-01 February 2008 -
Countdown to SUR/FIN: Exhibitors Psyched About Indy in June

Registered exhibitors for SUR/FIN 2008, set to kick off at the Indiana Convention Center June 16–18, are more than a little excited about the upcoming conference. A recent polling of vendors by Metal Finishing magazine indicates they are positively charged about the show.

“It’s several months away and we’re already 80% sold out,” said Cheryl Clark, director of events for the National Association for Surface Finishing (NASF), which organizes and manages the show. Based on that information, organizers estimate the show is on course to meet and/or exceed last year’s booking of 220 booth spaces—an increase of almost 30% over SUR/FIN 2006. “I’m expecting it to be a very, very good show,” Clark added.

Exhibitors have similarly high expectations. “If the economy was like last year, it will be more successful,” said Eric Olander, president of New Berlin, Wis.–based Electrochemical Products, Inc., (EPI). Olander, who also serves as a first-year co-chairman on the SUR/FIN 2008 Steering Committee, bases his outlook not only on the pre-show buzz courtesy of NASF’s aggressive marketing and promotional efforts, but also the momentum generated at last year’s event. “There was definitely a buzz on the show floor.”

That buzz is no doubt due to the association’s ongoing drive to further enhance the show. This is primarily through the fortification of SUR/FIN’s educational program, aggressive outreach efforts to embrace all members of the supply chain, and the drive to enhance the exhibition experience for vendors on the show floor with the aim of drawing greater participation.

It’s a point not overlooked by exhibitors. “We are optimistic that attendance will continue to grow, and we applaud efforts to increase SUR/FIN’s prominence,” said Christine Venaleck, director of advertising for Process Technology, a Mentor, Ohio-based manufacturer of wet process heating and cooling equipment. She said the company, which celebrates its 30th anniversary this year, looks forward to revisiting its past progress with customers at SUR/FIN and discussing the future as well.

The excitement surrounding SUR/FIN extends beyond manufacturer/supplier exhibitors. Case in point: Donham Craft, Inc., a Naugatuck, Conn.-based finisher specializing in electroless nickel, mechanical zinc, and multiple precious metal and industrial finishes. Jim Orsatti, the company’s sales manager, is looking forward to once again participating in the show. This after making his debut as one of the four vendors in the show’s inaugural Finishers’ Pavilion at last year’s event.

“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. So from that standpoint it was good.”

The booth activity witnessed by suppliers and finishers was not imagined. Figures supplied by NASF showed there were 1,237 attendees at SUR/FIN 2007 (not including exhibitors), compared to 1,138 at SUR/FIN 2006. That represents an 8.6% increase over last year. It also marks the first increase in the number of attendees since 2002.

Regarding exhibitors, NASF reports an increase of almost 30% over SUR/FIN 2006, where 170 spaces were occupied. Even conference registration was up year over year, to the tune of 17.6%, according to figures supplied by NASF.

(For more information on exhibiting at the show, or to register, please contact Cheryl Clark at cclark@nasf.org, call (202) 457-8404, or visit www.sur-fin.net.)