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Editor's Comment
September 1, 2008 By: Esther Durkalski Hertzfeld Paperboard PackagingWill SCE Be the Boost the Industry Needs?
Will SuperCorrExpo (SCE) have the positive impact on the corrugated container industry we all hope it will? So far, 2008 has been a rough year for some board converters — the slowing economy has helped some but hurt far more.
It has been four years since the corrugated industry has had a major machinery and educational show.
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SuperCorrExpo also will mark six years since a major corrugated show has served the European market since the demise of the Corrugated show in Paris.
I hoped that 2008 would be a year of opportunity and growth for our industry. The anticipation leading up to SuperCorrExpo would propel the corrugated container industry forward, making 2008 a great, highly successful, high-growth year for the industry. But now, with the year almost over, I'm not sure.
I'm still hopeful that the industry will pick up after the show but from my talks with board converters and suppliers, I'm less certain. So many suppliers I've talked to are experiencing difficult times. They have invested so much into making SuperCorrExpo a success — but are they putting all their eggs into one basket? I hope not.
One flexo supplier I spoke to said there isn't any money for anything else — it's all gone to making SCE a success. But will board converters be able to give those exhibitors a healthy return on their investment?
As of press time, Kristi Ledbetter, TAPPI Corrugated Packaging Division manager, says 311 companies and 285 total exhibitors (some companies will share exhibit space) will be displaying their wares, with more than 100 of these exhibitors new for this year. Total square footage currently stands at 128,500 — a record.
What accounts for a record number of exhibitors and strong preregistration numbers, especially with the U.S. economy sputtering? Ledbetter believes a number of factors are in play. First, two years ago the Corrugated Paris show was cancelled. So there's a pent-up demand from box makers to learn how they can become more efficient.
"A lot of people who were planning to go to the Paris show, or had money set aside for it in their long-term budgets, switched over to SuperCorrExpo," she states.
Second, positive word of mouth plays an important role.
"It's infectious," she says. "When people learn there will be a lot of exhibitors at SuperCorrExpo, exhibit space is selling, and people are actually going to be there, they feel like it is good value for the money they have. They have x number of dollars and have to decide where it can best be spent."
She adds that SuperCorrExpo has heavily promoted the show to Latin American suppliers and box makers, noting that companies in this part of the world haven't had a show to attend in a long time.
"People are really looking forward to SuperCorrExpo," she says. "Some of the booth diagrams I've seen are amazing."
With no recent word on ever having another European corrugated show, plans have been finalized for SuperCorrExpo 2012, set for Oct. 1-5, again in Atlanta.
I hope this year's show will be the success the industry needs and deserves — so many have worked so hard to make it a success. I'm keeping my fingers crossed.
Contact Esther at
419-873-9886 or
ehertzfeld@questex.com
