According to a recent survey of nearly 200 exhibitors participating in the 2011 ICE USA Exposition and Conference in Orlando last April, several companies have already realized millions of dollars in new sales from conversations that took place at the Show.        

“We have generated sales of nearly $2 million from meetings we had at ICE USA,” says Bob Pasquale, President of New Era. “We recently sold a complete coating line worth well over $1 million to one converter, as well as a coating section of a packaging line to another converter valued at hundreds of thousands.  Plus, we have several other ICE USA generated leads in the pipeline.”

Pasquale said it is unusual to generate such large sales so quickly after a Show. “This is the best converting show we have participated in during the last seven to eight years. We believe one of the keys to these sales was having running equipment on the Show floor so people can actually see it in operation.”

These sentiments were echoed by John Godbold, CEO of UK-based Ashe Converting, who says their Show leads have already turned into strong sales. “We have already sold two pieces of equipment and are pursuing some other leads that resulted from our participation in ICE USA.”

Several other companies reported that they are actively pursuing longer-term sales from the Show. “We got a solid $2 million worth of prospects out of it, as well as some very good long-term contacts,” says Rick Garber of Busch Electronics. “Of all the shows I’ve participated in as an exhibitor during my career, ICE 2011 was definitely one of the very best,” he concludes.

Some companies also reported selling equipment on the Show Floor, including Atlas/Titan. They sold the equipment they brought to the Show to a company from Latin America.  

“I believe these impressive results are an indication that despite the troubled overall global economy, the converting industry appears to be buying new equipment,” says Bob Chiricosta, Show Director of ICE USA. “It appears much of this is being driven by the need to replace older, less-efficient machinery.”

Chiricosta’s opinion is reinforced by the results of the recently concluded 2011 ICE Europe Exhibition that attracted a record number of attendees and exhibitors to Munich at the end of November, making it the largest converting exposition in the world. Nearly 400 exhibitors showcased the latest converting equipment to 5,700 visitors from 65 countries.

The 2013 ICE USA will take place April 9-11, 2013 in Orlando, Florida at the Orange County Convention Center.

Mack Brooks Exhibitions
www.mackbrooks.com