IDEA13, this year’s version of the triennial event organized by INDA, Association of the Nonwoven Fabrics Industry, featured 483 exhibiting companies, filling 400,000 gross square feet (37,000 square meters) of the Miami Beach Convention Center. This event drew to Miami Beach close to 7,000 attendees from 72 countries to conduct business with industry members.
“IDEA13 was a record-breaking event and one of the most successful IDEA shows ever. The continued strong participation of international exhibitors and attendees is proof of the show’s importance within the international nonwovens/engineered fabrics community,” says INDA?President Dave Rousse. “IDEA13 was truly a global event.”
In addition to the thousands of attendees and hundreds of exhibitors on the show floor of the Miami Beach Convention Center, many more were doing business at nearby hotels and at over 50 on-site meeting rooms utilized by the leading companies in the industry to facilitate their business discussions.
IDEA13 also saw the continuation of new media formats during the course of the three-day event. The IDEA13 social networking site allowed pre-registered attendees to do business before the start of IDEA. IDEA TV, produced in cooperation with Nonwovens Industry magazine, provided breaking news and interviews during the three days of IDEA13. In addition, IDEA NEWS, the show newspaper, published by World Textile Information Network, highlighted events and companies at IDEA13.
Also, the well-attended conference sessions focused on regional global markets, trends and forecasts and provided attendees with an insightful look into the engineered fabrics markets in North America, South America, Europe, Asia-Pacific, China and India.
A high note at IDEA was the IDEA13 Achievement Awards. The Achievement Awards are sponsored by INDA in partnership with Nonwovens Industry magazine. They were presented to the best new products during the last three years, in the following five categories: Equipment, Raw Materials, Roll Goods, Short-Life End Product and Long-Life End Product.