ISSA/INTERCLEAN 2016 Sees Strong Distributor, Exhibitor Turnout

ISSA/INTERCLEAN North America 2016 lived up to its theme of “unleashing the industry’s untamed potential” during this one week when key leaders and decision makers in the commercial cleaning industry come together. Co-produced by ISSA and its trade show partner, RAI Amsterdam, ISSA/INTERCLEAN 2016 took place in October at McCormick Place, South Hall, in Chicago.

The 2016 buyer and exhibitor turnout was strong, with both categories seeing increases over 2015, for a total of 16,637 visitors from 74 countries. On the buyer side, distributors represented much of the increase, accounting for 42 percent of the buyers. End user turnout was strong as well: of the total buyers at the show, 36 percent were building service contractors and in-house service providers. As for exhibitors, of the 740 vendors, 132 were new, and 20 percent hailed from outside the United States, drawing from 28 countries.

Much of this growth is due to ISSA’s efforts to attract the top executives of the leading janitorial distributors as well as to draw from a variety of new audiences. For example, ISSA has formed new relationships with organizations and buying groups in the office products arena, such as OPI, Trimega and Independent Stationers. In addition, several new alliance partners in vertical markets held events in conjunction with the show, such as the Healthy Schools Campaign, which presented the Green Clean Schools Forum, and the Green Sports Alliance, which hosted its Greener Cleaning Workshop.

Once again, four industry groups held their annual conventions in conjunction with ISSA/INTERCLEAN: Cleaning Trade Equipment Association (CETA), Building Service Contractors Association International (BSCAI), Association of Residential Cleaning Services International (ARCSI) and IEHA. Many supporting associations throughout Europe, Africa and Asia-Pacific also participated in the 2016 show, and there was a strong showing from top janitorial buying groups and their key members.

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