2006 National Hardware Show

Printer-friendly versionPDF version

Las Vegas Show Brings the Best of Outdoor Living, Hardware &

Tools, Home Décor and Housewares to Life

Hot trends and innovative products were the buzz on the show floor

at the 61st annual National Hardware Show®, held May 9-11 at the Las Vegas

Convention Center.

At the home improvement event of the year, 3280 manufacturers

(including international companies) showcased their new products and solutions

for the lawn and garden, hardware and tools, paint and home décor, housewares,

and plumbing and electrical categories – spanning more than 767,000 square feet

of exhibit space.  Final attendance figures are not yet available pending a

complete third-party, independent audit conducted by Exhibit Surveys, Red Bank,

NJ.

“The National Hardware Show is the only place to see the latest

home improvement products and trends that are driving this industry under one

roof,” said Rob Cappiello, industry vice president for the National Hardware

Show.  “From the nearly 1,000 exhibitors at Lawn & Garden World® and

thousands of exciting, revolutionary products at the two New Product World®

exhibits to our second co-location with the Las Vegas Gourmet Housewares Show™

and Paint and Decorative Retailers (PDRA) show and conference and first History

of the National Hardware Show Museum exhibit, the Show brings the best from

around the industry to Las Vegas.”

The manufacturers exhibiting at the show gave it high marks for a

high-energy, innovative event that brought the entire industry together in one

convention facility.

“We're very pleased -- it was a good show, said Jorge Serrano,

sales director at Great Neck Saw. “We saw most of the major players we wanted to

see and it is a great place to launch new products. We had two in New Products

World. We also saw lots of media and did several radio and TV spots.”

“It’s a good show-- the quality of the attendees is right on

target,” said Hyde Tools’ Denise Clemence.  “Everyone we do business with

is here, all of our major customers. We've been coming to this show since the

very beginning -- we're very pleased.”

“This show was even better than last year -- we' very happy,” said

Larry Theisen of 3M.  “We saw a lot more customers and it’s a great show to

highlight new products. We had a lot of activity in our booth and interest in

our demos.  Overall, it was a very good show this year.”

“It’s a good show for us, with really good activity,” said Jeff

Spillane of Benjamin Moore & Co.  “It’s great to keep our name in front

of buyers. All our competitors are here --it would be noticed if we were not

here.” 

"Our objective was to have good quality conversations with buyers

and we certainly met that objective,” said Michael Benz, marketing manager,

Fiskars Garden.  “We certainly got our message across to garden-related

media. We were really happy with our booth location and traffic flow was really

good."

“We had lots of interest in our products and in our booth,” said

Dave Thomas of GMC Titan power tools.  “We met new customers and met with

some existing customers as well. We were impressed with the quality of the

attendees as well.”

Tom Hunsaker, director of sales training for The Scotts Company,

said, "We saw all the customers we wanted to see. There was a large presence

from Canada.  Attendance seemed to be equal to or up from last year. 

We're definitely in for next year.  I have enjoyed watching the growth of

the show over the past three years - watching new exhibitors come in and the

enthusiasm build."

At this year’s National Hardware Show, attendees found six key

trends shaping the industry:

· Lawn & Garden: Gardens, terraces, patios, and other

outdoor areas continue to entice American consumers seeking to extend the

boundaries of their living spaces. Shoppers are looking for top-of-the-line

grills, outdoor furniture with weather-resistant fabrics, fireplaces, decorative

pillows and rugs, and accessories such as artwork and statuary – once considered

more suited to the great indoors.

· High-End Products: According to the International

Housewares Association (IHA), the total U.S. consumer expenditures on housewares

in 2004 reached $65.2 billion.  There is a continued push toward smarter

and more versatile products in core appliance and housewares categories, a trend

driven by the continuing demand for convenience and functionality, according to

the NPD Group. With the co-location of the Las Vegas Gourmet Housewares

Show™  and the National Hardware Show’s own housewares section, over 600

exhibitors are showcasing the latest in home style, fashion and design.

· Women: Women are buying more homes and are more responsible

for basic repairs. According to the Home Improvement Research Institute, women

account for about a quarter of power tool and accessory purchases in the United

States. In 2005, single women snapped up one of every five homes sold, according

to the National Association of Realtors. Women also account for about a quarter

of power tool and accessory purchases in the United States.

· Smart Home Technology: Today, high-tech “smart” products

have led to increased consumer interest in technologies that not only enable

more efficient home improvements, but also add new conveniences to the home.

Most major subdivision home builders have been incorporating "smart home"

technology into their homes in recent years due to consumer demand and as an

added sales feature.  Beyond the cool factor, such devices make life more

convenient, cozier, and can even cut utility bills and improve home

security.

· Energy Efficiency: The typical U.S. household was expected

to pay $892 to heat the house last winter, up $107 from 2005, according to the

U.S. Department of Energy. Energy costs send consumers scrambling for building

products that will improve personal comfort and lower utility bills. Home owners

can save as much as 35 percent a month on their home heating bill by having that

work done. Consumer demand for products that lower utility bills is leading

toward the increasingly popular green building. 

· Second Homes: Vacation and investment-home sales both set

records in 2005, with the combined total of second home sales accounting for

four out of 10 residential transactions, according to the National Association

of Realtors® (NAR).  Many want to buy fully furnished to avoid the hassle

of shopping long distance.

Some of the thousands of companies exhibiting at the 2006 National

Hardware Show include:

· Lawn & Garden: RL Flo-master, Fiskars Inc., Melnor

Inc., Fountainhead Group (Black Flag), The Scott’s Company, Bayer

Advanced
· Hardware: Arrow Fastener Co. Inc., Johnson Level & Tool

Mfg. Co., General Tools Mfg. Co. Inc., Estwing Mfg. Co., Great Neck Saw, Malco

Products Inc., Hyde Tool Company
· Paint and Home Décor: 3M, Dutch Boy

Paints, Benjamin Moore & Co., Purdy Corporation, Sherwin Williams, Red Devil

Inc., Wooster Brush Company
· Housewares:  Floor Décor Inc., J.H.

Smith Co. Inc., LED Innovations, Orange Glo Int'l 
· Plumbing and

Electrical: B&K Industries Inc., Waxman Consumer Group, LDR Industries Inc.,

Safety Quick Light LLC

To ensure that attendees of the National Hardware Show have

access to both top manufacturers as well as leading-edge content, the Industry

Conferences for the Home MarketplaceSM was introduced at the 2004 show in Las

Vegas. This year, the show featured sessions that brought together industry

leaders, top media outlets and trend experts to explore the changing marketplace

and how retailers and manufacturers can maximize their opportunities in the

industry with some 50 sessions.

For more information on the 2006 National Hardware Show in Las

Vegas, visit

href="http://www.nationalhardwareshow.com/">www.nationalhardwareshow.com.

News Source : 2006 National Hardware Show