Windy City Gathering

Chicago will once again host WasteExpo, with an estimated 12,000 attendees expected for 2001, says Rita Ugianskis-Fishman, WasteExpo show director. In addition to the traditional features of the show, including educational sessions, the exhibit hall and networking opportunities, several new features have been added.

One of the big changes attendees may notice is the show’s schedule, taking place April 3 to 5, more than a month earlier than last year’s May show. The venue, however, is familiar.

Chicago’s McCormick Place South has hosted the show before, although not without some complaints registered by exhibitors regarding set-up and teardown policies at the facility.

Ugianskis-Fishman acknowledges the difficulties attendees and exhibitors had when the show was held in Chicago in 1998. “A lot has changed and it remains to be seen” as to whether changes promised by facility officials will be enforced, she says.

The show’s organizers discussed the previous complaints with convention officials in Chicago. “They know . . . WasteExpo probably won’t come back if things do not go successfully.” So far, she says she has heard positive things from WasteExpo planners working with McCormick Place. “We are working with Chicago and their unions to make this a good show.”

GAINING ATTENTION

An event that all attendees will want to note, Ugianskis-Fishman says, is “The Great Debate: Is Recycling Garbage?”

In 1996, The New York Times Magazine ran a cover story titled “Recycling Is Garbage,” expressing the view of author John Tierney that recycling was a waste of time and an inefficient use of resources. Environmentalist Allen Hershowitz of the Natural Resource Defense Council disagreed, and the two have swapped opinions through the media ever since. At the Tuesday night cocktail reception, the two will participate in a live debate.

Additions to the educational format at this year’s show include sessions organized by the Solid Waste Association of North America (SWANA). Those sessions will be looking at topics such as managing recycling and garbage collection costs, doing business through local governments and tracks specifically for manufacturers and other generators of waste.

Ugianskis-Fishman says the show is trying to attract three main audiences through the educational sessions. “We primarily seek to attract three main groups,” she says. “The private sector, the public sector and the waste generators. These are basically the facility managers or the vice presidents of environmental compliance across all industries.”

She says the organization of the educational sessions seem to be influencing the attendance of the show, as several companies have opted to send multiple attendees specifically for the value of the educational sessions.

In addition to sessions organized by SWANA, the Environmental Industry Associations (EIA) and WASTEC have organized four days of programming covering topics such as buying and selling through the Internet, a look at international recycling markets, and electronics recycling.

Seven hours of educational sessions have been organized by the Yale University Solid Waste Policy Program faculty. These sessions will address the changing needs of large manufacturing and commercial waste generators. Speakers from McDonald’s Corp., Target Corp., and Kinko’s will talk about managing and measuring the performance of waste management providers and when to use contracting consultants. These sessions are geared toward waste generators, whether they are retail and fast food chains or Fortune 500 manufacturing companies.

A WASTE AND RECYCLING SHOPPING MALL

Booth space for the event is also being reserved quickly, Ugianskis-Fishman says, with the 2001 show being a record year in terms of sales. “We were a little nervous about it being in Chicago, but we seemed to certainly have overcome that,” she remarks. “We have about 100 new companies this year, and many of our old customers have upgraded their space.”

Companies displaying at WasteExpo exhibit for a variety of reasons, but most seem to agree the exposure the show is able to offer is a definite selling point. Rob Glass, sales manager for Shred-Tech, Cambridge, Ontario, says contacts that can be made during the show provide a reason why Shred-Tech exhibits. “There are various reasons, with number one being prospecting,” Glass says. “Also, to also keep not only in touch with the market, but to be visible and seen as one of the major players in the recycling industry is important.”

Being able to generate sales leads at the show is another reason he finds the show worthwhile. “I think it’s the best show for the widest coverage in our industry, and it seems to attract a wide variety of people in the waste industry. That is what we are after,” Glass says.

While some have voiced concerns about holding the show in Chicago again, Glass says Chicago provides some definite benefits as a host city. It is a very accessible city and easy to get to from all over the continent. “It’s central and draws from both coasts,” he notes. Glass expects this year’s show to be well attended, and that is what exhibitors are looking for.

At the same time, Glass says how exhibitors are treated when they set up and tear down their displays will be watched carefully. “It seems to be that Chicago is a little more pronounced than some of the other locations” as far as possible problems of that nature. But, he says, “it has gotten better compared to five or six years ago,” and most negative aspects of hosting the show in the city can be outweighed by high show attendance.

Ulf Qvarford, sales manager of Continental BioMass, Newton, N.H., says the ability to network and make industry contacts is a main reason his company exhibits at the show. “Waste Expo is the largest recycling show in the country and it is the show where you get the most exposure,” he says. “It seems to be the place where the decision makers are. ”

Based on the number of people who will gather in Chicago in early May, Qvarford is not alone in his estimation of the show’s value. RT

The author is the Associate Editor of Recycling Today.

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