Looking Ahead to 50
PCBC Staff Already Working Hard to Produce the Show’s Golden Anniversary Event
By John Frith
Nearly 20,000 homebuilding industry professionals may still be reflecting on the industry trends and comments from stimulating speakers they heard at PCBC® 2008, and of course the wide range of products they saw in San Francisco this year. But for the PCBC staff, the focus is now on 2009 and the Show’s 50th anniversary.
The total verified attendance this year was 19,925 — a strong showing despite the worst homebuilding market in the West since World War II. Linda Baysari, PCBC’s senior vice president for conventions and meetings, said the strong attendance was due to PCBC’s longstanding reputation for educational excellence, outstanding product displays, and unparalleled networking opportunities. 
“PCBC has always worked hard to provide a wide range of educational opportunities, both in our conferences and on our show floor, and we were delighted by the enthusiasm of both our attendees and our exhibitors,” Baysari said. “Next year, PCBC will celebrate our 50th anniversary and we’re already planning a show that celebrates our past and, more importantly, our industry’s future.”
The Show next year will be held June 16-19 at San Francisco’s Moscone Center. Online registration is slated to get under way in January at www.pcbc.com.
Keynote speakers at this year’s PCBC, held June 24-27, focused on the remarkable challenges — and opportunities — homebuilders are now facing. Former Hewlett-Packard Chief Executive Officer Carly Fiorina made leadership through tough times her central message. Management expert Gary Hamel, former White House economist Todd Buchholz and Yankolovich Partners’ J. Walker Smith all brought consumer and economic trends to the forefront in their remarks to attendees.
And exhibiting companies said that while the number of attendees was smaller than three or four years ago during the industry’s great run-up, the quality was outstanding.
“PCBC presents a very high-quality show with a spotlight on innovative new products and a strong lineup of educational speakers,” noted Randall Fong, west area manager for GE Consumer & Industrial Appliances. “Despite a challenging year for homebuilding, GE gives this year's show high marks for quality traffic, a high level of engagement and the opportunity to spend time in front of our new product introductions."
And it wasn’t just the larger, well-known exhibitors who were pleased.
“We had an awesome show,” said Lawrence G. Boyts, vice president of sales and marketing for Digger Specialties, the Indiana-based fence fabricator making its first appearance on the PCBC Show floor.
“Our show was very successful. We had 400-plus people stop and talk with us and take literature and information, and over 150 of them asked for more information and pricing. Fifty of those leads wanted a quotation and a distributor to contact them. We will definitely be exhibiting at PCBC in 2009.”
Those comments were echoed by Mike Powell, general manager of Miles Industries, a Canadian manufacturer and distributor of high-end fireplaces.
“Despite the economic uncertainty we all face, PCBC® 2008 proved to be our best show yet. Our yardstick is the quantity and quality of screened leads we obtain. Historically our leads have increased each year at PCBC but this time we cautiously sought to achieve last year’s number. In actuality we reached our target by noon of the second day and came home with both a record number of leads and a record year-over-year percentage increase,” he said.
“There seemed to be more decision-makers at this show, interested in seeking out higher-end products like our Valor gas fireplaces and intent on doing business. Their future plans and projects contrasted with the media coverage about your economy. From our experience it would appear you avoid PCBC at your sales and marketing peril.”
Boyts recommended PCBC to other potential exhibitors, noting that Digger Specialties also exhibits at IBS, the International Builders’ Show.
“The PCBC Show was more conducive to one-on-one visits and is a better-size show for everyone to cover it properly,” he said.