2007 ExpoCam biggest show ever, organizers say

MONTREAL — Two weeks ago Montreal became the trucking capital of Canada as almost 18,000 exhibitors and visitors crowded into Place Bonaventure for ExpoCam 2007.

It was clear that Newcom Business Media — the new owner of ExpoCam and publisher of Today’s Trucking magazine and this website — had listened to trucking industry leaders and developed an extensive promotion strategy to fulfill its promise of making this “the best and biggest” trucking show ever held in Montreal.

And that they did. Exhibitors used words like “fantastic” and “overwhelming” to describe their ExpoCam 2007 experience.

And wasn’t this supposed to be a downturn year in trucking? Suppliers at ExpoCam sure saw something different.

Here’s Francois Vaillancourt, Eastern Canada sales manager for Alcoa Wheel Products:

“Montreal’s ExpoCam was a resounding success for Alcoa Wheel Products. The Thursday and Friday traffic was steady, with the high-quality large-fleet owners and managers that we expected. Saturday was absolutely phenomenal! The four of us in our booth could barely manage the steady influx of small-fleet managers and owner-operators.”

Adds Michelle Batista of International Truck & Engine Canada: “The show was a success. The International booth had a steady flow of customers all three days. Our sales people told us that they got some qualified leads from this year’s ExpoCam. Overall the best ExpoCam show in years.”

The show actually unfolded in two parts: On Thursday and Friday, Canada’s trucking industry leaders filed through the aisles and then on Saturday, a tremendous crowd — in numbers that exceeded the organizers’ most optimistic forecasts — swarmed into the convention hall.

At several times during the day, the crowds were so large that Place Bonaventure security informed Newcom management that the building was getting close to capacity. Seriously.

At that point, people would only be allowed in as others left.

The success can be attributed directly to the audience development initiatives undertaken by Newcom, largely on the recommendations of its advisory committee and other key members of the Quebec trucking community.

“We are absolutely thrilled by the response of the industry,” said Jim Glionna, President of Newcom. “Quebec is an important market and we believe that when Canada’s national trucking show is held in Montreal, it should be every bit as big and important as when the show is held in Toronto. And we proved that this could be done.”