SESA Names TISE/StonExpo as Main U.S. Show
MINNEAPOLIS – An industry group of stone-fabrication-equipment manufacturers will concentrate trade-show efforts at The International Surface Event (TISE) next February in Las Vegas.
The Stone Equipment and Supply Alliance (SESA) announced a partnership last week with Informa Markets, owner and manager of TISE, to make the StonExpo segment as the U.S. show for focusing sales and marketing efforts, along with exhibiting machines and products.
“Stone machine manufacturers and supply companies have learned through their experience with COVID that they need to limit their marketing expenses by coordinating and focusing on just one trade show,” said SESA President Mike Schlough of Park Industries. “This alliance will improve the show experience for both attendees and exhibitors.”
SESA, formed earlier this year, now includes almost 50 companies dealing with stone and hard-surface fabrication equipment and supplies.
Jon Lancto, SESA’s CEO, said the group reached a five-year agreement with Informa, with a review after two years.
SESA members, he said, will bring major equipment only to StonExpo, and limit participation at the Coverings tile-and-stone show to smaller, 10’ X 20’ booths. Members aren’t restricted from exhibiting equipment at other events on an independent basis.
At the StonExpo segment of TISE, SESA members will be centralized in one area.
“They (Informa) are grouping all the machine people in a tighter area than what they’ve done in the past, so you don’t have to hunt for companies at the show,” Lancto said.
The effort by the Natural Stone Institute to ramp up the Natural Stone Pavilion within StonExpo will complement SESA’s work, Lancto added.
“I think it’s going to be better with both organizations working to provide some sort of a bigger draw for people to come to the show,” he said. “I think I think fabricators are going to be impressed with the number of new natural-stone companies that are signed up for that pavilion, and some SESA members are starting to realize that they’re saving so much money if they can get bigger booths and bring more equipment to show.
“Both things are going to help this become the premier shelf of fabricators to go to.”
TISE will be Feb. 1-3 next year at the Mandalay Bay Convention Center in Las Vegas.
For more information, contact Jon Lancto of Big Fish Consulting at jlancto@icloud.com.
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