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Building a Future for Distributors and Dealers of Building Products

April 2006                                Volume 45,  Issue 3

HARDscapes

A Deck of a Show
Despite Weather Attendees Stormed to DeckExpo in Memphis
by Samantha Carpenter

Many DeckExpo attendees thought they were going to be greeted by fairly warm temperatures when they attended this year’s show in Memphis, Tenn., Feb. 16-18, 2006. But freezing temperatures and freezing rain didn’t put a damper on attendees’ or exhibitors’ spirits on the show floor. Preliminary figures show 984 attendees (as opposed to exhibitor personnel) at this year’s DeckExpo, according to show organizers. These preliminary figures were slightly down from 2005’s show in Tampa, Fla., which attracted 1,012 industry attendees. 

Exhibitors “Sound Off”

This was the first year that SiggiScrew of Middlebury, Vt., exhibited at DeckExpo. The company brought four employees to run its booth.

“We found that our booth was constantly crowded with people from all aspects of the deck industry—deck installation companies, distributors, materials manufacturers and other ancillary businesses serving the industry. Also, the two-day schedule was just about right,” said David Blacker, sales manager. “People seemed really enthusiastic about our product because they all said they had never seen anything like it. Inventor of the product Siggi Gudjonsson’s demonstration showed time and time again how the SiggiScrew would power through even the toughest materials easily—even Brazilian Ironwood and very dense composites. People kept bringing us samples and saying, ‘Let’s see you go through this!’ and we were always able to impress them.”

Wolmanized Wood® of Smyrna, Ga., is a DeckExpo veteran, displaying at the past four shows. The company brought five people to help run its booth.

“We had a good show. There seemed to be more interest in real wood this year, compared to past years when artificial wood dominated attention,” said Huck DeVenzio, manager of marketing communications for Arch Wood Protection, licenser of Wolmanized Wood. “We were especially happy with interest in our particular booth and the Good Housekeeping Seal which was recently earned by our brand. Despite the weather, aisle traffic remained steady until the end of the show.

Exhibitors’ Wares

This year’s Deck-Expo had nearly 300 exhibitors. Here’s what a couple exhibitors at this year’s show had on display.

Look Out for UFO

Universal Fastener Outsourcing of Fayetteville, Ark., displayed its UFO Ballistic NailScrews™, which are patent pending and designed to drive with pneumatic nailing tools in several collations. 

These collations include 20-degree plastic strip, 15-degree wire coil and 15-degree plastic sheet coil. The NailScrews can be screwed out or adjusted, just like a regular screw.

www.sheltermagazine.com/infocenter

Get Rockin with RockDeck

RockDeck of Dundas, Ontario, is a patented system, which is comprised of natural granite tiles on an aluminum interlocking grid system. The company says the system can easily be adapted and fitted to any surface, such as raised decks, roof-top patios, walkways, pool patios and docks.

The tiles provide strength and durability and its material composition provides years of resistance to natural corrosion, insects and harmful UV exposure, according to a company release.

www.sheltermagazine.com/infocenter

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