- 20 December 2007 -
Countdown to SUR/FIN: Finishing Exhibitors Wanted!

If you were among the history-making finishers that exhibited for the first time at SUR/FIN 2007, the National Association for Surface Finishing (NASF) has a message for you: “We want you back for SUR/FIN 2008!”

With the show just six months away—and show floor space filling up fast—the NASF is once again reaching out to finishers, manufacturers, and suppliers alike to take part in SUR/FIN. As it pertains to the value that platers, painters, and coaters alike bring to the table—well, it’s clear that their continued participation can only serve to further enhance the overall SUR/FIN experience for all involved, according to show organizers. This is in keeping with the NASF’s goals and visions since it took over the management of SUR/FIN.

“One of the strategies that we employed was to basically embrace the entire supply chain, which includes finishers,” said Barry Lee Cohen, chairman of SUR/FIN 2008 and global marketing manager for Enthone, Inc. “They key was to attract our fellow customer platers to the show, and we succeeded in getting four very good companies to showcase at the first Finishers’ Pavilion. They represented the induction of finishers at SUR/FIN 2007, and it was very well received by those exhibitors as well as other customers.”

So well received, in fact, that some of those companies have expressed a genuine interest in returning for the 2008 event. Case in point: Jim Orsatti, sales manager for Naugatuck, Conn.–based Donham Craft, Inc., which specializes in electroless nickel, mechanical zinc, and multiple precious metal and industrial finishes. “We had a pretty good experience last year,” he said. “We didn’t know how it was going to be perceived—having finishers exhibit at the show. But we had a lot of nice people stop by the booth, and we met with some old acquaintances. So, from that standpoint, it was good.”

Other first-time finishing exhibitors at SUR/FIN reported gleaning at least some measure of value from participating. Frantz Charles, CEO and owner of Quebec-based R.K.S Vacuum Platers, recalled having brisk traffic at the booth but only a few solid leads. There was one fish, though, who did take the bait. “One guy brought a mannequin for us to finish as a sample,” Charles recalled. “We did that, and he was very happy with it.”

Although Charles has no concrete plans to attend SUR/FIN 2008, he said he’s definitely thinking about exhibiting at the 2009 event. After all, he notes, it still represents a valuable opportunity to demonstrate his company’s specialty: the vacuum metalizing of plastic, steel, die-casting, and aluminum parts for the trophy and furniture industries. “We had a lot of people coming to see us in Cleveland,” he said. “We also talked about business with other platers. On that point, it was great!”

SWEETENING THE POT

As was the case at SUR/FIN 2007, show management is seeking to make it both easier and more cost-effective for platers/coaters to exhibit at SUR/FIN 2008. First, from a cost perspective. For only $1,200 per tabletop—substantially less than what suppliers are paying to exhibit on the show floor—finishers will receive the following:

• One 10 x 10 exhibit space that’s fully equipped with one table, two chairs, and carpeting. (Note: Under the NASF’s Loyalty Program, if an exhibitor reserved a 10 x 10 booth at SUR/FIN 2007 in Cleveland, and they want to have a 10 x 20 booth in Indianapolis in 2008, the extra 100 square feet is absolutely free.)
• a special section of the show directory that lists your company and contact information, as well as a 25-word description highlighting your products and services;
• dedicated advertising that goes beyond the normal show promotion activities, such as targeted promotion to the automotive, aerospace, and plumbing industries;
• the opportunity for finishers to provide NASF with the e-mail addresses of their customers—information that the association will use as part of its overall electronic marketing campaign to OEMs; and
• special banners highlighting the pavilion on the show floor.