2018 International Home + Housewares Show Sells Out in Chicago’s McCormick Place
January 31, 2018
The 2018 International Home + Housewares Show sold out in late December, more than 10 weeks before opening day March 10 at Chicago’s McCormick Place, according to the International Housewares Association, the show’s owner and operator.
“The high demand to be a part of our world-class marketplace continues for our IHA member suppliers,” said Phil Brandl, IHA president & CEO.
He added, “We look forward to bringing the industry together at the premier global housewares industry event.”
The Show will host more than 2,100 exhibitors from around the world, including 400 new companies exhibiting for the first time.
This year the Show will feature a new pre-Show event, an expanded IHA Smart Home Pavilion and a focus on building careers in the housewares industry through an increased Experience Day program for college students.
Buyers and news media will have another opportunity to view products and exhibitors before the show opens March 10, with the new Trending Today Preview, featuring up to 60 exhibitors highlighting a trending merchandise category. For 2018, Trending Today will feature A Marketplace for Hydration, a key product category driven by the consumer trends of health and wellness. Through technology, fashion and design, hydration and hydration-related products continue to drive the category to record levels.
The Show continues its emphasis on the smart home and connected products by expanding the IHA Smart Home Pavilion to more than 25 exhibitors presenting the future of housewares and offering increased education and networking opportunities.
The Smart Talks stage will feature presentations, panel discussions, interviews with industry leaders and more all Show days.
Tech experts Mike Wolf, founder and curator of the Smart Kitchen Summit, and Carley Knobloch, digital lifestyle expert, will be at the pavilion, located in the Hall of Global Innovation in the Lakeside Center, to answer questions and discuss the emerging technology and trends.In addition, exhibitors with smart and connected products throughout the Show will have booth signage indicating their smart home products.
IHA is helping to encourage the next generation of housewares suppliers by bringing college students to the industry’s premier event with an Experience Day. Through Experience Day, the students are exposed to the housewares industry by seeing the industry marketplace and meeting executives.
This year, Experience Day will be increased to two days, Sunday and Monday, and 150 to 200 students are expected to participate. They will walk the Show floor, hear presentations from CEOs and have lunch roundtables with members of IHA’s Young Professionals Advisory Council (YPAC). Last year, about 70 students from colleges nationwide participated in the inaugural Experience Day on Monday at the Show.
The Excellence in Booth Design Award, honoring exhibitors for their booth presentation, has been incorporated into the IHA’s Global Innovation Awards (gia) this year. The awards are based on creativity in design, merchandising and messaging, and will be divided into two categories -- exhibitors with booths over 300 sq. ft. and exhibitors with booths 300 sq. ft. or less. Eight GIA finalists will be named, two from each expo, with two Global Honorees announced March 11.
The Discover Design Expo in the North Building will feature nearly 200 companies and brands from all Show categories, along with Design Debut, which allows 11 new-to-the-Show exhibitors whose product demonstrates high-design and innovation to come and experience the International Home + Housewares Show without having to create an entire display.
Other Show highlights include the New Exhibitor Preview with 90 first-time exhibitors; the Hall of Global Innovation featuring the Show’s special exhibits, including Pantone ColorWatch, IHA Global Innovation Awards (gia) and the IHA Student Design Competition, celebrating its 25th anniversary in 2018; the Innovation Theater with 21 presentations exploring important issues including the smart home, consumer shopping preferences, branding and global marketing; and the standing-room-only educational seminars led by IHA’s color expert Leatrice Eiseman and lifestyle guru Tom Mirabile
Partner Voices
Here at Mandalay Bay, venues are inviting and innovative. As one of the most iconic names on the Las Vegas Strip, the Mandalay Bay Convention Center has recently undergone an exciting upgrade. This renowned venue now offers everything your business needs, with a refreshed convention space designed to inspire productivity and creativity, as well as an impressive selection of world-class restaurants and amenities. If you're searching for a venue that is both inviting and innovative, Mandalay Bay is the place to be.
Mandalay Bay is committed to investing in a new wave of enhancements, not only in the convention space but also throughout the entire resort. With new restaurant openings and remodels, spectacular entertainment, and updated rooms, Mandalay Bay promises to deliver new and exciting experiences to its guests until 2024.
To create a truly effective conference venue, Mandalay Bay has carefully considered what businesses require. The right technology, capacity, and inspiration are essential to take ideas to the next level. The refreshed Mandalay Bay Convention Center has been designed with your business in mind. Every room is equipped with newly-upgraded technology, enhancing our ability to support bandwidth demand and overall data capabilities. Additionally, the addition of 10 new digital walls provides bigger and more dynamic ways to display customized content messages.
Mandalay Bay offers world-class conference space and service. The venue options range from ballrooms to ample pre-function spaces, catering to teams of any size while accommodating multiple large groups simultaneously. Our certified planners work collaboratively with you to understand your specific event requirements, anticipating your business needs and offering the best-fit solutions.
In addition to providing exceptional conference facilities, Mandalay Bay is also dedicated to sustainability. We strive to give our guests an unforgettable experience while minimizing our impact on the environment. As part of our sustainable energy efforts, you'll find refillable water stations throughout the property, eliminating the need for single-use plastic bottles and reducing unnecessary plastic usage.
Mandalay Bay is proud to offer an upgraded and enhanced experience for businesses seeking a venue that combines innovation, convenience, and sustainability. Whether you're hosting a conference, meeting, or other business event, Mandalay Bay's refreshed convention space, world-class service, and commitment to sustainability make it the ideal choice. Come and discover the new wave of experiences awaiting you at Mandalay Bay on the Las Vegas Strip. Wherever your organization is going, getting there starts with being here.
Add new comment