- 03 October 2006 -
SUR/FIN 2006: An Event to Remember
by Reginald Tucker, Editor

"Phenomenal." That's how Christine Venaleck, Process Technology, summed up the company's experience at SUR/FIN. In that same vein, Bill Matheson, Duraflow, referred to the event as the "best show in about 10 years." And Mark Jankowski, MacDermid, said exhibiting at SUR/FIN provides his company the valuable opportunity to meet with business owners—the "top people" in finishing firms.

These sentiments, as well as scores of others summarizing the SUR/FIN 2006 experience, anecdotally suggest that the event was a rousing success for vendors and attendees alike. Most exhibitors polled by Metal Finishing magazine said both their goals and expectations for SUR/FIN were met or exceeded, as evidenced by several factors, including: lead generation, exchange with key customers, opportunities to address finishers' questions and issues, etc. In truth, this kind of feedback reflects the real barometer of a trade show’s success, even more so than the sheer number of overall attendees. (Organizers put this year's attendance at about 1,140, not including exhibitor personnel.) Indeed, many vendors reported periodic "bursts" and "waves" of booth traffic—movement that coincided with the timing of the educational sessions and programs.

But SUR/FIN 2006 will be remembered for much more than numbers and good vibes. The event was also marked by several milestones, the most notable of which was the historic vote by the Council of Delegates to consolidate the AESF, NAMF, and MFSA under a singular association, NASF (see related story inside in the October issue). Although the reorganization efforts have been in the works for more than a few years now, few can overlook the tremendous anticipation—and even anxiety—leading up to this significant event over the last few months. On the one hand, many observers expressed relief in surmounting this significant hurdle . At the same time, there’s the stark realization that there is so much more work to be done to not only ensure success in the immediate aftermath of the vote, but also over the long haul.

SUR/FIN 2006 also represented a "first" in that it was the only time in anyone’s memory that two major industry events—SUR/FIN and Powder Coating—took place during precisely the same week. There's one philosophy that says the concurrent event schedule might have diluted the metal finishing population at the respective shows. Another school of thought—particularly among those who made the trek to attend both exhibitions—is that it might be time to consider looking into co-locating SUR/FIN and Powder Coating. Whether or not this will become a reality is uncertain, but I’m sure it will be a topic of much discussion in the months ahead.

On a personal note, SUR/FIN was also a "first" for me as the new editor of Metal Finishing magazine. In my 14-year career as a business journalist covering a number of different industries and segments, I must have attended more than 60 conferences, regional meetings and exhibitions over the years. You would think that it would be easy to become jaded—that is, until you witness the kind of excitement, enthusiasm, and affinity for this industry as I saw firsthand last month.

So, where do I sign up for SUR/FIN '07?