The next VDTA/SDTA Convention & Show will be in
New Orleans, LA
February 27 - 29, 2012
at the Ernest Morial Convention Center
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The next VDTA/SDTA Convention & Show will be in |
ESSCO shares 2009 VDTA Show highlights “I believe that every exhibitor suspected that the 2009 VDTA Show was going to be very interesting” said Terry Finger, ESSCO’s VP of Marketing. “Watching and reading the news in 2008 and early 2009 had become a truly painful exercise and the economic times that we face are challenging for every single one of us. Attendance at the show was down which is not much of a surprise but my hat is off to everyone who came to Las Vegas for the 2009 show.” According to Finger, the dealers who attended the show were not full of gloom and doom. In fact, he said quite the opposite was the case on the show floor. Dealers were energized and eager to see every part of the show. “Attendees were striving to find as many new and different products and ideas as possible to make their businesses more profitable and competitive in these economic times,” he said. “Dealers attended more seminars and paid more attention than at any time in recent memory. This show adjusted my attitude not just about the vacuum cleaner industry but also about the American economy as a whole. Americans are not lying down and accepting the news of the day. They are staying positive and making changes to better their businesses, and they are creating new opportunities for themselves.” The 2009 show was very positive for ESSCO because of the quality of the dealers who attended the show. Finger said, “They believe that we will succeed in this trying time and acted on that belief throughout the entire three days of the show. The dealers who attended should be very proud of themselves because they will make a difference in this economy and they made a believer out of me.” There were three areas of interest for most dealers who came to the ESSCO booth. The first area was parts. Dealers have seen an increase in repairs in this economy and were very interested in new OEM and aftermarket parts that can maximize their profits on repairs and allow them to repair more brands. Dealers were excited about EuroPro parts which are exclusive to ESSCO. A complete cross reference for EuroPro is available at www.essco.net or by contacting an ESSCO sales representative. Original Windsor parts are available and in stock for 2009. ESSCO can now provide dealers with OEM Kenmore parts. Over 50 original Kenmore schematics are able to be accessed at the ESSCO Web site. Other items of interest included an expanded assortment of Dyson parts, the new line of high quality DVC filters, and a new group of OEM quality replacement cords at unbeatable dealer prices. The second area of interest for show attendees was add-on sales. Dealers are looking for new impulse products that they can sell on their counter and make high margins. Many dealers decided that Freshwave, a non-toxic line of odor eliminators might be the next big thing and purchased counter displays from ESSCO at the show. Another possible area of growth for dealers at the show was the new ESSCO pet display. The pet display includes many new floor care related items with the pet owner in mind. The display is 24-inches wide with an attractive header board. It includes everything a pet owner needs, including the Cirrus Performance Pet Edition vacuum, pet shampoo, odor eliminators, air sanitizers, carpet care products, and much more. Finally, dealers were very excited at the opportunity to expand their commercial sales. The ESSCO Jan/San line is a complete line of products designed to allow dealers to quote school systems, businesses and other commercial properties with endless possibilities. The line contains the entire Scot Labs brand of cleaning chemicals, including encapsulating extractor cleaners, enzyme cleaners, neutral cleaners and floor strippers. There is also a complete line of commercial attachments, mops and buckets and a full line of commercial equipment. The third area of interest for dealers at the show was new lines of equipment and new categories. The Cirrus line has become very popular with independent dealers for several reasons. The quality of the vacuum cleaners is outstanding and the price points at retail are easily attained. The Cirrus line is only available through independent vacuum dealers and there is a strict MAP price at retail and on the Web that is enforced to keep the line clean. Three new additions to the Cirrus line for 2009 included the Cirrus C-CR99 Performance Edition pet vacuum, the Cirrus C-CB50 central vacuum, and the all new C-VC248 straight suction canister. Each model was very well received by the dealers in attendance. Also new to ESSCO for 2009 is the Eureka central vacuum line. ESSCO has been chosen to distribute the entire line of Eureka central vacuums, attachment kits and other items. New for 2009 is the Zuum line of Eureka central vacuums which will be available shortly. Eureka also introduced the SC9050 lightweight commercial upright which was very popular at the show. Panasonic announced at the show that the ESSCO Platinum vacuum territory had been expanded to include Florida, Illinois, and Michigan. Dealers in those states can now order the fine line of Platinum machines directly from ESSCO. Hoover showcased their Platinum line of floor care equipment to independent dealers at the show. The line includes a full sized upright, an upright extractor, a lightweight upright and canister combination a lithium battery powered stick vacuum and a lithium powered hand vacuum. Hoover announced a major media campaign promoting the line for the first and second quarter of 2009. Finger noted, “2009 may indeed be a challenge for everyone but I believe that independent dealers do indeed survive and thrive in these economic times. The exciting new products from the 2009 VDTA Show can help drive business for all dealers this year.” VDTA Show Winners of a Cirrus Performance Pet Edition Vacuum Cleaner
Reprinted from Floor Care Professional, May 2009 |