The fourth edition of the International Tile & Stone Show-Las Vegas (ITSS) was held at the Mandalay Bay Convention Center in Las Vegas from November 11 to 13, 2005. And while there was a fair amount of exhibitors on the show floor, attendance fluctuated throughout the three days of the event.

The exhibit hall was primarily comprised of companies from the stoneworking machinery sector. Live demonstrations of large fabricating machinery and hand tools and accessories drew the attention of some visitors. Additionally, the roster of exhibitors included suppliers of digital templating systems, stone installation and maintenance products, and stone products from around the world.

In particular, Brazilian stone suppliers were in high attendance. The country has had its own pavilion at ITSS for the past several years.

Also, ITSS offered a free seminar program, which included seminars given by industry experts and covered varying issues relevant to the stone industry today. These seminars proved successful, and brought a higher volume of traffic on to the show floor after they ended each day.

Although attendance was sporadic during the three days of ITSS, many exhibitors did agree that the majority were quality visitors. Many of the fabricators came ready to make a purchase.

This year, ITSS-Las Vegas was held from Friday to Sunday, rather than Thursday to Saturday, which did not prove favorable. The last day of the show was by far the slowest, as exhibitors reported minimal traffic.

According to ITSS Expos, the organizer of the event, the show will return to a Thursday to Saturday format next year. “ITSS-Las Vegas will continue to guarantee exhibitors the lowest exhibition costs and provide attendees with free world class accredited education sessions and free admission,” stated Richard Caires, president of ITSS Expos. “I want to thank all the people in the industry that gave us their opinions and advice to adjust the show schedule. ITSS prides itself on listening to our customers and being responsive to their business needs.”

The next edition of ITSS-Las Vegas will return to the Mandalay Bay Convention Center from October 19 to 21, 2006. Additionally, ITSS Expos has scheduled exhibitions at the Miami Beach Convention Center from March 24 to 26; Riocentro Convention Center in Rio de Janeiro from June 15 to 17; and the Pier 94 Convention Center in New York City from September 8 to 10.