“Well Made Here” management pathfinding trek to National Hardware Show
Trade shows, the real deal in-person ones, are gradually coming back into the mix. Such is the case of the prestigious “National Hardware Show”, set to take place in early April, in Las Vegas. “Well Made Here” is sending management with several goals on its agenda.
Richard Darveau, President and CEO, and Célie Cournoyer, Director of Operations, contacted the promoters to see about carrying out on-the-spot negotiations aimed at selecting Canada as one of the international attractions for the 2023 edition.
“The momentum to promote “Made in Canada” is well established, our neighbours have a clear appetite for our products,” says Mr. Darveau. “And it just so happens that the natural flag bearer for such a circumstance is the “Well Made Here” program. (WMH)”
The main objective of the visit is therefore to obtain favourable terms to promote WMH-accredited products in 2023 to the approximately 20,000 business visitors who usually attend the event. Once the exhibition space and the tactical promotional package have been agreed upon, the Government of Canada will be approached to participate in lending financial support to the operation and enhance the B2B action plan involving trade commissioners stationed at the Los Angeles Consulate General. The provincial governments from which the participating manufacturers hail will also be invited to lend a hand diplomatically and financially.
“We are attending with great confidence of succeeding in working out an agreement on the spot. It will probably take us a few months to tie the necessary threads with the governments in order to be able to present a definitive project to interested manufacturers towards the end of the summer,” says Ms. Cournoyer.
Although the more intricate details of the concept remain to be defined, one can imagine a space of 4,000 to 5,000 sq. ft. where the common denominator will obviously be WMH accreditation, which is likely to provide international buyers with certain assurances in terms of product quality and production capacity.
“By banding together, not only will we benefit from better rates, we increase the probability of attracting attention in a jungle of about 1,200 exhibitors”, states Ms. Cournoyer, who cautions not to underestimate the impact of an eventual government seal of approval. In fact, a foreign buyer will be reassured to note that government bodies support the process concretely, in particular the risk management experts from Export Development Canada, the CanExport program to finance market diversification activities and “matchmaking” services that facilitate finding a foreign representative, etc.
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Another of the delegation’s motives to travel to Las Vegas is to promote Canadian exhibitors who are participating in this Spring 2022 edition. Testimonials and photos will be shared, because contrary to the popular adage, what WMH does in Vegas will not remain secret! Participants registered to 2022 edition of the show are invited to send a heads up to the “Well Made Here” team by email at celie@ici-here.ca