60th anniversary gift idea

Despite an eight percent decrease in attendance and an eighteen percent decrease in exhibitors, the 2003 School, Home and Office Products Association ( SHOPA) Show held this past November in Atlanta, showcased 503 exhibitors' new products and innovations to more than 7,500 attendees from 73 nations around the world.

"Although attendance was down from 2002, buyers and sellers alike are looking for quality appointments, and that is what the Association delivered," said SHOPA president, Steven Jacober. "We are very pleased with the quality of buyers and a record number (106) of new reseller companies attending the show this year."

According to SHOPA, several factors continued to influence show attendance including the continued reseller and vendor corporate consolidation resulting from mergers, acquisitions, and business closures, the changing role of the tradeshow, and the slow-to-recover economy.

Regardless of attendance figures, excitement was high and exhibitors were hopeful; displaying a wide variety of products for the $324 billion school, home and office products industry.

SHOW FEATURES

Educating attendees about industry trends and successful business practices are at the forefront of SHOPA's list of priorities. Six seminars were presented throughout the three show days on a variety of topics including a presentation on Color Trends from Letrice Eiseman, executive director of the Pantone Institute; Successful Branding Trends by Duane Knapp, president of Brand Strategy; and Back-to-School: New Year for Kids by Paul Kuruit, president of KidShop. Unfortunately, a panel discussion on the Stale of the Industry had to be cancelled after two panel members were unable to attend.

Encompassing more than 152, 000 square feet of exhibit space, the SHOPA show floor offered attendees a focused, effective venue for previewing the industry's merchandising and product trends for the 2004 selling season. A New Products Showcase area separate from the exhibits gave attendees the opportunity to check out hundreds of new products.

Celebrating its 60th anniversary, the Writing Instrument Manufacturers Association (WIMA) gathered twenty-two writing instrument exhibitors together to form one large vendor specific area for attendees.

An International Business Center provided interpreters and meeting areas for international visitors. An Internet e-mail station, newsstand cafe, show floor rest stops and buyer's lounge provided ample space for attendees and exhibitors to meet, read, check their e-mail or just lake a break from walking.

NEW PRODUCT INTRODUCTIONS

I was fortunate to be able to attend the SHOPA show for the second year in a row and to really get a hands-on look at the latest product introductions. I canvassed the show floor more than three times and visited just about every exhibitor looking for new and exciting products. And, I'm happy to say that I was not disappointed. While many exhibitors were touting enhanced versions of their existing product lines with subtle design changes and new colors (by the way-orange is the new HOT color), others were showcasing completely new products that I haven't seen in my eight years in the industry.

For example, the QGrip from K Products, LLC, is an ingenious little device for holding pens, pencils, scissors, paint brushes, toothbrushes and more. The uses for this product are limited only by our imaginations.

Joui International has created a new product that eliminates the traditional reinforcement or "donut rings" that fix ripped punched holes or secure punched holes. The "Auto- Ring" has an applicator with 200 rings that are simply stamped right onto the punched hole. Other models will actually punch and secure the hole at the same lime. I was fortunate to be able to try this product and found it easy to use and highly effective. (As much as I tried, I couldn't rip a hole secured with their product.)

The Keyboard Organizer is another interesting product that is long-past due in the industry. It offers a fully functioning keyboard on top and flips up to reveal storage space underneath.

Tarifold, a company long known for their presentation products, has taken a completely new direction with its taromatic line of aromatherapy products designed specifically for the office environment. Creating well-being in the workspace, Tarifold offers an Aroma Sticks diffuser and a personal size Aroma Capsule in four unique scents.

Enhancing the everyday combination lock, Dudley has kids running to get a lock that reflects their own personal style. These combination locks are available in a variety of colors and designs including metallics and sports themes.

Cardinal Brands has also come out with a new idea for phone messages. While Cardinal's product looks like a standard carbonless wirebound phone message book, a self stick adhesive allows originals to be stuck onto just about anything instead of being piled up on a desk where the message can be forgotten.

If high tech is more to your liking, Kensington's new WiFi linder whieh attaches to a keychain and is about the size of a ear remote, has indieator lights that allows users to cheek for a WiFi connection without having to open and start a laptop.

In cooperation with Logitech's ioPersonal Digital Pen which converts handwritten notes and drawings into computer text and graphics, the Black n' Red Digital Notebook with 96 pages works with the pen to store handwritten notes. With digital paper enabling Anoto functionality, ticks at the bottom of each page allow the user to prepare the stored information in the pen for e- mail or to be output.

The journaling trend has taken o(f in Europe and is now making its way to the U.S. market with a line of journals from the Netherlands. Individuals showcased six new journals designed for tweens and teens to make school life more organized, and fun! Each journal has enough room to fill out class schedules, lists of grades, notes, homework and personal information.

Quick printers and office products dealers looking for a unique niche may find opportunity in offering Printasia Big Prints by Uford. Centering around a large format digital printing system and printing on three different types of Printasia media, dealers can offer high-quality enlargements to customers of all types. Enlargements are offered as pre- mounted boards in various sixes that are ready for presentations or framing.

These are just a few of the hundreds of new products being showcased at the show. Look for complete descriptions and contact information tor these and many more products in llic Product Registry beginning on page eighteen.

EDUCATIONAL EFFORTS

The SHOPA Foundation Silent Auction was a hit again this year with hundreds ol personal and business gift items, electronics gadgets, sports equipment, memorabilia, and more. The auction, open to all attendees, raised more than $40,000 for SHOPA's Kids in Need program. An estimated 117 exhibitors participated in the SHOPA Foundation's Product Harvest which asked exhibitors to donate excess merchandise to the Foundation. all told, the value of the merchandise donated exceeded $355, 000.

This year, United Stationers and Kroger were honored by the SHOPA Foundation for Education Excellence at its Annual Award Gala held in the atrium at the Omni hotel in Atlanta. These companies were honored for their dedication to the industry and charitable contributions to the foundation. The Gala raised more than $161, 000 for the Foundation's Kids in Need and Teacher Grants programs. The Foundation was proud in announcing that, since its inception in 1995, it has given away more than $100 million worth of supplies and that with the 2004- 2005 school season, SHOPA expects to have helped more than one million children.

SHOPA 2OO4: A NEW BENNINO

In 2004, the International SHOPA Show will be expanded to include a new one- to- one buyer to seller event called Business Express, which is modeled after SHOPA' s successful SBTS Marketplace. According to SHOPA, the new show will be linked together with the educational offerings of SHOPA University in an Industry Week, this new event will be the most effective and efficient venue for everyone involved in the school and office products arena.

The International SHOPA SHOW will be held Monday through Wednesday, September 20th to the 22nd and will offer both vendors and resellers an opportunity to participate in a traditional tradeshow format. The Business Express meetings will begin the afternoon of September 22th and run through September 24th. This format will provide participants with a pre- sehe duled series of 20minute meetings in private rooms located throughout the convention center and will be a very familiar experience for those who have participated in SBTS or other one-on-one events. In addition, SHOPA will be testing a limited version of the Business Express loi mat on the SHOW floor.