Jan 20 2011
Signs of good health for the plastics industry were readily apparent at the recent NPE2012 Drawing for Exhibit Space, as representatives of more than 650 exhibiting companies traveled to the new NPE venue in Orlando, Florida, to select booths for the international plastics exposition, it was announced today by SPI: The Plastics Industry Trade Association, which produces the triennial NPE.
The participating companies, combined with others that had made their choices last year in a special "Pre-Drawing," contracted for 664,525 sq.ft. (61,736 sq.m) of exhibit space, which - with 14 months to go before NPE2012 - is already equal to 87% of the final on-site total of occupied space at the last NPE in 2009. The number of exhibitors signed on by the conclusion of the Drawing on January 14 was 758. Since then, more companies have applied for space at NPE2012, including a number that had monitored the Drawing online in streaming video, noted Gene Sanders, SPI's senior vice president of trade shows.
"The booth selections thus far almost completely fill the West Hall of Orlando's Orange County Convention Center, and the South Hall is filling up quickly," said Sanders. "Fortunately the North Hall will be available for NPE2012, since we will need to expand into that facility."
The three giant halls account for the total space available at the OCCC.
"The gathering strength in the plastics industry following the worst recession since World War II is evident in the fact that companies at the Drawing signed on for 10% more space than they had specified last year when they submitted their applications to participate," Sanders said.
Rather than attend the drawing, 33 exhibiting companies had chosen to be represented at the event by SPI itself, by signing on for "Concierge Service," in which SPI assists in such procedures as selecting and contracting for a booth, budgeting, dealing with contractors and vendors, arranging guest passes for customers and prospects, and planning for move-in. The service remains available to companies that may decide in coming months to exhibit at NPE2012.