Making the most of Expo 2022

If you are attending IFAI Expo 2022 this month in Charlotte, N.C., welcome. For more than 100 years, Expo has been the place where industry stakeholders and leaders connect, learn and make purchases to grow their businesses. This year promises to be even better.

You’ll learn new strategies and hear from your peers who may be able to provide answers to your own problems because they’ve “been there and done that” already. 

In a previous publication for which I worked, we used the conference motto, “If you come away from this event with just one new idea, then we haven’t done our job.” And, as odd as that phrase sounds, it is something we truly believe about Expo. From the education session lineup (previewed in our September issue) to the product demonstrations, campfire sessions, and industry social events, Expo has been designed to spark multiple new ideas. 

While reconnecting with acquaintances from past Expos, you’ll have a chance to make new connections—maybe a new customer or a new supplier. With over 260 exhibitors organized by market on the Expo show floor, you are guaranteed to find an exhibitor who has a solution to your problems. You’ll see products and technologies—many of which are being introduced for the first time—that will blow your mind. And don’t miss out on the ever-popular Puppy Booth where you can relax by playing with a puppy (and maybe even adopt one). Puppies are always good.

While you are there, we’d love to meet you. The entire Specialty Fabrics Review editorial team will be there (some of whom are also the editors of our sister publications, Marine Fabricator, InTents and Geosynthetics). We’ll be reporting on the conference, of course, but also making new connections ourselves. Our best story ideas come from talking to the people who are on the front lines of the textile industry. So, stop by and say hello.

And, if you can’t attend—no worries. We’ll bring you the highlights in our annual show wrap-up. Like AT&T used to say about its long-distance service, “It’s the next best thing to being there.”