DOMOTEX USA celebrates second successful edition in Atlanta
The second edition of DOMOTEX USA drew to a successful close on 7th February. A total of 101 exhibitors from 12 countries showcased their latest products over a floor space of 39,800 square feet at this trade show and educational conference, which is the only one in North America to focus solely on carpets and flooring technology.
17 Feb 2020Share
CHICAGO – Following three days of highly-targeted, business-oriented educational sessions and displays from unique floor covering companies, the second annual
"We broadened our partnerships with key floor covering and design industry associations to triple our educational offerings and to launch accredited continuing education sessions at this year's event," said Larry Turner, president and CEO of Hannover Fairs USA (HFUSA), the organizer of the event. "Though we faced some global challenges around this second iteration of our show, we are committed to DOMOTEX USA's success. Over the next two months, HFUSA will conduct market research and will survey our target audiences to reshape and improve the show for 2021," he added.
DOMOTEX USA 2021 will take place at the Georgia World Congress Center in Atlanta from March 1-3.
Keynotes at DOMOTEX USA
Alan Beaulieu, international economic analyst and president of the Institute for Trend Research, kicked off the show's education program on Wednesday, Feb. 5 with an in-depth look at economic indicators. His keynote speech highlighted the residential industry forecast to outline what the flooring industry can expect in 2020 and beyond. He also advised the audience to think enthusiastically about future plans for prosperity in anticipation of the projected upswing in the economy.
Prior to the show opening on Thursday, Feb.6, brand leadership expert, Denise Lee Yohn, gave a rousing keynote free to all attendees about how floor covering experts can develop a brand experience that really connects with their customers. "I wanted the audience to understand how to run their businesses differently to attract more profitable and more loyal customers. My goal was to help each professional embrace a more targeted and focused approach to developing a great brand and customer experience," said Yohn.
Immediately following Yohn's presentation, Kemp Harr, publisher and owner of Floor Focus magazine, moderated the show's popular state-of-the-industry panel on the DOMOTEX USA Plaza stage located at the center of the show floor. Distinguished industry experts Piet Dossche, president of USFloors, Neil Poland, president of Mullican Flooring, and Bruce Zwicker, floor covering distributor consultant, offered an optimistic outlook for floor covering product sales in 2020.
On the final day of the show, featured speaker James Dion, founder and president of Dionco Inc., shared his expertise on consumer trends, retail technology, selling and service, retail merchandising and operations, as well as best practices for sustainable retail and store management.
Educational Offerings Triple in 2020
HFUSA strategically increased DOMOTEX USA's educational offerings to address industry challenges in 2020. The program featured more than 50 speakers, offered CEU and CCU credits, and included more tracks to educate and inspire interior designers, flooring retailers, installers, builders, contractors and remodelers.
"I came to DOMOTEX USA because of one main reason: the education," said Jermie Roberts, co-owner of Custom Floors Design, Inc. "The show offers a lot of opportunities to learn about the industry. What makes DOMOTEX USA unique is the ability to network with other industry partners. You have the ability to meet others from all over the world; in fact, I met people from India and China. I looked forward to seeing new products and to seeing what we can use and what we can bring home."
Through its partnership with the National Wood Flooring Association (NWFA), DOMOTEX USA offered continuing education sessions to help installers to learn how to address common issues that impact solid wood and engineered wood flooring. NWFA sessions also focused on how to operate a successful hardwood flooring business and explored issues related to both site-finished and factory finished wood flooring. "All NWFA accredited sessions were well-attended with highly engaged audience participation," said Michael Martin, president and CEO of NWFA. "We applaud DOMOTEX USA for offering an excellent platform for technical discussions and skills building," he added.
The show's new partnership with the American Society of Interior Designers (ASID) featured ASID CEU-approved sessions that connected products to the design process. DOMOTEX USA brought together top ASID members and interior design professionals, authors, speakers and educators to explore six hot design topics: organizational skills; authentic style; relationship building; living models to accommodate the aging culture; the inclusion of nature into design; and the impact of materials on human health in interior spaces.
The popular Emily Morrow Finkell design panel and luncheon returned in 2020 with a larger line-up of top interior design professionals. Finkell, the CEO of
"DOMOTEX USA is a really well organized, beautiful trade show and a wonderful platform for interior designers to connect with each other, retailers and the brands on display," said Finkell. "All of the designers on our panel and in the audience were excited to walk the show to see and feel the many new flooring products on display this year."
For 2020, DOMOTEX USA featured new retailer educational sessions to maximize the in-store experience. "As we look ahead, it is important to have enthusiasm versus fear about what the brick and mortar showroom experience can offer floor covering consumers," said speaker Nicole Leinbach Reyhle, founder and publisher of RetailMinded.com. Reyhle's sessions explored how flooring retailers can gain clarity for their store positioning utilizing select online and in-store marketing and operational initiatives.
Other retailer-focused sessions covered a broad range of topics, including how to compete more effectively to keep customers; staff recruiting, training and retention best practices; how to attract and keep the best installers; improving digital marketing strategies; and how to sell more flooring in 2020.
The well-attended builder/contractor/remodeler session, "Solutions to the Labor Crisis & Keys to Reliable Labor: Recruiting, Training and Retaining," led by Daniel Hicks, INSTALL's southeastern carpenters regional council representative, provided solutions to recruiting, training and retaining a reliable labor force.
Returning Manufacturers Launch New Products at DOMOTEX USA
Leading American manufacturers such as
Vancouver-based
The latest innovations in application and installation technologies were also on display at this year's show as well as at the launch in 2019.
New Exhibitors at DOMOTEX USA
"Manufacturers from around the globe utilize our DOMOTEX portfolio of shows to introduce innovative flooring products to their target audiences," said Sonia Wedell-Castellano, global director of the DOMOTEX brand at Deutsche Messe Group. "Even though the overall number of attendees at DOMOTEX USA 2020 did not reflect the measures and efforts undertaken by HFUSA, we are fully committed to the success of the show in 2021. We believe our North American show far exceeds other U.S. floor covering exhibitions across a number of areas," she added.
Italian company
Netherlands-based
For more information on the show and to register to exhibit at the show in 2021, visit
Media Contact:
Kathy Zoeller
Mattson Communications, Inc.
312-988-9352
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