NPE2012: 20% of expected space already taken in pre-drawing

Member companies of SPI, the Plastics Industry Trade Assn., specifically those that exhibited in at least 15 of SPI’s past 26 NPE Shows, came out of their “pre-drawing” for exhibit space with more than they expected: about one-fifth of the total anticipated exhibit space is already booked.



There were 67 exhibitors eligible for the pre-drawing, and collectively they took 170,300 ft² (16,000m²), said Gene Sanders, Sr. VP for shows and conferences at SPI. NPE2012 will be held on April 1-5, 2012 in the Orange County Convention Center (OCCC) In Orlando, FL, and not, as it has been for the last 14 consecutive NPEs, at Chicago’s McCormick Place.



SPI reports that, once the 67 pre-selectors learned cost details of SPI’s package deal, they selected 10% more space than they had specified in their applications to attend the Pre-Drawing. The package consists of a single price that covers a reduced cost per square foot of exhibit space, a lower cost for hauling and rigging, and a utility cost based on booth size rather than the number of machines. The resulting savings, according to Sanders, motivated a number of the exhibitors to take more space than they originally intended.



Sanders sees the strong uptake of exhibit space this far in advance of the show as an endorsement of the change to Orlando from Chicago, noting, too, that it reflects “...the industry’s increasingly positive business outlook.” 

The rest of the potential exhibitors will be able to select space in what had been the traditional drawing, and that is scheduled for January 12-14, 2011 at the OCCC. Those selecting currently have access to the already-chosen space as a guide to choosing their own. The live preliminary floor plan can be seen online at www.npe.org. 

Unlike previous editions, NPE2012 begins on Sunday (April 1, 2012). More precisely, the educational program begins that day. The exhibits open on Monday morning, April 2, 2012, and continue through Thursday, April 5, 2012—four days of show time rather than the traditional five.

 —immeditorial@cancom.com