Earlier this month, home improvement experts, builders, remodelers and other industry leaders and professionals from all over the world gathered at the Las Vegas Convention Center for the 74th edition of the National Hardware Show® (NHS). This year’s Show boasted several interactive experiences, featured product displays, networking opportunities and more for attendees and exhibitors alike to learn about the latest the industry has to offer.  

“The 2019 National Hardware Show was a huge success because it created a variety of opportunities for professionals within the industry,” says Rich Russo, industry vice president of the National Hardware Show. “Each day exhibitors, attendees and media got the chance to experience everything the home improvement industry has to offer all in one place. We are proud to host a Show that is at the forefront of the industry and continues to provide inspiration, new ideas and connections, innovation and insight. It was inspiring for us to see so many industry professionals from all over the world come together here at NHS.”

Overall, the Show featured brand new interactive experiences, featured areas and product displays as well as 40+ conference sessions and 35+ speakers. With more than 2,700 exhibitors - both nationally recognized brand names and emerging companies - across more than 15 different categories there was no shortage of must-see companies and products to explore!

“We attend the National Hardware Show each year because specific category buyers, as well as senior buyers, make it a point to come to this Show – and leads found here at the National Hardware Show translate into real business for us,” said Don Wepf of YardLock. “In addition to buyers, we’ve also met senior leadership from major retailers, and when they make it a point to come to your booth, it’s a great experience.” 

Geoff Reeves of Shadow Works Group and New Market Apparel stated, “the National Hardware Show, my first time being here, is fantastic. I’m really looking forward to coming back in 2020. The people that we’ve worked with have just been over-the-top generous, very courteous and very willing to help with whatever we need.”

The Backyard Marketplace: Located in the Tailgate, Backyard & BBQ section of the Show, The Backyard Marketplace was a favored destination for attendees to relax, reenergize, grab some delicious treats, all while celebrating beloved outdoor living brands. This area was equipped with a variety of amenities including shade, a hydration station, food, music, entertainment and featured brands with products that are leaders and trendsetters in the outdoor lifestyle category. 

Tiny Living @ NHS: Designed specifically for professionals in the small living, modular and manufactured housing industries, Tiny Living @ NHS was the place to connect with and discover companies that specialize in this realm. As a growing industry, attendees, exhibitors and professionals alike, had the opportunity to check out the 15 tiny homes on display, as well as specific products and services for this growing trend for home buying. 

Interactive Smart Home: This year, NHS introduced its brand-new Interactive Smart Home in which attendees experienced first-hand some of the most talked about products in the category. As technology progresses, the Smart Home category becomes more prevalent in the home improvement and buying industry. Attendees were able to have a realistic and interactive experience in the environment the products were designed for. The Interactive Smart Home was in Central Hall and created a ton of buzz for the featured products from companies including La Crosse Technology, Vosker and Jiawei Technology.  

Inventors Spotlight: New products, ideas and innovation continue to propel the home improvement industry and there is no better place to see this innovation than at NHS. At the Show, attendees had an inside look at what may be the next big thing, product, or service to revolutionize the home improvement industry in the Inventors Spotlight section. This section not only gave attendees the chance to interact with products soon to be on the market, but also provided inventors the opportunity to meet with buyers and potential investors to get feedback on their products.  

Tim Shaw, President and Founder of FUELHOSS said “We have been overwhelmed with the success and response we’ve received. The location has been perfect, the traffic has been incredible.  When you’re seeing people come back two to three times, you know you’re onto something right!”

Industry-Leading Conferences: Front and center in the Central Hall Lobby, the NRHA All-Industry Conference kicked things off with a special keynote from John Hartmann, President and CEO, True Value Co.  entitled “Unlocking True Value”. The Keynote took place immediately following the NHS opening ceremony on the NRHA Village Stage and addressed how returning the majority of its members’ equity has offered retailers the opportunity to invest in their business as they know best, as well as how a new company structure has enabled True Value to accelerate strategic investments without cutting into retailers’ profits.  

Following Mr. Hartmann’s address, the NRHA All-Industry Conference featured 27 different sessions including the “Independent Innovations: How Retailers Are Differentiating” session which was moderated by Dan Tratensek of Hardware Retailing and the NRHA. The session offered attendees the chance to get an inside look at how independent home improvement retailers around North America are differentiating their operations through service merchandising, product selection and in-store experiences. 

Additionally, the lineup of speakers for the all-new Small Build & Technology Conference was jam-packed with a variety of all-star speakers covering several topics relevant to attendees from tiny living and community to trends and the transforming industry.  Arnold Stalk, Founder & CEO of Veterans Village Las Vegas, and Gabrielle Rapport, Founder and Executive Director of Operation Tiny Home, discussed a plethora of topics during their session entitled “Pathways to Eliminating Homelessness Through Tiny Housing Communities”. As an up and coming trend, Stalk and Rapport were able to shine a light on everything that comes with a tiny home including zoning, the tiny home building process from planning, to funding and project management.

Zack Giffin and John Weisbarth, Co-Hosts of Tiny House Nation, delivered a presentation entitled “Community Building with Purpose”. During their keynote, Giffin and Weisbarth defined the role of the small build and construction technology industries in bringing affordable and sustainable housing to communities throughout the world. 

CCCME Opening Ceremony: The China Chamber of Commerce for Import and Export of Machinery and Electronic Products (CCCME) hosted its opening ceremony on May 7th, which focused on all things importing and exporting. The CCCME is a nonprofit organization composed of companies, which registered in China and are engaged in the foreign trade of machinery and electronic products. NHS is proud to have hosted members of the CCCME who continue to provide coordination, guidance, consultation and service to its members. 

Annual Tailgate, Backyard & BBQ Party The annual Tailgate, Backyard & BBQ party was once again a fan favorite! Located in the Las Vegas Convention Center’s Silver parking lot, the party took place on a beautiful afternoon and provided badged NHS participants with free food, drinks and music! The exciting event gave attendees the chance to experience a variety of different product in what felt like their own backyard!

New Product World: In New Product World, attendees discovered the newest products released in the last 12 months, as well as trends across all product categories. New Product World displays were located in both the Central and North Halls and boasted winners (in each category) for the NHS Awards program!

Cheryl Walsh, Merchandising Vice President for Hardware, Lowes Companies said, “One of our favorite parts of the Show was actually seeing the innovation and the new products. We didn’t know there was going to be as much new product and connections to be made there. That was really exciting!”

Media Hub: This year, NHS hosted a Satellite Media Tour with Design Expert Kelly Edwards from its new Media Hub located in the Central Hall, booth #2636. The tour highlighted a variety of hot products from brands including 3M, Traeger Grills, Snow Joe, Maglite and Westinghouse! The Hub also hosted popular home improvement outlets including The Money Pit and On The House with The Carey Brothers, who broadcasted from the Hub on May 8th, offering interactive, fun and lively content right from the Show Floor!  

Women’s Empowerment Series: From Startup to Stardom: In the first edition of this NHS series, attendees were introduced to two very successful female entrepreneurs including Sandy Cleary, Founder & CEO of SLC Group Holdings and Casey Finn, Editor and Creative Director of The DIY Playbook. The series offered attendees the opportunity to hear about their risks, rewards, failures and success over breakfast. The conversation was moderated by Dara Trujillo, CMO of SLC Group Holdings, and former Disney and HSN Executive.

NHS is proud to offer a platform in which top performing companies in the industry are honored for their achievements. During this year’s Show, the best of the best in the industry were honored through the NHS Awards, American Manufacturing Awards, NRHA Top Gun Awards and more!  

The National Hardware Show will celebrate its 75th anniversary next year! It will be held May 5-7, 2020, at the Las Vegas Convention Center. Find out more by clicking the show name link below: