Landscape and Irrigation is read by decision makers throughout the landscape and irrigation markets — including contractors, landscape architects, professional grounds managers, and irrigation and water mgmt companies and reaches the entire spetrum.
Issue link: https://read.dmtmag.com/i/602685
VIEWPOINT Editor John Kmitta | jkmitta@epgmediallc.com EPG Media & Specialty Information, 10405 6th Ave. N., Ste 210 Plymouth, MN 55441 Web site: www.landscapeirrigation.com Group Publisher David Voll EDITORIAL STAFF Associate Publisher, Editor John Kmitta (763) 383-4405; jkmitta@epgmediallc.com Products Editor Steve Noe (763) 383-4407; fax (763) 383-4499; snoe@epgmediallc.com PRODUCTION TEAM Art Director Brian Snook Production Manager Karen Kalinyak DIRECT MAIL LIST SALES MeritDirect, Jim Scova, (914) 368-1012; e-mail jscova@MeritDirect.com REPRINT SERVICE Robin Cooper, e-mail rcooper@epgmediallc.com CIRCULATION For subscription inquiries and customer service questions, please call (845) 856-2229, or fax (847) 763-9569 customerservice@epgmediallc.com business hours: 9 a.m.-5 p.m. EST Publisher's Notice: We assume no responsibility for the validity of advertising claims in connec- tion with items appearing in this special edition. Commercial product names are used for the convenience of the reader. Mention of a com- mercial product does not imply endorsement by EPG Media & Specialty Information, or prefer- ence over similar products not mentioned. ACCOUNT REPRESENTATIVES: EAST Chris Pelikan Senior Account Manager Phone: (954) 964-8676 cpelikan@epgmediallc.com MIDWEST Peggy Tupper Senior Account Manager Phone: (763) 383-4429 ptupper@epgmediallc.com WEST Leslie Palmer Senior Account Manager Phone: (248) 731-7596 lpalmer@epgmediallc.com GIE+EXPO 2015 bigger than ever 6 November/December 2015 Landscape and Irrigation www.landscapeirrigation.com The 2015 Green Industry & Equipment Expo (GIE+EXPO) — which was held Oct. 21 through 23 in Louisville, Ky. — was the largest ever, according to show management. Attendance was estimated at approximately 20,000, said Kris Kiser, president and CEO of the Outdoor Power Equipment Institute (OPEI), the managing partner of GIE+EXPO. With 195 new exhibitors, including those in the co-located Hardscape North America (HNA); stepped-up participation from returning exhibitors; an increase in attendee registrations; and high registrations for dealer and contractor education programs, GIE+EXPO participation from all segments of the industry was strong. Some highlights include the following: Attendee pre-registration was up 14 percent over 2014. Exhibitor participation was up with 195 new exhibitors, an increase in space for many large-scale exhibitors, and a total of more than 850 GIE+EXPO and HNA exhibits, indoors and out. The Outdoor Demonstration Area was the largest ever. There were more than 100 products in the New Products Showcase. Hardscape North America, co-located with GIE+EXPO, increased in size by 13 percent over 2014. GIE+EXPO Workshop registration was up 40 percent. HNA, which first co-located with GIE+EXPO five years ago, agreed to co-locate through 2018. HNA has outgrown its space and will relocate to the North Wing in 2016. With regard to the industry as a whole, Kiser noted that the biggest issue for the industry is the demonization of managed landscapes. The drought conditions in the western U.S., most notably in California, have led to drastic measures, such as rebates for removing lawns, and an increase in installation of artificial turf in residential landscapes. As a result, trees in California are dying due to the lack of water. "Lawn is not the problem," said Kiser, "it's how you maintain it." OPEI is spreading this message to people of all ages, including students who are learning about the value of managed turf through OPEI's growing TurfMutt program. TurfMutt, a program through Scholastic, teaches children and their families how to take better care of the green spaces around them. For more information, visit www.scholastic.com/ turfmutt/parents. "We're encouraging folks to do the right thing," said Kiser. The National Association of Landscape Professionals' (NALP) LANDSCAPES 2015 (formerly Green Industry Conference) was held in conjunction with GIE+EXPO. This year's convention featured more than 40 sessions presented in five different learning formats: town hall meetings, deep-dive workshops, lightning-round sessions, roundtable discussions, and one-on-one consultations with industry members. The education sessions were focused on leadership, business management, operations, human resources, and sales and marketing. NALP also announced its Industry Growth Initiative (IGI), a consumer-focused public relations program to promote the industry to homeowners and commercial customers through media outlets across the country. The outreach program has been compared to other industry campaigns such as "Got Milk?" and "Pork: the Other White Meat." According to NALP, IGI will provide the visibility and voice the industry has long sought. IGI will help grow the industry workforce, while at the same time protecting the image of the industry. There are two funding levels (industry champion and industry steward) to help support IGI. For more information, visit www.landscapeprofessionals.org/industry- growth-initiative. For our full GIE+EXPO show recap, please see the section beginning on page 8. (Note: GIE+EXPO 2016 will be held Oct. 19-21, 2016 in Louisville, Ky.) LI