Surfaces Preview - January 2014

By Jessica Chevalier

Surfaces 2014 is set for January 27 to 30 at the Mandalay Bay Convention Center, Las Vegas. In 2011, Hanley Wood, which owns Surfaces, paired that show with another of its events, StonExpo/Marmomacc Americas, and called the mega-event S2. This year it is adding a new show, TileExpo, to the mix and renaming the event once again, this time as The International Surface Event. 

For this year’s show, Hanley Wood has launched a new mobile app, which is free for download to iPhone, iPad, Android and Blackberry. With the app, users can register for the event, search the exhibitor list, access the floor plan, search education sessions and more. The app integrates with social media and provides information about local restaurants and attractions.

As it has for the past three years, Floor Focus is sponsoring Designer Day and the Trends Hub, both oriented toward the design community. This year, Designer Day will be held on Wednesday and will include a design and color trends forecast for 2014-2015 by Victoria Redshaw of Scarlet Opus Limited. Redshaw will also lead two two-hour speed trending tours around the show floor, highlighting products that are on-trend, as well as six short Live in the Hub tours. Mark Woodman, founder of Mark Woodman Design & Color and president of the Color Marketing Group, will conduct a Designer Day luncheon, and an offsite design tour will be offered as well. 

There are a number of new offerings at this year’s show, including The Contractor Lounge, a space for contractors to meet, network and relax; Emerging Professionals Happy Hour, where professionals under the age of 40 can mingle over free drinks and hors d’oeuvres; and the North American Laminate Flooring Association (NALFA) Pavilion, within which NALFA members can network and learn about new technical innovations. The Business Enrichment Center, introduced last year, will also be returning to the show. In addition to offering a space for attendees to relax and recharge (with electronic charging stations and free Wi-Fi), the Business Enrichment Center will be the site of several free presentations by some of the conference’s leading speakers and exhibitors.

For the complete Surfaces Preview, see the January 2014 issue of Floor Focus Magazine.

Copyright 2014 Floor Focus 

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