NHS 2009 in Vegas is Global Platform for Newest Hardware

The U.S. National Hardware Show (NHS) has been serving as a platform for showcasing the world's newest trends and innovations in hardware for more than six decades.

This year's NHS was held in the South Hall, Central Hall, and North Hall of the Las Vegas Convention Center on May 5-7, attracting around 4,000 exhibitors and 35,000 visitors from all over the world. In addition to showing off the newest products, the show's organizer, Reed Exhibitions, also hosted special events and educational seminars to add breadth and depth of content to the show.

The show is widely recognized as the best place to develop business for builders, corporate managers, interior designers, and related professionals from the U.S. and overseas, giving them convenient access to the huge American market for home improvement and DIY products. The opportunities are especially attractive at a time when the "staycation" idea--staying at home for vacations instead of taking expensive trips-is gaining currency and encouraging consumers to spend more on building and remolding their homes.

Seven-in-One Strategy

NHS 2009 was reorganized into seven different pavilions under a single roof: Hardware & Tools, Lawn, Garden & Outdoor Living, Paint & Accessories, Homewares, Plumbing & Electrical, Storage & Organization, and International Sourcing Convention. According to the organizer, this "7-in-1 Strategy" made the 64th NHS more accessible and efficient than ever for visitors and exhibitors.

Among exhibitors, 650 in the Hardware & Tools pavilion showcased builder tools and instruments, caulking materials and sealants, ceiling products, door hardware and locksets, flooring, gutters, awnings, vents, hand tools and tool kits, lumber products, insulation, masonry products, and power tools, while over 900 in the Garden & Outdoor Living segment displayed a full range of garden and products covering BBQ grills and accessories, bird feeders, fencing, fertilizers, flower plants and stands, gardening tools and apparel, garden ponds and fountains, irrigation equipment, pool and spa products, and lawn decorations. These two segments had the largest numbers of exhibitors.

The Storage & Organization pavilion and the International Sourcing Convention were new additions to the show's brochure this year. The former drew around 150 exhibitors of food and storage organizers, garage storage systems and products, outdoor storage containers, storage racks and bins, and home organization solutions; the later catered to buyers seeking international business opportunities and partnerships, with more than 1,000 manufacturers setting up shop in the pavilion.

Award Ceremonies

For decades, the NHS has been the ideal showcase for the world's newest products and innovations for the home improvement market. This role has been augmented by a number of award ceremonies sponsored by prominent local institutions like the United Inventor Association (UIA) and Home Channel News.

This year, judges of the 25th Annual Golden Hammer Awards carefully selected 32 winners from four categories, namely Hardware & Tools/Supplies, Home Decor, LBM/Durables, and Outdoor Livings. Some big-name brands, including Black and Decker, GE, and Stanley, were on the winners' list. Successful retailers were also recognized by several special awards; Nelson Agri-Center True Value was given the Innovative Retailer of the Year award, for example, and Orgill Inc. was named Retail Partner of the Year.

Also, UIA announced five winners of the 2nd Inventors Spotlight Awards: Wes DeBow (inventor of Nut Lok) for Best New Product, C.M. Jong (Guardener) for Best Eco-friendly Product, Trung Quach (Dead Bolt Secure) for Best Business Potential, Henry Dekort (Pik Safe) for Best for Simplicity, and Micah L. Maraia (Dotz) for Best Booth Presentation. "There is certainly a lot of interest in innovation and invention," said Ed Several, manager of the show. "We believe there's always someone with a better mousetrap idea looking to get their product to market."

Trendsetting Inventions

The Editors Choice Awards were presented by Popular Mechanics magazine for trendsetting inventions and practices, as chosen by the magazine's senior editors for their unique attention to marketability.

Among 15 products winning these awards was Blade Runner, an innovative and practical drywall cutting tool featuring two halves held in place with powerful rare earth magnets. Each half sits on one side of the drywall panel, and the two halves move in tandem. By pushing the pieces to operate embedded circular blades, users can easily score both sides of the sheet at once.

Another award winner was the Mechanical Lighted Pickup Tool, featuring a tip with an LED chip built in and a flexible shaft that allows users to quickly find parts they have dropped in dark and tight spaces, while the ZAR Deck and Siding Clear Wood Sealer won with water-based biocides that prevent mildew from forming on decks and siding.

Developed in line with the growing awareness of better safety, the patent-protected Little Giant 6-foot Stepladder won acclaim for its extra-wide treads and an "Air Deck" paint tray that extends upward to help users work on high rungs without bending over. The ladder is designed with a magnetic tray for small parts, and plenty of holes and hooks to store other tools, while its X-shaped hinge can be snapped into place without pinching the user's fingers.

Educational Seminars

NHS 2009 earned praise not only for providing a full range of displays, but also for offering a slate of educational seminars focused on different topics for industry insiders, making it more informative and inspirational than similar trade fairs elsewhere.

For instance, Rick Pontz, president of the Lawn and Garden Performance Group, addressed attendees on "Trends & Opportunities in the Lawn & Garden Industry," and Rob Tannen, director of Research Mathieu Turpault, presented a lecture on "The Near Future: Blending Tools and Technologies." Both of the talks focused on sustainable business development through product trends and opportunities industry.

"Green" is a buzzword in the home improvement industry, and inevitably was so among seminar speakers. Fred Miller, managing director of HIRI, talked about the importance of concentrating on the development of green products in his speech, "Energy Savings - An Outstanding Consumer Opportunity," and Jay Tompt, senior green business strategist for the Green it Group, stated his views on "How to Make Green a Growth Engine for Your Company."

CENS, as a leading export media in Taiwan, was also available at the show. Company representatives circulated its publications, including CENS Hardware and Guidebook to Taiwan Hand Tools, paving a way for buyers to visit Taiwan's excellent hardware and hand tool industries and bringing the island's name into the global spotlight.

The NHS will celebrate its 65th anniversary during the show on May 4~6 next year at the same venue as this year, as it looks to a future in which it remains the leading trendsetter in the industry and the best place for home improvement manufacturers to do business.