Enthusiasm, Positivity Prominent at 2012 NWFA Expo in Orlando

Spirits were through the roof April 10-13 at the Gaylord Palms Resort & Convention Center in Orlando, Fla., when the wood flooring industry gathered for the re-launched 2012 NWFA Wood Flooring Expo. Official attendance figures were not available at press time, but it was clear that traffic on the trade show floor was substantially higher than the previous year. The number of exhibitors increased from last year, too, with 218 companies represented compared with last year's count of 181.

From the event's opening to its closing, an energetic, enthusiastic atmosphere pervaded, as old friends reunited and new business relationships were struck, and it seemed everyone in attendance had a positive review of the show (including HF bloggers Howard Brickman).

"I think the show this year was just absolutely fabulous. We had a lot of traffic at our booth," said Rose Mary Laster-Cummings, senior director of marketing and product development at Maxwell Hardwood Flooring (Monticello, Ark.). "We got to do a lot of networking, and it seemed like the show this year produced a lot more energy than last year. Michael Martin and his great staff did a wonderful job putting it all together."

The overwhelming majority of exhibitors said traffic was "steady" if not better.

"This was a great venue for the show," said Rita Bockrath, marketing manager with Duo-Fast Floor Fastening Systems (Vernon Hills, Ill.), which launched a rebranding of its flooring tools under the Enginuity name during the show. "Walking the show floor, it appeared that a lot of the exhibitors were busy. We also noticed a lot more national traffic."

Manufacturers used the show to connect with their distributors and end users.

"It was an excellent show for us," said Jeff Beach, president at Premiere Finishing & Coating LLC (Reidsville, N.C.). "It's a great place for us to see 50 or 60 customers in a two-day period; that's pretty economical. We saw everyone that we expected to see."

Doug Leigh, vice president of the North American division of Triangulo Flooring and Panels (Curitiba, Brazil), said his company's distributors contributed to the show's success. "We had a great amount of support from our distributors, who brought people continuously to our booth," he said.

The show's positive energy was not lost on NWFA CEO Michael Martin. "The show went completely way beyond our expectations," he said. "With the goals that we set, every single one of them was blown away. Everyone came and had a great experience."

Aside from the networking and technical discussions carried out at Expo booths, attendees were rewarded with thousands of dollars in giveaways, from tool boxes to adhesive to a sander. But the main prize on everyone's mind was the brand new 2012 Sportster from Harley-Davidson. On Thursday, that prize was awarded to John Shepard-who serves on Hardwood Floors' Magazine Committee and is an NWFACP-certified inspector-with Carpet One Floor & Home (Panama City, Fla.).

Also on Thursday, hundreds of attendees gathered for the Awards Luncheon. In addition to the presentation of Wood Floor of the Year winners.

Following are the date and location for the next five NWFA Wood Flooring Expos:

• 2013: Dallas, April 2-5
• 2014: Nashville, Tenn., April 22-25
• 2015: Washington, D.C., April 7-10
• 2016: Orlando, Fla., March 29-April 1
• 2017: Dallas, April 18-21.

Photos by David Stluka.