Winter 2001-02

The Pickle Fair, sponsored by Pickle Packers International (PPI), visited the Crown Center Exhibit Hall in Kansas City, Oct. 23-25. Over 54,000 net sq. ft. of exhibit space displayed pickled vegetables – whole, halved, quartered and shredded, in spears, cubes, chunks, chips, rings and relish.

Seed companies; machine manufacturers; plastic, glass and metal lid companies and seasoning and spice companies filled the show floor with exhibits for pickled vegetables, including sauerkraut and pickled peppers. “Most years there is something unique at our show, and the Fern Company always makes it work,” said Richard Hentshel, show manager. This year they successfully placed a 7,000-lb., 20-ft.-long pickle-packing machine, shipped from Germany. Hentshel commented, “No vendor has ever had a complaint about the George E. Fern Company, and there has never been a situation where they said ‘no’ to an exhibitor.”

PPI has been in existence since 1893 and has members in over a dozen countries including Germany, India and Japan. Their organization also represents 87 percent of the cucumber tonnage grown for pickle use in North America.

Pickles are a popular item around the world and in the United States. More than 67 percent of all households eat pickles. In fact, pickling cucumbers are grown in more than 30 states, using approximately 125,000 acres. The George E. Fern Company never left PPI in a “pickle.” Hentshel complimented, “The George E. Fern Company was always willing to work with our changes, and made the show look great.”

Back to top

The George E. Fern Company travels to international destinations and continues to provide premium service.

The 34th Annual Conference of the American Association of Bovine Practi- tioners met in one of North America’s top destination cities, Vancouver, B.C., Sept. 13-15. Vancouver, on Canada’s west coast, offers the Pacific Ocean, West Coast mountains, forests, sandy beaches and more.

The American Association of Bovine Practitioners (AABP) is an international association of veterinarians interested in the well being of cattle. Founded in 1965, it has grown to host a membership of approximately 5,000 veterinarians.

Over 162,000 net sq. ft. of exhibit space was filled with products related to bovine medicine, such as veterinarian equipment, pharmaceuticals, specialty trucks and even computer programs. Nearly 2,000 attendees visited companies like Church & Dwight Co., the American Dairy Science Association, Bayer, Beef Magazine and Pfizer.

This was a seminar-intense event, totaling over 100 meetings and seminars during the course of the conference. Visitors were not familiar with the facility and needed navigational tools to get from place to place. The George E. Fern Company met the challenge by providing signage for each seminar, which met daily from 7:00 a.m. – 10:00 p.m. The George E. Fern Company has worked with AABP for over 12 years. Show manager Dr. Hutchins said, “ The George E. Fern Company does whatever it takes to make our show a success. In fact, we’re already planning the layout and logistics for next year’s show.”

Back to top

The Iron & Steel Exposition, sponsored by the Association of Iron and Steel Engineers (AISE), filled the Cleveland Convention Center, Sept. 23-26. Nearly 15,000 attendees gathered to see the latest technology developments in the iron and steel industry. Over 300 exhibitors displayed products geared towards engineering and the iron and steel industry, like fabrication materials, steel mill models and new technology in general.

AISE has over 11,000 members internationally. They are dedicated to the advancement of the technical and engineering phases of the production and processing of iron and steel.

Attendees of the Iron & Steel Expo toured spectacular attractions in Cleveland including the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame and Museum, the Great Lakes Science Center and the Cleveland Museum of Art. Cleveland, rated the nation’s number-two destination for recreation by Places Rated Almanac, has something for the entire family, from fine dining and live music to Cleveland Metroparks Zoo and RainForest and Cedar Point Amusement Park.

AISE believes in the work of the George E. Fern Company because they produce a superb Iron & Steel Exposition every time.

Back to top

The finishing touches have been made to the latest expansion to the Indiana Convention Center & RCA Dome, and meeting planners and delegates alike are impressed. Exciting features of the $45-million project, completed in April of 2001, include a new ballroom, food court, glass-encased entrances, skywalk to the new 615-room Marriott Hotel and a beautifully landscaped plaza.

In all, the Indiana Convention Center & RCA Dome now offers over 400,000 square feet of exhibit space, complemented by four ballrooms, 48 meeting rooms and skywalks linking to 2,844 first-class downtown hotel rooms. The growth of the facility parallels the vitality and energy of downtown Indianapolis with its abundance of attractions, restaurants, shopping, performing arts and world-class sporting facilities, all just steps away.

For more information, please contact the Indianapolis Convention & Visitors Association at 1-800-983-INDY.

Back to top

The George E. Fern Company serves as the official exposition contractor for more than 900 events annually. Here is a partial list of recent contracts.

• National GMD Merchandise Shows – Fleming Companies – February 2002, in Anaheim, CA;   August 2002, in Orlando, FL; February 2003, in Las Vegas, NV; August 2003, in Dallas, TX.

• American Royal Association – Kansas City, MO, in October, 2001, 2002 and 2003.

• House-Hasson Hardware Dealer Market – Nashville, TN, in January 2002; Gatlinburg, TN, in   June 2002.

• Cleaning Management Institute – Cleveland, OH, in June 2002.

• Western Farm Show – Annually 2002, 2003 and 2004, in Kansas City, MO.

• Southeastern Association of Housing Officers – Nashville, TN, in February 2002.

Back to top