Cersaie, Hardscape North America Cancel 2020 Shows
Two more events featuring hard surfaces are off the calendar for 2020.
Cersaie, the Bologna, Italy-based international tile event, announced last week that it called off its rescheduled show in November.
And, in the United States, Hardscape North America cancelled its planned October event in Louisville, Ky.
Cersaie organizers issued a statement June 25 that it “worked hard to explore the possibility of holding an international level trade fair,” but “had to recognize that the general conditions determined by the Covid-19 emergency make it impossible to organize an event that would come up to the show’s usual quality standards.”
The move came six weeks after organizers postponed the event from its traditional late September/early October dates to a special Nov. 9-13 slot.
International participation – specifically, the lack of it – became a major factor in scrubbing the November reschedule.
Organizers explained that 50,000 attendees – 47% of attendance – at last year’s Cersaie came from outside Italy. While parts of the world, including Europe and some Asian countries, continue to phase out coronavirus-related travel restrictions, potential participants remained hesitant to commit to the November event.
“Many exhibitors and professional visitors have indicated that the global situation does not yet allow them to commit to the levels of investment and planning required to take part in Cersaie,” according to the organizers. “Attention and respect for the interests of the global clientele who represent the show’s most-important asset therefore prompted the decision to skip the 2020 edition.”
Various events will be on tap from Cersaie in the 15 months between now and Cersaie 2021 on Sept. 27-Oct. 1 next year. Organizers also announced “an important new initiative” with “an immersive digital experience aimed at promoting and expanding participation by exhibitors and visitors,” with specifics to be announced later.
The hardscape side of hard surfaces won’t be meeting this year, as the Interlocking Concrete Pavement Institute (ICPI) – the show’s sponsor – announced on June 17 that the event will be postponed until October 2021.
“Because we cannot currently guarantee the experience our attendees and exhibitors have come to expect, our board has decided to postpone the in-person event for 2020 and set our sights on how we can best serve our audiences this year,” said Charles McGrath, ICPI Executive Director. “And we’ve already begun planning for an even bigger and greater HNA trade show and learning event alongside the GIE+EXPO in 2021.”
Hardscape North America normally runs concurrently with GIE+EXPO, the country’s largest landscaping-services event. This year’s GIE+EXPO is still scheduled to take place on Oct. 21-23 in Louisville.
The ICPI Board of Directors earlier this year committed to continuing Hardscape North America in conjunction with the GIE+EXPO through 2023.
Hardscape North America is produced by the ICPI, and endorsed by the Brick Industry Association and National Concrete Masonry Association.
Get the news of the industry with Slab & Sheet, the e-newsletter from Stone Update. Sign up for free delivery here.
For the latest industry info, check Stone Update on Twitter and Facebook.
Experience the totally new Stone Update Magazine online.
Listen to our new podcast of Radio Stone Update online.
