El Segundo, CA – Active Interest Media (AIM) acquired the Log & Timber Expo in early January as part of a cashless swap of assets with F+W Media, Inc. The ten shows and the online operation, Log & Timber Network, were part of a package that also included four F+W magazines catering to the niche market of builders of homes constructed of logs and rough timbers and frequently used as second homes or retirement residences.
However, with the U.S. housing market in the midst of a slump, AIM’s new portfolio of 22 events will be downsized. “We will choose the best 14 shows because the market isn’t going to support 22 shows,” AIM President & CEO Efrem “Skip” Zimbalist told Trade Show Executive. “But as the market picks up, the number could go back up,” he added.
The Log & Timber Expo brand will be added to Home Buyer Productions (HBP), AIM’s own Virginia-based log and timber group, which organizes consumer home shows across the United States. The events draw between 1,500 and 5,000 attendees, according to Zimbalist.
AIM also organizes boat shows and yoga conferences around the U.S.
In exchange, F+W took ownership of Southwest Art and The Collector’s Guide along with their associated online operations and added them to their current arts portfolio. David Nussbaum, chairman & CEO of F+W, said the transaction bolstered its position in the art category and sharpened the company’s focus on its core markets.
Reach David Nussbaum at (513) 531-2690 or david.nussbaum@fwmedia.com; Efrem Zimbalist at (310) 356-4100 or ezimbalist@aimmedia.com
