Coverings Attendance Good but Off vs. Chicago '07

Alexandria, VA, May 19, 2008—Overall attendance at Coverings 2008, the ceramic and stone show, was up 3.8 percent to more than 35,000, compared to the show’s last appearance in Orlando in 2006.

“Our aggressive outreach to all segments of the industry, strong conference programming and the irrepressible commitment of our exhibitors all worked to create a tremendous success,” said Glenn Feder, president of client events for National Trade Productions, which manages and produces Coverings.

“We knew it was a challenge to try and repeat or top the numbers we achieved last year in Chicago, where attendance hit close to 37,000. But, this year’s number has to be interpreted as a bellwether for the building industry; though there’s a slowdown there’s no standstill. Yes, the housing market is skittish and oil prices continue to climb, but, there’s still plenty of construction, remodeling, opportunities and needs for tile and stone.”

The Remodeling/ Contractor and the Commercial Builder segments showed the sharpest increases in attendance since the 2006 Orlando edition of Coverings, rising 56.6 percent and 41 percent, respectively. And, Coverings continues to be a magnet for Architects and Designers in their search for new resources and inspiration. Attendance in that segment increased this year by 40 percent; last year it increased 87 percent.