ATLANTA. Ga. — Attendance at Clean ’07, staged last month in Las Vegas, topped the previous show by approximately 700 people, according to a final report released by show manager Riddle & Associates.
The company says 14,667 people converged on the Las Vegas Convention Center for the world’s largest textile-care exposition, compared to the 13,951 who attended Clean ’05 in Orlando, Fla.
Nearly 10,000 registrants in Las Vegas were attendees there to see the latest technologies and products showcased by 484 exhibitors in more than 227,950 net square feet.
International attendance was also up from the previous show. This year’s event drew 1,948 international visitors from 82 countries, and many more who requested letters of invitation to the show were unable to obtain visas in time to attend, Riddle & Associates says. Clean ’05 drew 1,714 international visitors from 79 countries.
Countries sending 65 or more attendees to Clean ’07 were Canada, 593; Mexico, 187; Japan, 154; Spain, 79; Australia and the United Kingdom, 75 each; Italy, 74; and Germany, 68.
“Las Vegas continues to be a good venue for the Clean Show,” says John Riddle, president of Riddle & Associates, which has managed Clean since 1993. “Attendees seemed equally pleased with all they were able to see and learn.”
Exhibit space was down 900 net square feet, and there were 27 fewer exhibitors. Riddle attributed this to a number of acquisitions and mergers in the industry. “This meant fewer companies, but many took larger spaces than at previous shows.”
Clean ’09 is scheduled for June 18-21, 2009, at the Morial Convention Center in New Orleans. Riddle and the Clean Executive Committee are tasked with promoting the Crescent City’s return as a convention destination.
“We are looking forward to another great show in New Orleans in 2009,” Riddle says. “Having visited the city several times in the past few months, I think everyone will be pleased with the ‘new’ New Orleans.
“To be truthful, if you did not know storms had been there, with the exception of one hotel and some outlying neighborhoods, you couldn’t tell. New Orleans has hosted many successful trade shows since its recovery.”
The Clean Show celebrated its 30th anniversary this year. The biennial show began in 1977 as a means of consolidating several smaller industry shows for greater financial feasibility. The show attracts all segments of the garment and textile-care industry — including drycleaners, launderers and coin-op facilities.
“The show has evolved over the 26 years I have worked with it,” Riddle says. “Many mergers have taken place in the industry, but booths are bigger, utility requirements are greater and freight weights are higher. Twenty years ago, there were several venues that could accommodate the show. Now we are limited to just three.”Bruce Beggs is editor of American Drycleaner’s sister publication, American Laundry News.
Have a question or comment? E-mail our editor Dave Davis at [email protected].