Integrated Systems Europe Becoming Platform for New Product Release

About 80 percent of respondents in weekly CI survey say production cycles have been altered to ensure new releases can be shown first in February.

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Integrated Systems Europe Becoming Platform for New Product Release

Almost 80 percent of the respondents to a weekly Commercial Integrator survey say they’re seeing more products released at the annual Integrated Systems Europe show in February than at InfoComm in June.

The record-breaking ISE 2018 crowd of more than 80,000 attendees saw about 200 new products as they canvassed the 15 halls of the RAI in Amsterdam last week to see as many of the 1,200 exhibitors as they could pack into four days.

For many respondents, seeing and hearing about new products four months earlier is better for business.

“We like this timing better because InfoComm is too late for educational buyers,” said one respondent.

“I would rather see manufacturers release products in the early part of the year as many of our verticals follow the construction season so having tested and shipping new products available during the busy season is huge,” said another.

“It appears that by the time InfoComm occurs, many new products have already been released at ISE,” said one respondent who hasn’t attended ISE. “It seems as though ISE might be stealing some of InfoComm’s thunder and becoming the test market for new products. I’m tempted to attend ISE because of this.”

“Rolling out products at the beginning of the year just seems right, even if it’s cold as hell in Europe,” said another respondent.

“We have seen the growth of ISE to where it has become the premier trade show event,” said yet another. “If manufacturers aren’t already shipping new products by ISE, they are announcing new products and then shipping by the time the InfoComm show takes place.”

Another reason some respondents like ISE as a more prominent target for new products is that many of those shown on trade show floors don’t get released for a while after their debuts.

“Too often we see products demoed at InfoComm but are not actually released for months after,” said one respondent. “Hopefully, by InfoComm, the products released at ISE will actually be available for purchase.”

The calendar works well for manufacturers who exhibit at both shows every year.

“‘Release’ is actually a deceptive concept,” said one respondent. “More products are now being introduced at ISE with the intention of being in production by InfoComm.”

Some respondents, though, prefer the relative calm of the June shows.

“It’s easier to stay on top of new releases for InfoComm,” said one respondent.

Another believes manufacturers don’t specifically target trade shows for their new products.

“We see manufacturers release new products as they develop them and aren’t waiting for shows,” the respondent said.

Another respondents says both ISE and InfoComm shows are valuable places to see new products every year.

“We believe products are released and announced at both,” the respondent said.

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