National Clothesline

The Clean Show may have represented a comeback from Katrina for New Orleans, but the show itself was a fallback from previous attendance levels.

The final attendance tally for the June 18-21 show was 9,902, about a thousand fewer then preliminary figures released at the show and 33 percent fewer than attended Clean ’07 in Las Vegas, which drew 14,667.

Less severe declines were recorded in number of exhibiting companies and total square footage of the show. Clean ’09 drew 412 companies and filled 192,640 square feet of exhibit space; both numbers were off about 15 percent from two years ago.

The decreased attendance and exhibit space totals from Clean ’07 were anticipated given the state of the world’s economy, said John Riddle, president of Riddle & Associates that produces the biennial trade show.

“We were very pleased with the turnout. Much of this drop was because participating companies sent fewer people than in previous years,” he added.

In New Orleans, 3,732 of the attendees — about 38 percent of the total — were registered as exhibitors, although Clean Show officials note that number could be misleading because some exhibitors give exhibitor badges to people who should actually have attendee badges.

Trade show numbers throughout the country and in all industries have been off this year, according to the publication Trade Show Week, which reported that in the first quarter of this year numbers for attendance, exhibiting companies and square footage were all down in the range of 8 to 10 percent from the previous year.

While the slumping economy no doubt pushed down the numbers in New Orleans, the Clean Show is in the midst of a longer running trend of fewer companies and smaller exhibits. The number of exhibiting companies has declined steadily since 621 firms exhibited in Orlando in 1999, the high-water mark in the show’s 32-year history. That number has decreased with each subsequent show; so too has the total square footage of the exhibit, which topped out at 281,050 square feet in 1999.

Attendance has dropped, too, from the 20,000-plus highs of the 1990s, although since 2001 it had held steady in the 14,000 to 16,000 range until this year.

Despite the lower attendance numbers, most exhibitors were pleased with the results of the show, saying that those who did come were serious buyers. That was reflected, too, in attendance at seminars put on by the show’s co-sponsoring organizations. Seminar rooms tended to be filled even for the early morning sessions.

“Exhibitors expressed that the quality of attendees and decision makers who made purchases were an added bonus to this year’s show. Attendees came with the intent to purchase equipment,” said Clean ’09 Chairman Roger Cocivera, CEO of the Textile Rental Services Association of America.

“It was the smoothest Clean Show ever,” added Riddle. “New Orleans was prepared and hospitable. We couldn’t have asked for better cooperation from everyone involved, and it helped make the show a success.”

Plans are in progress for the next Clean Show scheduled June 6-9, 2011, in the Las Vegas Convention Center.

In the meantime, several drycleaning trade associations are planning regional shows in the coming months. First up will be the National Cleaners Association with Texcare 2009 on October 17-18 at the Meadowlands Convention and Exposition Center in Secaucus, NJ.

Regional trade shows in 2010 will be sponsored by the Southwest Drycleaners Association in Arlington, TX, April 23-25; the South Eastern Fabricare Association in Tampa, FL, July 17-18; the California Cleaners Association in Long Beach, CA, Aug. 20-22; and the Pennsylvania and Delaware Cleaners Association in Atlantic City, NJ, Sept. 25-26.

Several industry trade shows outside the U.S. are on the horizon. The China International Laundry and Dyeing Industry Exhibition will be held in Beijing, China, Sept. 9-11 in conjunction with the International Drycleaners Congress annual convention in Beijing Sept. 7-11.

Beijing will also host Texcare Asia Oct. 28-30. And next year Expo Detergo International will be held in Milan, Italy, Oct. 15-18.




						Clean Show attendance in 33% drop



						The Clean Show may have represented a comeback from Katrina for New Orleans, but the show itself was a fallback from previous attendance levels. The final attendance tally for the June 18-21 show was 9,902, about a thousand fewer then preliminary figures released at the show and 33 percent fewer than attended Clean ’07 in Las Vegas, which drew 14,667. Less severe declines were recorded in number of exhibiting companies and total square footage of the show. Clean ’09 drew 412 companies and filled 192,640 square feet of exhibit space; both numbers were off about 15 percent from two years ago. The decreased attendance and exhibit space totals from Clean ’07 were anticipated given the state of the world’s economy, said John Riddle, president of Riddle & Associates that produces the biennial trade show. “We were very pleased with the turnout. Much of this drop was because participating companies sent fewer people than in previous years,” he added. In New Orleans, 3,732 of the attendees — about 38 percent of the total — were registered as exhibitors, although Clean Show officials note that number could be misleading because some exhibitors give exhibitor badges to people who should actually have attendee badges. Trade show numbers throughout the country and in all industries have been off this year, according to the publication Trade Show Week, which reported that in the first quarter of this year numbers for attendance, exhibiting companies and square footage were all down in the range of 8 to 10 percent from the previous year. While the slumping economy no doubt pushed down the numbers in New Orleans, the Clean Show is in the midst of a longer running trend of fewer companies and smaller exhibits. The number of exhibiting companies has declined steadily since 621 firms exhibited in Orlando in 1999, the high-water mark in the show’s 32-year history. That number has decreased with each subsequent show; so too has the total square footage of the exhibit, which topped out at 281,050 square feet in 1999. Attendance has dropped, too, from the 20,000-plus highs of the 1990s, although since 2001 it had held steady in the 14,000 to 16,000 range until this year. Despite the lower attendance numbers, most exhibitors were pleased with the results of the show, saying that those who did come were serious buyers. That was reflected, too, in attendance at seminars put on by the show’s co-sponsoring organizations. Seminar rooms tended to be filled even for the early morning sessions. “Exhibitors expressed that the quality of attendees and decision makers who made purchases were an added bonus to this year’s show. Attendees came with the intent to purchase equipment,” said Clean ’09 Chairman Roger Cocivera, CEO of the Textile Rental Services Association of America. “It was the smoothest Clean Show ever,” added Riddle. “New Orleans was prepared and hospitable. We couldn’t have asked for better cooperation from everyone involved, and it helped make the show a success.” Plans are in progress for the next Clean Show scheduled June 6-9, 2011, in the Las Vegas Convention Center. In the meantime, several drycleaning trade associations are planning regional shows in the coming months. First up will be the National Cleaners Association with Texcare 2009 on October 17-18 at the Meadowlands Convention and Exposition Center in Secaucus, NJ. Regional trade shows in 2010 will be sponsored by the Southwest Drycleaners Association in Arlington, TX, April 23-25; the South Eastern Fabricare Association in Tampa, FL, July 17-18; the California Cleaners Association in Long Beach, CA, Aug. 20-22; and the Pennsylvania and Delaware Cleaners Association in Atlantic City, NJ, Sept. 25-26. Several industry trade shows outside the U.S. are on the horizon. The China International Laundry and Dyeing Industry Exhibition will be held in Beijing, China, Sept. 9-11 in conjunction with the International Drycleaners Congress annual convention in Beijing Sept. 7-11. Beijing will also host Texcare Asia Oct. 28-30. And next year Expo Detergo International will be held in Milan, Italy, Oct. 15-18.