Every October, thousands of tens of thousands of dealers, landscape, hardscape, irrigation, snow removal, outdoor lighting and grounds management professionals flock to the Kentucky Exposition Center (KEC), eager to see the latest and greatest products and equipment that the industry has to offer.
With that time once again approaching, there are many things to enjoy and celebrate about the Outdoor Power Equipment Institute (OPEI) and its annual Equip Exposition. Last year, attendance and exhibit space broke records. This year, the event will once again expand as the show celebrates its 40th anniversary, while the OPEI itself will ring in its 70th anniversary.
“Equip Expo allows for the unique opportunity of getting to hear from our customers face-to-face,” says Terry Horan, president and CEO of Stihl, and a board member of OPEI. “In doing so, we are able to get a better understanding of their business needs and, in turn, deliver products and solutions to meet those needs.”
From the beginning
The year is 1983. Ronald Reagan is the president of the United States. Return of the Jedi arrives in theaters. There were no cell phones, no texting. The biggest innovation in technology was when Steve Jobs and Apple released the Lisa computer, the first commercial computer with a graphical user interface.
That was the world when the show, now known as Equip Expo, first launched. While much has changed in the world since then, Equip Expo has been a constant.
In 2007 the name of the show changed to GIE+EXPO. Though show organizers canceled the event in 2020 due to the COVID-19 pandemic, it still drew in similar numbers when it returned in 2021 and 2022.
To the now
This year’s Equip Expo takes place Oct. 17 to 20 in Louisville, Ky. There will be new educational programs, additional events, an expansion into the West Wing of the KEC, new food options and, for the first time, an arena concert.
Historically, the Expo features more than a thousand exhibits and hundreds of educational opportunities, presenting tools, software, products and strategies. This year will be no different.
“Last year was our largest show ever,” says Kris Kiser, president and CEO of OPEI and Equip Expo. “It continues to grow with each year.”
As the exhibits and equipment are on full display, thousands of landscapers, manufacturers, contractors and dealers have the opportunity to network with one another and other professionals in their industry.
“The evolution of the marketplace is dramatic,” says Kiser. “It’s a good time to be with OPEI and at Equip Expo. We’ve expanded into the West Wing for the first time ever. We’ve already reached a couple new milestones. We know that the 2023 Equip Expo will be the biggest one ever.”
Growth and change
There is a lot to look forward to with this year’s show, and future Equip Expos. While OPEI and Equip celebrate these landmark anniversaries, the new developments surrounding the show seem to be increasing each year in order to provide the best possible trade show for landscape professionals.
The event’s star power stepped up last year when country music sensation Trace Adkins held a free concert at 4th Street Live! in downtown Louisville. Golf funnyman David Feherty kept a packed ballroom in stitches giving his keynote presentation.
This year, singer-songwriter Dylan Scott will open for headliner Third Eye Blind, who will perform a special set list at the KFC Yum! Center on Thursday, Oct. 19.
Kiser says the plan moving forward always will center around growth and expansion.
Dan Ariens, chairman and CEO of the Ariens Co., and Equip Expo show chairman, believes the show became even more important in the wake of the global pandemic.
He says Ariens exhibited at the original trade show and believes the show has continually evolved over the years in order to make the event ideal for customers and business relationships.
“I’m a long-term believer in relationships that companies have with their customers,” Ariens says. “A trade show is one of the easiest ways to build relationships with a lot of people. COVID-19 taught us how much we miss making those connections, which cannot happen through virtual means. We are human beings who need to be together.”
Always looking forward
Equip Expo continues to grow each year, and KEC grows along with it.
“There are very significant expansion plans for the KEC underway,” says Kiser. “The preliminary funding has been done by the state government. We’re part of that process. We’re in the top five of revenue-generating shows for the state of Kentucky. We bring more than $20 million every year to Kentucky. It’s a symbiotic relationship — what’s right for us is good for them.”
Even with all the exhibits, new technology and continuing advancements with products and equipment, the show still centers on the human experience. Kiser says it’s about people coming together over common interests, wanting to learn more.
“A highlight has been that the show goes on and it continues to go on,” says Ariens. “The show will continue to be innovative. We have a good staff there that is full-time and working on it. It may be a week-long event for attendees, but it is a year-long event for staff and managers.”
Ariens adds that there is always going to be the need to build upon the existing Equip Expo experience, no matter how good it gets.
He wants people to walk away from the event feeling they learned something valuable, while also getting the chance to try the industry’s newest products and equipment.
“Equip Expo can be a busy and exhausting time, but it is important,” Ariens says. “When you and your company have a big presence there, you see that it is an opportunity to meet a lot of customers in one place and spend quality time with them. It allows you to show them the new features of a product and future innovations. In the end, all the hard work is worth it. Brands live a long time when relations are strong and lasting.”
