Surfaces 2006 Sets New Attendance Record

Dallas, TX, February 27, 2006--Hanley Wood has said that Surfaces 2006 was a record setter. The company said that 40,588 retailers, manufacturers, distributors, architects, designers, builders and installers from around the world attended the event at the Sands Expo & Convention Center February 1-3 in Las Vegas, a 6% increase over Surfaces 2005. “From the very beginning, we could see that Surfaces 2006 was going to be a record year,” says Michelle Troop, senior show director, Surfaces. “Attendees and exhibitors alike were signing up for the show in record numbers and now we have the largest show to date. With record numbers of buyers, exhibiting companies and new product introductions, the entire industry is poised to make a huge impact in 2006 with consumers looking for the latest in floor covering offerings.” "Surfaces once again proved its value as the one place floor covering industry personnel could go to get completely immersed in the newest products, latest information and meet with the top key executives in the business,” says Chris Davis, president & CEO, World Floor Covering Association, official sponsor of Surfaces. Davis adds: “Reports from the show floor indicated this was clearly the best, biggest and most productive Surfaces ever. It is hard to believe possible, but each Surfaces has been incrementally better than the one preceding it. If this trend continues as it has in the past, then Surfaces 2007 will be something beyond incredible." “In a nutshell, Surfaces ’06 was a great show for us,” says Ed Duncan, sr. vice president, Marketing, Mannington Residential. “We saw more dealers, closed more deals and wrote more business than in any single show in the last 5 years. “All of our distributors were thrilled with the quality and number of their retailers that attended the show,” adds Duncan. “It well exceeded everyone’s expectations.” “We are very pleased with the increased attendance at this year's Surfaces Show and the enthusiastic response to Tarkett's new products and programs for 2006,” says Analie Roth, vp brand marketing, Tarkett Residential. “Surfaces 2006 was the best selling event to date for sales to retailers for our distributors,” says Dennis Mohn, vice president marketing & sales, Alloc Inc. “We more than doubled our Surfaces sales budget. The traffic on Wednesday and Thursday was fantastic.” “There was a steady flow of quality buyers. This is the best show I’ve been to,” says Dave Polley, Dixie Home. “Attendance was fantastic. We’re extremely pleased with the turnout. The show was great,” says Paul Engle, Royalty Carpet Mills. “Surfaces 2006 once again exceeded our expectations,” says Steve Silverman, president & COO, Abbey Carpet Co., Inc. “The traffic was phenomenal.” Attendees weren’t the only ones packing the exhibit floor at Surfaces. Exhibitors were also out in record numbers--1,070 companies, an increase from the record-setting 1,054 in 2005, showed their hottest products to serious, qualified buyers in 515,000 net square feet of exhibit space. Once again, Surfaces attracted a lot of new manufacturers. In fact, over 300 new companies participated in this year’s show, bringing even more new styles and trends to the one-stop-shopping event of the year. “Even the Conference Program broke records-2,808 sessions were attended at this year’s program (up 14% over 2005), proving floor covering professionals’ need for continuing education to keep their businesses a step ahead of the competition. The 42 courses in the program, which was sponsored by Mannington Mills, covered a wide range of topics--marketing, business, sales, installation, design and window coverings--ensuring every segment of the industry had an opportunity to learn about new industry trends.

Related Topics:Tarkett, The Dixie Group, Coverings, Mannington Mills

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