Contract Magazine - May 2018 - 96

RETROSPECTIVE

Since opening its showroom in the
Merchandise Mart in 2007, Andreu World
has introduced eye-popping products
that have dominated the seating
categories in the Best of NeoCon Awards
for the past five years (left). Groupe
Lacasse has updated its popular C.I.T.É.
line to suit emerging workplace needs,
and its latest iteration, released in 2015,
received Best of NeoCon accolades
(above). Koleksiyon-which manufactures
and designs commercial furniture and
storage systems like Tube (below)-
launched in 1972 but only emerged at
NeoCon in 2015.

"NeoCon has become a meaningful and necessary part of our industry
lives. It's sort of like a big family vacation: There's lots of stress and work
involved in preparing, we look forward to seeing everyone and enjoy
getting caught up, and then we are happy when it's over." -TONY MANZARI,
PRESIDENT OF MAHARAM
exhibitors in the 7th floor exhibit hall are
international as well, making their U.S. debut
from Poland, Turkey, Finland, Lithuania, and the
Netherlands. This is a great indicator of NeoCon's
strong global reach and influence."
While Canadian brands like Groupe Lacasse,
a NeoCon exhibitor since 1982, and Keilhauer,
which is celebrating its 30th NeoCon this year,
have consistently brought new offerings to market
every year, some game changers that have emerged
over the past decade include Andreu World from
Spain, Koleksiyon from Turkey, and Configura
from Sweden. Although Andreu World actually
was founded in 1955, it only launched Andreu World
Americas in 2003, and opened its showroom in the
Merchandise Mart in 2007. Since then, this global
brand-with a strong socially and environmentally
responsible ethos and additional operations
in Japan, India, and the UAE-has left its imprint
on the NeoCon scene with eye-popping product
introductions that have dominated the seating
categories in the Best of NeoCon Awards for
the past five years. And Koleksiyon launched
in 1972 but only emerged at NeoCon in 2015,
at first with a temporary space on the 7th floor
before investing in creating a permanent space
on the 11th floor, which debuted in 2016.
Swedish software solutions manufacturer
Configura, founded in 1990, is a true disruptor
in the A&D industry. The company entered the U.S.
market in 2000, began participating in NeoCon
in 2002, and started leasing a space on the 7th floor
96

show will expand in the coming years. But the
in 2008, the same year it won a Best of NeoCon
50th edition of NeoCon promises to deliver all
award for its CET Designer 2.0, a space-planning
the inspiration and innovation, lively conversation
software solution. "When we first entered the U.S.
and networking, and industry camaraderie and
market, we knew our software would work well
celebration for which the A&D community is known.
with highly configurable products such as those in
the commercial furniture industry," says Configura "The show has grown in terms of exhibitors,
attendance, prominence and importance," says
vice president of business development Peter
Teknion's Harris, "Every year, NeoCon showcases
Brandinger. "Attending NeoCon to tap into this
the leading industry trends as they are emerging.
market was a no-brainer."
It mirrors the changes in the industry. It evolves
By streamlining the temporary exhibitors
with and tells the story of our industry." c
from two previous floors onto one 7th floor exhibit
hall that now features more than 300 participants,
Morton feels it's helped to welcome new brands to
NeoCon, while offering an easy-to-navigate display
of new product. "[By] showcasing all the best
products and services by category, the hall is
a great resource for specifiers from a wide range
of vertical markets," he says. "We've grown
attendance by 35 percent since 2013."
And there's no telling how much more the
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MAY 2018

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Contract Magazine - May 2018

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