More than 26,500 people attended GIE+EXPO last month in Louisville. In addition, the indoor exhibit floor and the Outdoor Demonstration Area covered 24,000 net sq. ft. more than last year. Both numbers are recording-breaking, according to show organizers. Other numbers released by GIE+EXPO were:
• Lawn and landscape attendee categories increased by 18%.
• Servicing dealer registrants increased by 8%.
• 34% of dealer/retailer and 42% of lawn and landscape attendees were first-timers.
• Attendees hailed from all 50 states and more than 40 countries.
• Indoor booths were spread throughout 675,000 sq. ft. of class A exhibit space.
• The Outdoor Demo Area exceeded 20 acres for the third year in a row.
• More than 80 products were highlighted in the New Products Spotlight.
• The number of software and technology companies exhibiting increased to over 80.
Special features this year included:
• Arborist demos by the Women's Tree Climbing Workshop gave attendees the opportunity to learn from a group of experts. They demonstrated climbing techniques on a 40-foot tree inside the expo center. The sessions, presented by Davey Tree, were sponsored by STIHL, with support from SHELTER Tree.
• A new Social Media Lounge, sponsored by ECHO Means Business, provided a place for attendees to network and hear insights from live guests and social media influencers right on the trade show floor.
• A free technology seminar, Avoiding the Temptation of Enabling our Robotic Overlords, offered an overview of IT trends.
• Sessions by Lt. Col. Rob "Waldo" Waldman, sponsored by John Deere; economic expert Brian Beaulieu, sponsored by Mahindra; and dealership guru Bob Clements were included with trade show registration.
Prize winners:
• The winner of the Fabulous Friday $20,000 Giveaway was Jake Guindon of Lonestar Landscaping & Co., Waterdown, Ontario Canada
• In the $15,000 UTV Giveaway, Neil Murphy of Lawn Cure of Southern Indiana, Sellersburg, Indiana won $15,000 toward his choice of UTVs. Participating manufacturers included American Land Master; Gravely, an Ariens Company; Bobcat Company; Greenworks; Hisun Motors; Intimidator; John Deere; Kioti Tractor and Kubota Tractor Corp.
• Nick Williams of Power House Outdoors, Hattiesburg, Mississippi, won the $5,000 STIHL Giveaway during Wednesday's Dealer Preview.
In addition, many other exhibitors had giveaways and prize drawings. Some of the winners include:
• Mech Marvels gave away three portable generators. Winners included John Conner of Armstrong Landscaping, Chris Elrod of Cuttin' It Close and Thomas Phillips of The Yard Man.
• Gravely gave away a Pro-Stance Commercial Stand on Mower to winner Chris Thomas, Thomas Lawn & Landscape, Indianapolis, Indiana.
• The Propane Education & Research Council gave away a Big Tex Trailer that included an Exmark Mower and a Spartan Mower to Jim Langendorf of Olympic Lawns, Springboro, Ohio.
• The HNA Installer Championship concluded with Segmental Systems from Otis Orchards, Washington, emerging as champion for the second year in a row and winning a prize package valued at $11,000.
GIE+EXPO 2020 is set for October 21-23. Plans are in the works for new features and real-world education on hot industry topics such as how to use drones in your business.
“Unlike other events where attendees sit in meeting rooms, GIE+EXPO offers hands-on training with things like the arborist demos, the Outdoor Demo Area, the new Social Media Lounge, engine tech training and live hardscape demos," said Kris Kiser, managing partner of GIE+EXPO and OPEI President. "Next year we're adding indoor drone training in Freedom Hall, an equipment test track and hands-on education with the latest in technology and robotic mowers.”
No more results found. • Lawn and landscape attendee categories increased by 18%.
• Servicing dealer registrants increased by 8%.
• 34% of dealer/retailer and 42% of lawn and landscape attendees were first-timers.
• Attendees hailed from all 50 states and more than 40 countries.
• Indoor booths were spread throughout 675,000 sq. ft. of class A exhibit space.
• The Outdoor Demo Area exceeded 20 acres for the third year in a row.
• More than 80 products were highlighted in the New Products Spotlight.
• The number of software and technology companies exhibiting increased to over 80.
Special features this year included:
• Arborist demos by the Women's Tree Climbing Workshop gave attendees the opportunity to learn from a group of experts. They demonstrated climbing techniques on a 40-foot tree inside the expo center. The sessions, presented by Davey Tree, were sponsored by STIHL, with support from SHELTER Tree.
• A new Social Media Lounge, sponsored by ECHO Means Business, provided a place for attendees to network and hear insights from live guests and social media influencers right on the trade show floor.
• A free technology seminar, Avoiding the Temptation of Enabling our Robotic Overlords, offered an overview of IT trends.
• Sessions by Lt. Col. Rob "Waldo" Waldman, sponsored by John Deere; economic expert Brian Beaulieu, sponsored by Mahindra; and dealership guru Bob Clements were included with trade show registration.
Prize winners:
• The winner of the Fabulous Friday $20,000 Giveaway was Jake Guindon of Lonestar Landscaping & Co., Waterdown, Ontario Canada
• In the $15,000 UTV Giveaway, Neil Murphy of Lawn Cure of Southern Indiana, Sellersburg, Indiana won $15,000 toward his choice of UTVs. Participating manufacturers included American Land Master; Gravely, an Ariens Company; Bobcat Company; Greenworks; Hisun Motors; Intimidator; John Deere; Kioti Tractor and Kubota Tractor Corp.
• Nick Williams of Power House Outdoors, Hattiesburg, Mississippi, won the $5,000 STIHL Giveaway during Wednesday's Dealer Preview.
In addition, many other exhibitors had giveaways and prize drawings. Some of the winners include:
• Mech Marvels gave away three portable generators. Winners included John Conner of Armstrong Landscaping, Chris Elrod of Cuttin' It Close and Thomas Phillips of The Yard Man.
• Gravely gave away a Pro-Stance Commercial Stand on Mower to winner Chris Thomas, Thomas Lawn & Landscape, Indianapolis, Indiana.
• The Propane Education & Research Council gave away a Big Tex Trailer that included an Exmark Mower and a Spartan Mower to Jim Langendorf of Olympic Lawns, Springboro, Ohio.
• The HNA Installer Championship concluded with Segmental Systems from Otis Orchards, Washington, emerging as champion for the second year in a row and winning a prize package valued at $11,000.
GIE+EXPO 2020 is set for October 21-23. Plans are in the works for new features and real-world education on hot industry topics such as how to use drones in your business.
“Unlike other events where attendees sit in meeting rooms, GIE+EXPO offers hands-on training with things like the arborist demos, the Outdoor Demo Area, the new Social Media Lounge, engine tech training and live hardscape demos," said Kris Kiser, managing partner of GIE+EXPO and OPEI President. "Next year we're adding indoor drone training in Freedom Hall, an equipment test track and hands-on education with the latest in technology and robotic mowers.”