Tradeshow Report

(Aug. 2, 2007)

K&A RECAPS THE LATEST TRENDS
SHOWCASED AT SBC AND SEBC 2007

Southern Building Show
This year’s building show, now in its 14th consecutive year, was held in late June right in our own backyard of Atlanta, Ga.! Despite being one of the smaller industry tradeshows, the Southern Building Conference (SBC) attracted some 500 exhibitors representing a wealth of innovative construction and building products.

Everything from exclusive hardwood flooring to new solutions in roofing and siding made the show intriguing and a great place to soak up the latest trends. New for 2007 was the TecHome Builder Expo, the foremost tech affair for builders and remodelers. Trendy home electronics, the latest back office solutions and must-have front line employee solutions were unveiled. Surely, the most thrilling events at the show for K&A were Steve Kleber’s presentations on the luxury market and on the emerging trends for outdoor living in home design.

Kleber enlightened the crowd on who comprises the luxury market segment and what makes up their aspirational desires. He also addressed effective ways to reach luxury clientele and how to position your company a “brand.” The seminar provided direct insight on cost-effective strategies for media and brand messaging that resonated with those in this luxury market.  Kleber concluded by demonstrating numerous ways to communicate to potential audiences through messaging, corporate image and brand attitude that aid in capturing this target demographic.

In conjunction with one of the nation’s top architects, Dominick Tringali, and research expert Kip Creel of StandPoint Marketing Research, Kleber presented a second time at SBC on the home design phenomena known as outdoor living. The trio’s presentation captivated the audience with ways to develop floor plans that seamlessly blend indoor and outdoor living. They also provided ideas on integrating preferred products and design elements into outdoor plans that set homes apart and fulfill client dreams.

K&A was proud to be showcased at the event and would welcome the opportunity to present these and other programs to your sales and marketing teams.

Southeast Building Conference
The 29th Annual Southeast Building Conference, held in mid-July, attracted over 16,000 participants to Orlando’s Orange County Convention Center. Sponsored by the Florida Home Builders Association, the conference certainly lived up to its theme of "All the Right Moves," boasting a record 1,127 exhibits including 45 in the new GreenTrends section of booths sponsored by the Florida Green Building Coalition (FGBC).

SEBCSEBC opening ceremonies featured keynote speaker Chris Gardner, CEO of Gardner Rich LLC. Gardner captivated the audience with his story of homelessness and paternal devotion that provided the story line for the blockbuster hit The Pursuit of Happiness, where he was portrayed by Will Smith.

The New Southern Home and the Remodelors Night Out were other huge hits at SEBC. Built by Krantz Construction, the 10,000 square foot New Southern Home was a living laboratory for custom home building ideas and innovative products and services.  "Jim Krantz poured heart and soul into this home to make it something that our industry could be proud of," said FHBA Senior Officer Michelle Delaney of Page Insurance Company. "The home is a testimony to craftsmanship and professionalism."

Orlando remodeler Stephen Gidus, CGR, CGB, hosted the Remodelors Night Out at his spectacular Windows on the Water project at the Bay Hill Country Club. Located on Lake Tibet, the 25-year-old home underwent a whole-house remodel and drew rave reviews from the over 60 remodelers who attended.

"This was a real treat for professional remodelers," said Ed Dion, a Tallahassee builder-remodeler.  "There's no better way to learn than to actual see what was done and hear from the source (Stephen Gidus) about the unique challenges and opportunities that a project like this created."

Product Highlights
SEBC 2007 featured the latest and most advanced building products and services available to the housing and construction industry. Special sections of exhibits included energy-efficient products in eZone and Green Building products and resources in GreenTrends. Sponsored by the Florida Division of Emergency Management, the always-popular Hurricane Alley included products, services, on-site demonstrations, and "Meet the Experts" sessions on disaster mitigation products.

One of the most energy-efficient products showcased was the new Diva 365 induction range from Diva de Provence. This revolutionary new product marks an industry first by offering a powerful five-burner induction cooktop on a 36-inch free-standing range. Continuing with the trend of increasing home efficiency and safety, Construction Solutions launched a new dryer vent box called the DBX1000M. This product provides the laundry room with an upgrade in safety and aesthetics by recessing the dryer connection. Also, on display was the DBX900, specially designed for manufactured homes to clean up the laundry room connection.

Other stand-out companies include BLUWOOD by Wood Smart Solutions, producer of wood framing components that provides a new level of defense for protection of above ground, covered structure and wood framing components against mold and the spread of moisture. The Masonite booth showcased some of the company’s latest products including the Barrington® Craftsman and Sierra™ Fiberglass Entry Door Collection, Cavalier™ Distressed Mahogany Door Collection, and the Masonite Molded Panel Series in honor of the company’s 80th anniversary.

For additional information on the luxury market, to request the recently published outdoor living white paper or for more insight about SBC or SEBC, contact Steve Kleber call 770.518.1000 or sk@kleberandassociates.com.

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