RETAIL BY KEITHREID Another good year in a shaky economy
2011 NACS/PEI SHOW REPORT
OPERATIONS
T
HE NACS/PEI SHOW TOOK PLACE OCTOBER 1-4 AT McCormick Place in Chicago. It is ranked as one of the 50 largest annual trade shows in the United States, which becomes readily apparent as you work to take in the show and everything else that
is offered in days that seem as exhausting as they are short. According to NACS statistics, more than 22,300 attend-
ees were at this year's show, including a record number of international attendees—a 1.5 percent increase over last year's attendance. Attendees came from a record 58 coun- tries and international attendance was a record 1,913 del- egates. General trade show attendance has been hit or miss since the recession began reception, but it's been obvious
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that for many attendees and exhibitors NACS/PEI remains a budget priority. The NACS Show featured a 387,000-plus net-square-
foot exposition floor with 1,333 exhibiting companies—of which 324 companies were new to the NACS Show. Extending the value of the expo to both retailers and exhibi- tors, the Cool New Products Preview Room featured a record number of products. In addition, the show featured three days of standing-
room-only general sessions, 53 educational workshops, four training sessions and a Category Management Seminar. The workshops alone drew a cumulative 6,750 attendees, averaging out to approximately 120 attendees per workshop. Reflecting
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