Viewing new equipment is a key reason to attend ICE USA.

So the good news is (drum roll, please) ICE USA will return to Orlando in 2013 on April 9-11 at the Orange County Convention Center (OCCC).  It will be an even bigger and better event featuring more exhibitors, more attendees and outstanding educational opportunities.  Watch for more information in the coming months.

What did a couple of media members say about the 2011 ICE USA?

• PFFC
• Converting Quarterly

Are you planning to attend ICE USA in 2013?

Although summer is traditionally a time when business tends to slow down, it appears the converting industry is continuing to pick up steam. Many equipment manufacturers report solid sales; mergers and acquisitions seem to be on the rise, and more and more converters seem to be replacing out-dated equipment. At least, that is what we heard from many exhibitors and attendees at ICE USA in April.

Perhaps this optimism was best expressed by Yolanda Simonsis’ editorial column in the June issue of PFFC magazine entitled “Please, Sir, I Want Some More”.  She quoted a reader who said “Your optimism is always appreciated, and I believe supported by the success of the ICE USA meeting, the Critical Trends Survey, and the record attendance at the FTA Annual Forum & INFO*FLEX. In our particular niche industry of envelopes, the backlogs are growing, and the converters are experiencing, for the first time in years, the ability to slightly raise prices.

With regard to the machinery manufacturers, I believe there is a slight light at the end of the tunnel. Rebuilds and upgrades to existing equipment seem to be on the up-swing, and there is increasing interest and actually some purchases of new equipment.

In the overall paper converting machinery industry, there seems to be significant new business for machinery and upgrades.

Hopefully, all this will continue, and as the users of equipment begin to make capital equipment investments in new machinery, the equipment manufacturers will recognize the need to expand their capacities to meet the demand. Right now we…are booked to capacity through the end of the year but fortunately can still solicit new orders because of the normal long manufacturing lead times. I just wanted you to know that I think you got it right in your most recent editorial.”

I hope Yolanda and the PFFC reader are right.  What are you experiencing in your industry niche?

The ribbon cutting opens the ICE USA 2011 show floor

ICE USA 2011 will be three packed days of innovation, inspiration and making your business more productive and profitable. The show itself is a whole lot of fun and has so many “must see” exhibitors, “must attend” seminars, but what do you do when the show floor closes?  If you’re like me, you probably don’t want to stare at the walls in your hotel room all night. I want to experience Orlando!  Where to start?  Well, here are some fun activities and places to make your time in Orlando even better!

• Visit six of the world’s greatest theme parks SeaWorld, Discovery Cove, Wet ‘n Wild, Aquatica SeaWorld’s Waterpark, Universal Studios and Islands of Adventure!

• Pamper yourself at The Peabody Orlando’s new and luxurious 22,000-square-foot Spa & Fitness Center.

• Swim with dolphins in the morning at Discovery Cove and encounter Harry Potter in the afternoon at Universal Orlando.

• Relax and have fun! Park the car, leave the driving to us and take the I-Ride Trolley!

• Laugh yourself silly at the Orlando Improv Comedy Club.

• Think Scottish and tilt a kilt at the new Tilted Kilt Pub and Eatery.

• Be a muggle for a day at Universal’s Wizarding World of Harry Potter.

• Chill out at the coolest bar in town…ICEBAR Orlando.  Named one of the Travel Channel’s “Top 10 Extreme Bar Hopping bars!” and an ICE USA favorite.

• Play golf like a champion at Shingle Creek.  The ICE USA Golf Tournament still has spots for the Tuesday, April 5^th event.

• Visit Monkey Joe’s where kids can let loose and bounce around like a Monkey.

• Be in Havana by dinnertime!  Visit the new Cuba Libre Restaurant & Rum Bar, located in Pointe Orlando.

• Escape the ordinary at Ripley’s Believe it or Not with its Orlando Odditorium filled with the unusual.

• Learn to Belly Dance and eat sumptuous and authentic Greek food at Taverna Opa.

• Be amazed by 14 model railroad trains at Train Land International.  This museum features trains traveling through an indoor garden with 12-foot high mountains, waterfalls, and more than 30 trestles and tunnels.

• Sing pop classics at Howl at the Moon.

• Shop for bargains at designer outlets (Orlando Premium Outlets – I-Drive, Festival Bay at International Drive, Orlando Premium Outlets – Vineland Ave. and Pointe Orlando)!

See more on the Visit Orlando Blog and enjoy your time in Orlando when you are not on the Show Floor at ICE USA 2011.

Several companies will be making major product announcements, including Maxcess and ISRA Vision that are holding Press Conferences and a special “Ask The Experts” area of the show floor will be available to anyone needing solutions to their specific challenges.

The education program will offer more than 30 sessions on a variety of critical topics, highlighted by a free keynote presentation every morning of the three-day event.  And as if that isn’t enough, TAPPI Place and CEMA will be offering educational seminars the day before the Show opens on April 5.

However, it is Spring in Orlando so many attendees are coming down early to work on their tans prior to and after the Show. The ICE USA Golf Tournament will take place on Tuesday, April 5 and Disney Land and Universal Park are just a few of the many places to have fun in the sun.

For real-time updates follow us on our ICE USA Twitter and use the #iceusa2011 for your hashtag when posting so others can view your tweet.

We hope to see you next week in Orlando, the weather forecast is sizzling hot.

So, if your company is making the investment, then it should do everything it can to squeeze out every last drop of value. This need for value, combined with cut travel budgets across all industries, means that the solution to this problem is social media.

Educate – Relationships can sometimes be devoid of good business information. Social media outlets like Facebook, Twitter and corporate blogs can be used to help educate existing and future customers.

An Example: Interview trade show attendees and upload the videos to YouTube or another video sharing service. Feature the videos on your company blog, Facebook page, etc. and follow up with the person in the video to let them know they have been featured.

Expand – Some customers only know their sales contact as the company. They need to see more of the company and that can oftentimes be enough to help them make the decision to stay on board and even do more business.

An Example: Display a Facebook or Twitter Wall encourage people to join by offering exclusive discounts or giveaways and highlight staff with postings.

Entertain – Yes, we all like to be entertained now and then. Social media allows companies to show a different side of their persona, which could be something a customer or prospect needs to make a decision for their business. 

An Example:  A new product demo station at the booth has QR codes that link directly to mobile phone formatted spec sheets with order forms.

Luckily, times are slowly changing, especially after the changes and financial challenges we endured the past couple years and companies in the converting world are seeing the value of a social media presence.

What are you doing with Social Media?

Guest Blogger

Erin J. Wolford, Editor-in-Chief

Flexible Packaging Magazine

In business, networking is key to every success. Partnerships are so important, and this industry knows and understands this premise well. Some of the best networking can help evolve into a partnership right on a trade show floor. And that’s where ICE USA 2011 comes into play.

Rumor has it that this ever-expanding show is quickly catching on in its first year. And the gossip is coming from a reliable source – ICE USA show director Michael Boyle himself.

I had the opportunity to speak with Michael on several separate occasions about the new show. Michael’s excitement about the show and its introduction to the American converting industry told me that the industry is responding well to the show’s introductory year.

One question I asked Michael was, “What do you hope attendees will be able to extract from the show?”

Michael’s response was clear – this event is not to be missed: “ICE got its reputation in Europe as the place to source innovative suppliers under one roof. We got the best of the best together and developed the show from there. Those suppliers who sat out the show in its early years have admitted to me often in person that they missed some wonderful opportunities. How does the saying go? ‘Fortune favors the brave.’ That certainly applies both to ICE in Europe eight years ago and right now to ICE USA.”

Flexible Packaging Magazine is pleased to be involved with the inaugural ICE USA show. Our audience includes converters and printers of flexible packaging and suppliers to this niche industry. FP is the official publication of the Flexible Packaging Association, a valued partnership for us.

If you’re on the fence about attending the show, take note of Michael’s response above, and take a lesson from our European counterparts. Don’t sit this one out.

Here are three marketing trends and some ideas on how trade show marketers can take advantage of them:

Social Media: Social media is growing by leaps and bounds and has been one of the most high-profile trends affecting both B2C and B2B marketers. In fact, Forrester Research predicts that B2B companies will increase budgets for interactive marketing spend to $54 million by 2014, double the amount spent in 2009. Clearly there is great potential for B2B social marketing as prospects regularly go online to research business services and vendors. Many companies are already immersing themselves in the social media marketing scene, with excellent results. A recent report by Mashable cited a study in which 86 percent of B2B companies said they use social media for marketing.

Social media tools are becoming more useful to trade show marketers. Whether it’s posting on YouTube a video interview with a client in their booth, or sending a tweet during show hours to announce a drawing in their booth, business marketers will more fully integrate their pre-show, at-show, and post-show promotions with their company’s social media programs.  If you haven’t joined ICE USA on our social media network, please do:

Growth Internationally:  According to the World Bank, GDP in developing countries is expected to grow nearly six percent in 2011, while GDP in the USA is only expected to grow about half that. So, if you’re a United States’ company looking to grow, you might be looking to export your products. U.S. manufacturers looking to increase exports can gain a competitive edge by exhibiting at international trade shows, either on their own, or within a group pavilion at the foreign show. Even if they don’t exhibit abroad, U.S. exhibitors can gain insight by talking with international visitors in their booths.

Mobile Marketing As more and more people carry a computer in their pocket in the form of a Smartphone (iPhone, Android or other), growth in mobile marketing is expected to continue its rapid growth in 2011. According to Forrester Research, much faster than established B2B marketing mediums as soon 50% of all web traffic will come through mobile devices. While some marketers are starting by ensuring their websites and blogs view well on mobile devices, others are taking advantage of the location-aware nature of mobile devices to create greater relevance and interactivity in their marketing.

Some trade shows are using apps that replace the printed show directory, with a scheduler, venue city info, and more.  Also, new lead management systems are now available that can be run on mobile devices rather than show-specific systems. And audience polling apps can be used on mobile devices for greater interactivity, be it in their booth or at conference seminar sessions.

Do you have other ideas on how trade show marketers can adapt to these marketing trends? Please share your insights.

An attendee talks with an exhibitor at a recent ICE Show.

Speaking with an exhibitor on the phone the other day, I was glad to hear that he was very excited to get to Orlando for the show in April. Granted, they were East Coasters and we in North America know what the winter has been like to the east coast, but his excitement had nothing to do with the weather.

“The converting market is red hot right now as firms are rebounding from the last few years of a soft economy and retooling for productivity investments that will make them competitive in a world market. We are seeing significant investment in the upgrades of existing lines and the purchase of new lines all looking for faster speeds, better quality, improved process statistics, better product certification, early detection of out of specification materials, roll data tracking/marking and improved disposition schemes to improve yields. Nowhere is better to find solution providers under one roof for the converting in the US than at the ICE show in Orlando this year,” said Mark Marra.

While that alone was very rewarding to hear, it was a conversation with another exhibitor that made it all come together. This particular discussion was focused on reasons why this exhibitor was looking forward to the show. I was convinced it would be one of these features:

• Operating machinery will be running on the show floor
• AIMCAL, TAPPI and CEMA will be presenting special educational sessions
• Keynote speakers will feature every day of the show
• An international presence, especially from Latin America
• Support from global industry publications and associations
• An “Ask The Experts” area where attendees can get answers to their specific challenges

While they said those features were all critical to the value of the show, the reason they were excited to come to Orlando for ICE USA was the ability to play in the inaugural ICE USA OPEN, which will tee off on Tuesday, April 5, 2011 at Shingle Creek Golf Club.  The said it would make for a great opportunity to talk with industry leaders, combine their love for golf, and to network with old friends and new acquaintances. I thought that was an excellent reason myself.  Speaking of the tournament, here are some of the details:

• Four Man Scramble – 18 Holes of Golf
• Registration 11:00 AM
• Shotgun Start: 12:30 PM
• Cart with State-of-the-Art GPS System
• Boxed Lunch
• Awards Ceremony and Cocktail Reception & Lots of Prizes
• The field is limited, so it is recommended to register before March 4th.  To register go HERE

What are you looking forward to the most at ICE USA 2011?

The next generation of young professionals are growing in importance.

An archived webinar that I recently viewed talked specifically to the fact and pointed out that many young professionals don’t truly see the value of trade shows.  Event those that are told by their boss that they NEED to attend particular trade shows, don’t necessarily WANT to be there.  Keeping in mind that nearly 50% of young professionals attend more than one trade show, I feel there is a need to define the value of attending their show.  Here are some tips on how to do that:

• Focus on non-tradeshow items such as education, entertainment and networking
• Let them know what’s going on via a pre-show or on-site feature like a “First-Timers Orientation” or “Innovation/Technology Area”
• Ensure your website is up-to-par
• Use social media

Another important element to remember is that exhibitors are also representing the show and its value, and while you might see the importance in marketing to young professionals, exhibitors might not.  In fact, many younger trade show attendees often report being ignored by exhibitors because of their age.  “I waited for 10 minutes to talk to a Canon rep while other reps stood around and talked to themselves. I felt like an outcast,” said Jeff, 24, a recent show attendee and owner of a print shop with 17 employees.  Include some tips on the importance of generational marketing in your communications to exhibitors to further ensure that young professionals see the value of attending your show.

Remember – young professionals are the future of their companies today. It is less costly to get them to come to a show now and keep them coming later.  Start cementing these relationships to ensure the future of the industry!

Are you sending your young professionals to ICE USA 2011?

The Orange County Convention Centre, South Concourse (photo credit, Mike Sharp)

As many know that have traveled to Orlando for a family vacation at Disney, Universal, Sea World or other of tourism destination, it offers a plethora of options for young and old alike.  As a trade show exhibitor Orlando and the Orange County Convention Center provides key attributes, which make the investment even wiser. Why come to Orlando for ICE USA?

1.     Dynamic destination. It’s best-kept secret is how much its grown. There are new convention hotels (8,000 hotel rooms within walking distance to OCCC). Nationally known restaurants and award-winning local favorites. Exclusive shopping, endless rounds of golf, rejuvenating spas and the perfect climate in April!

2.     Creativity and innovation. The inspiration in Orlando is so pervasive, it has a tendency to rub off on all that arrive in Orlando. A simple conversation sparks a compelling idea.  A quick meeting leads to a long- lasting relationship. Orlando is the perfect example of how imagination can inspire serious business and it’s why more and more creative minds are choosing to meet here.

3.     The show brings together leading national and international suppliers showcasing innovative machinery and services from all the key areas and processes of flexible material converting.

4.     Outstanding service partners, including catering, business centers, internet & telecommunications, remote airline check in, bag & coat check, valet parking, scooters, audio-visual and more. All OCCC service partners are top-quality with competitive prices and unbeatable discounts.

5.     The OCCC possesses a dedicated Transportation Division with knowledgeable traffic coordinators and 4,500 parking spaces.

Downtown Disney

Orlando really is the “Center of Hospitality” and as home to ICE USA 2011, we both invite you to come join us April 6-8, 2011.

What are you most looking forward to seeing in Orlando at the show and away from it?