IBIE 2015 show floor

At an action-packed IBIE 2016 with a record number of exhibitors, how can vendors make the equipment search process easier and more effective for bakers?

“They need to truly differentiate themselves from other suppliers at the show,” advised Marjorie Hellmer, president of Cypress Research Associates, which conducts Baking & Snack’s annual equipment trends survey.

The survey provided respondents with an opportunity to describe what they’d like to see from exhibitors at IBIE this time around.

“Bakers want to see operating equipment, to see capabilities and real-world operation,” she said. “One baker pointed out that lesser-known vendors are at a disadvantage if they don’t set up a booth that displays their equipment and if it’s not operating. Operational equipment gives bakers a chance to kick the tires, so to speak.”

A second suggestion recommended highlighting those “really true, new developments,” Ms. Hellmer said.

“If suppliers have new technology or new innovation, then emphasize that at IBIE,” she said. “Hold it up so it’s a differentiator. It will make bakers come over to the booth because that’s why they’re attending IBIE — to see what’s new in the industry.”

Along with displaying new technologies, exhibitors might consider cost-saving models that demonstrate return on investment (R.O.I.). For more insights, check out Sosland Publishing’s IBIE PreShow Guide that’s being mailed to readers and attendees of the show, set for Oct. 8-11 in Las Vegas.