With more than 200 suppliers in attendance, the show floor was packed with new products, equipment and tools. Many suppliers brought the same booths they normally take to the AAPEX Show held in Las Vegas every year. Owners and executive management of many supplier companies were on hand to work their booths and meet jobber customers.
Jobbers attended from as far away as Central and South America, as well as Europe and the Caribbean, and all corners of the U.S., including Washington, New York, California and all points in between.
The three-day event began with a vendor golf tournament on Thursday. The show opened early on Friday and closed late on Saturday, giving the jobbers plenty of face-time with the hundreds of suppliers.
On the show floor, jobbers could see more than a dozen show vehicles, valued at more than $1 million, including several one-of-a-kind vehicles like the Skull King Truck and the Last Ride motorcycle. There was even a Mini Cooper Truck featuring two engines producing a total of 1,100 hp! And what’s a tool expo without celebrities? ISN had celebrities Rich Evans, JoAnn Bortles, Boris Said, Dozer and CR Gittere on hand to sign autographs. Bortles did live air brush demonstrations as well.
In addition to the new products the jobbers discovered on the show floor, ISN offered training demonstrations throughout the show hours. There were also a number of prizes available for the attendees to win, including a classic, restored 1968 Ford Mustang. Additional prizes given away included jewelry, electronics and luxury items valued at $30,000.
The show closed on Saturday and was followed by a gala dinner and awards ceremony. The approximately 2,500 guests were entertained by Disney performers. A special tribute was made to Pete Weber Sr., founder of ISN. Awards were presented to suppliers for several categories: Most Orders Written: S•K Hand Tools; Best Spirit Award: Stateside Sales Agency; Highest Volume Sales and Best in Show: Ingersoll Rand; and Best Product Demonstration: Maha USA.