IDEA16 breaks records

Attracting more than 7,000 attendees and 555 exhibitors, IDEA16 broke all prior exhibitor and attendee records for its recently wrapped up triennial event May 2-5 at the Boston Convention & Exhibition Centre. Attendees from more than 60 countries came to the City of Science for three days of exhibits, market intelligence, education and face-to-face interaction.

“This record-setting turnout confirms IDEA as the world’s preeminent event for nonwovens and engineered fabrics,” says INDA president Dave Rousse. “We are delighted with the enthusiasm of exhibitors and visitors alike regarding the value of this show to advance their business interests. The new Boston venue was well-accepted. We are all fortunate to be in a dynamic, innovation-driven industry with continued great prospects, as evidenced by the many announcements of new products, new machinery and new capabilities during the show.”

A total of 555 companies exhibited their products and services at IDEA16, an increase of 15 per cent compared to IDEA13. This year IDEA occupied all 5,00,000 sq ft at the Boston Exhibition and Convention Centre, about 25 per cent more than in Miami Beach. “With the increase of 6 per cent in registrants, this provided the larger crowd with additional space to move about and comfortably interact with each other,” says Rousse.

IDEA will return to a newly renovated Miami Beach Convention Centre, in Miami Beach, Florida on March 26-28, 2019 with a welcome reception on March 25.

Other event highlights included the presentation of awards for outstanding achievements. Mogul, a Turkish nonwovens producer, and Diaper Recycling Technology/MobiAir, a Singapore-based manufacturer of modular plug-and-play air handling systems, were both presented with Entrepreneur awards by Nonwovens Industry Magazine.

The IDEA16 Lifetime Achievement Award was awarded to Leo Cancio,advisor at Clopay Plastic Products. INDA’s IDEA16 Achievement Awards, presented in partnership with Nonwovens Industry magazine, recognized the brightest innovations from the leading companies, individuals, and new products in the nonwovens and engineered fabrics industry. In online voting, the following companies were selected as winners from the finalists.