TISE 2015 Expects to Set Record Attendance

DALLAS – It’s months away, but the floor-covering, stone and tile industries look to be gearing up for The International Surface Event (TISE) 2015 next Jan. 20-23 at the Mandalay Bay Convention Center in Las Vegas.

Exhibitor sales remain strong as excitement builds for Design & Construction Week in January 2015, when TISE – along with three other major industry shows in the residential and commercial building and design market, run concurrently in Las Vegas in multiple venues over a period of six days.

Design & Construction Week will showcase the largest collection of building and design products and services ever assembled at one time, with the lineup including TISE, the International Builders’ Show (IBS), the Kitchen and Bath Industry Show (KBIS) and Las Vegas Market.

A partial list of confirmed exhibitors participating in TISE 2015 includes All Tile Inc., Bedrosians, Blick Industries, Custom Building Products, Daltile, Dream Weaver, GranQuartz, Helios Carpets, Herregan Distributors, IVC, Mannington Mills, MAPEI Corporation, Mohawk (regional show), QEP, Quickstep, Regent Stone Products, Royalty Carpet Mills and Tarkett.

“It’s clear that the floor-covering, stone and tile industries recognize this unique opportunity to connect with a brand new audience,” said Amie Gilmore, TISE show director. “A significant number of companies are expanding their booths and space on Level 2 is almost sold out.

“Our team is currently in discussions with a number of other major industry players who are close to coming on board. We continue to have new exhibitors added to the show daily.”

TISE event owner Hanley Wood Exhibitions is ramping up efforts to ensure exhibitors participating in The International Surface Event will benefit from cross-over attendance. By the time TISE opens registration on the first day of the show, plans to take advantage of Design & Construction Week will have been in the works for more than two years.

The TISE sales, operations and marketing teams have been working more closely than ever to maximize partnerships with over 50 endorsers, sponsors and associations who support the show by scheduling national and regional sales meetings, supplier events, distributor programs, certifications, educational programs and special events during the event.

“With a 7% increase in attendance over the previous year, a renewed optimism across all product categories was evident on the show floor this past January”, said Dana Teague, Hanley Wood Exhibitions vice president.

The large number of pre-scheduled appointments, necessitated the assistance of additional Account Executives from other Hanley Wood-managed shows to facilitate meetings with more than 700 exhibitors. The additional staff paid off – 85% of participating exhibitors reserved space for the 2015 event onsite before the last day of the show.

Exhibitor Pavilions featured at the January event will showcase a large number of companies brand new to the show. Pavilions include Artisan Avenue, Building Stone Institute, Cleaning & Restoration, Marmomacc, North American Laminate Flooring Association (NALFA), National Wood Flooring Association (NWFA), Stone, Tool Alley and Wools of New Zealand.

Additional show features will include a Distributors Lounge, Contractors Lounge and – new at the 2015 event – a Relaxation & Rejuvenation Lounge, guaranteed to be a hot spot for exhibitors and attendees who need a break from the hustle and bustle of the show floor.

The CAGE, where experts will showcase live demonstrations of the latest tools for natural-stone products, Trends Hub, a gallery-like space showcasing what’s trending in products, colors and textures and the Product Marketplace – the place to discover “must-see” products attendees won’t want to miss at the show.

The 2015 event will also feature a revamped educationpProgram that provides attendees with more interactive learning and networking opportunities, including an Emerging Professionals happy hour, walk-and-talk tours of the show floor, and a Social Learning Lab hosted by social-media experts designed to give retailers the knowledge they need to implement a social-media strategy that produces results.

As a result of the positive response from attendees participating in certification programs at the January 2014 event, additional certification programs will be offered in 2015. Associations offering certifications include the Certified Floorcovering Installers (CFI), International Concrete Repair Institute (ICRI), International Standards and Training Alliance (INSTALL), North American Laminate Flooring Association (NALFA) and the National Wood Flooring Association (NWFA). Details of these certifications along with the full educational schedule will be announced soon.

For more information on The International Surface Event, call 800-547-3477 or go to SURFACES, StonExpo/Marmomacc Americas or Tile Expo.

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