MAATS attendance up 5 percent
CHICAGO – Despite less than ideal dates, overall attendance at the 2004 Marine Aftermarket Accessories Trade Show increased 5 percent, with 2,385 qualified members of the marine aftermarket category participating, according to final numbers released today by the National Marine Manufacturers Association.
In addition, more buyers attended the show than any other previous MAATS event. There were 355 buyers at this year’s MAATS compared to 260 at the 2003 event, representing a 37-percent increase.
The strong support from industry buyers made MAATS a successful event for many exhibitors, according to organizers. They participated in more than 1,700 buyer-supplier meetings throughout the event.
“MAATS is unique in its concept and organization and worked for us before it even opened,” said Martin Wigg, president of Performance Metals. “The buyer meetings allowed focused, one-on-one time with key distributors and the New Product Preview presentation gave us an unprecedented opportunity to get our message out to the industry. The show was a great vehicle for a new company like ours to gain visibility in a very short period of time.”
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