News

Birmingham Rocks: "Best Ever" CEDIA Expo (14/6/2004)

Packed seminars, thriving exhibition stands and buzzing social events proved the order of the week as CEDIA Expo 2004 hit town at Birmingham's International Convention Centre. In what was described as the "best-ever CEDIA Expo", visitor numbers swelled to 3097 over the four days (1st-4th June), up 3% on last year's numbers, with over 1500 attending the extensive range of CEDIA Expo seminars, forums and workshops, also up on last year.

"CEDIA Expo cemented its place this year as the top European-based event dedicated to the fast-growing home technology, automation and integration sector" comments Stephen Gough, CEDIA UK Chairman. "Moving to Birmingham's ICC venue from Brighton proved incredibly successful, with many exhibitors rising to the challenge to build eye-poppingly, impressive stands. Even in the absence of a fast train service from Euston to Birmingham for the event's duration, and a major air traffic control failure on Day Two as well, attendance exceeded last year. CEDIA Expo was, indeed, bigger and better than ever before, and with a growing body of international visitors, the event continues to build its reputation on the global stage".

Attracting a diverse audience of custom installers, property developers, architects, interior designers, builders, electrical contractors and systems integrators, CEDIA Expo 2004 featured exhibition stands from over 100 companies, over 50 educational seminars, product training sessions, forums and workshops and a varied schedule of business networking opportunities. A larger proportion of international visitors to Expo (12% this year from 41 countries) were able to take advantage of key seminars conducted for the first time in languages other than English, and also enjoyed the popular International Lunch on Day Three, hosted by Lutron. The Chairman's Reception at The Living Room venue (Day Two) and the CEDIA Party, sponsored by The Multi Room Company, at Jimmy Spices & Blue Mango (Day Three) also generated rave reviews (if more than a few sore heads on the days after) as top drawer social and business networking events.

Among the other key highlights at CEDIA Expo was an all day visit on Day Two from a TV crew filming for Channel 5's newly launched TV Series, "The Gadget Show". Presenter Suzi Perry caught the eye of many as she visited numerous Expo Stands for some of the smartest product demonstrations at the show. An estimated audience of over 1 million visitors can see what she and the film crew made of Expo when the item is broadcast in a few weeks time (transmission date Monday 5th July).

Another innovation on Day Three was the Housebuilder's Forum. Stephen Gough, CEDIA UK Chairman, Jeff Hoover, past-CEDIA US Chairman and Michael Heiss joined Jo Smit, Editor of Building Homes magazine and a panel of housebuilders, representing David Wilson Homes, Antler Homes and Country & Metropolitan Homes to discuss a range of housebuilding and home technology related issues. Typical of many of the Expo forums, debate was lively and thought-provoking, particularly when it came to ideas on taking the UK market forward and learning from the experiences of the US model.

In announcing next year's CEDIA Expo dates, scheduled to run from 28 June-1 July 2005 (provisional) at the ICC Birmingham, CEDIA confirmed that already over 65% of exhibitors have re-booked space for the event.

www.cedia.co.uk