Top Trade Shows of 2013

02/05/2014 — Matt Nagel

We attend dozens of trade shows every year to spread the good word about PartnerShip and the savings and shipping solutions we provide. While each trade show we attend has its own merits, we decided to take a closer look at a few of our favorites from 2013:

• The Winter and Summer Fancy Food Shows - Held in San Francisco and New York City respectively, these Specialty Food Association managed shows offer specialty food businesses a chance to sample newest trends, products, and training in their industry. The show features 1,300 exhibitors representing the latest in specialty foods and beverages from across the U.S. and 35 countries and regions. As exhibitors at both, we are very active at these shows and we even received some video testimonials about our services in New York.
• Summer and Winter NAMM — A music lover's dream, the NAMM shows bring together some of the most fascinating and talented businesses in the music industry to Anaheim (Winter NAMM) and Nashville (Summer NAMM) each year. Both NAMM shows do a great job of providing a platform for their exhibitors to build their brand, show their products, and reach their customers. Again, we had a chance to attend and get a first-hand video account of customers who are very satisfied with the shipping services through PartnerShip.
• CAMEX — Managed and organized by the National Association of College Stores (NACS), the non-profit association that owns PartnerShip, CAMEX is the quintessential show for college retailers and suppliers. Every year PartnerShip is an active participant at CAMEX, from our large booth presence, to the various happy hours and parties we sponsor. CAMEX 2013 was held in Kansas City where a winter storm threatened to put a damper on the show for exhibitors, but PartnerShip came to the rescue!
• ASTRA Marketplace & Academy - Located in Nashville in 2013, the show is a great place for retailers in the toy industry to network and explore the newest toys and products.  The ASTRA Marketplace & Academy attracts owners, managers, and sales representatives from retail stores that sell or specialize in toys, children's books, hobby supplies, and more.
• 58^th MSA Retail Conference and Expo - As the only event designed specifically for buyers at cultural institutions, the event took place in beautiful Los Angeles, California. Along with providing a great networking opportunity, the conference provides attendees with educational programming on current industry topics and trends. 
• NATM Convention & Trade Show — Held in Charleston, SC, this show supports the association's mission to unify the light- and medium-duty trailer manufacturing industry by offering educational tools and workshops to their members. NATM, the association that manages the show, constantly strives to improve trailer safety and performance, address regulatory issues, and improve the image of the industry. Main attractions of the show are their numerous educational workshops covering a wide range of topics including compliance, trailer parts, customer service, and social media.
• ASAE Annual Meeting & Exposition — A trade show by and for association professionals, this show was held in Atlanta, GA. The 2013 ASAE Annual Meeting & Exposition offered ways to help association executives transform ideas into solutions with more than 120 innovative learning sessions. Take a look at the ASAE YouTube page for a closer look at the event.

With 2013 behind us, the good news is that we won't have to wait long for another chance to rub shoulders with industry experts, exhibitors, and attendees at these and other world class shows in 2014. We hope to see you at one of the shows above - or maybe at one of the dozens of others we attend and support throughouth the year.

Check back tomorrow for our Top PartnerShip Blog Posts of 2013