by consolidating travel and meetings,” said Sellers.

Green Media announces “Touching Base” promotion winner: The Green Media division of M2MEDIA360 — which publishes OPE and sister publications Landscape and Irrigation, SportsTurf and Arbor Age — announced the winner of its “Touching Base” raffle promotion at GIE+EXPO was Dave Vettori.

Vettori, who is the parts/service manager at Vettori’s, an OPE dealership in Saxonburg, Pa., won an iPad2 by visiting the 12 participating exhibitors’ booths on the first two days of the show, and getting each of those exhibitors to stamp his game card, which was randomly drawn at the end of day two.

We at Green Media would like to thank all of the promotion’s participating exhibitors, which were as follows: Ahlborn Equipment Inc., Billy Goat Industries Inc., Briggs & Stratton Corporation, Dixon, Gold Eagle Company, Husqvarna Professional Products Inc., Kawasaki Engines/Power Products, nizeX Inc., Oregon|Blount Inc., Stihl Inc., Subaru Industrial Power Products, and Walker Manufacturing Company.

I would like to wish all of you and your families a safe, healthy and happy holiday season, as well as the best of luck in 2012.

OPE Editor Steve Noe
snoe@m2media360.com