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Innovations Exhibits Displays Trade Show Options
BOARDMAN, Ohio – Customers are looking at smaller trade show displays, but Steven Gable, president of Innovation Exhibits Inc., says his company is keeping busy. In fact, business is up 20% from last year for family business, which designs and makes displays.
Demand had been “way down” since 2008, he said. “The number of shows companies were attending declined as was the amount of floor space they rented at the shows,” he said. “That seems to be the trend right now -- it’s a smaller footprint.”
Still, he added, “There’s not a lot of new builds. They’re refurbishing – new graphics, new messaging.”
The 19-year-old company held a holiday open house and new product showcase at its McClurg Road office and warehouse Wednesday. It also operates a location in Oakdale, Pa.
Among the products Innovation Exhibits offers are pop-up displays featuring full-fabric graphics. Displays shown Wednesday used a high-definition dye sublimation process to imprint graphics on the fabric.
“We’re showcasing a lot of backlit types of displays, fabric using different LED lighting behind it to make your graphics pop, to call attention to your booth,” said Alexis Santangelo, account executive and Gable’s daughter.
Visitors also got a look at a display made for Bayer MaterialScience that incorporated materials Bayer makes including a polycarbonate resin, Makrolon. To demonstrate its durability, trade show visitors were invited to try to crack the material with a hammer, Gable said.
The Bayer display also used an iPad wirelessly linked to a flat screen television using Apple TV. The wireless connection allows the stand for the tablet device to be placed anywhere within the booth space.
“People can do slide presentations as well as other interactive demonstrations to engage clients’ prospects on the trade show floor,” Santangelo said. “Our clients are creating applications specific to their company so when a customer comes into their exhibit space, they’re able to tap into the client's interest and show them more about certain products and services.”
The interactivity “really engages people,” she said.
Other options include foldable tabletop displays with Velcro mounts that allow panels to be interchanged as the needs of the venue or intended audience require.
Among the company's customers attending Wednesday’s event was Jay Crilley, vice president of sales with Novinda Corp.
Novinda, based in Denver, makes a material that reduces mercury in power plants and industrial facilities, said Crilley, who works in the company’s Pittsburgh office. Innovation Exhibits is building a banner stand for an award Novinda won. “
Novinda exhibits at five or six trade shows each year, including “a couple big ones,” Crilley said.
“The one we have coming up in December in Orlando is extremely big,” he continued. “Any time we need something, if we want to customize one, they do it for us and ship it and we go.”
“You can’t beat it,” Crilley remarked. “By the time we get to a show, the booth is up, everything’s organized, lights are on. When the show’s over, everything’s disassembled, sent back to their shop.” Innovation Exhibits’ staff also make sure nothing is broken and make repairs if needed. “They take care of everything,” he said.
Copyright 2012 The Business Journal, Youngstown, Ohio.