LAS VEGAS — The 2024 National Hardware Show (NHS), held March 26-28 at the Las Vegas Convention Center, was 50% net square feet larger than its 2023 edition. More than 1,500 home improvement retailers, wholesalers and more industry professionals exhibited at the show, approximately 500 more than in 2023.
“The biggest change was that we were able to welcome back international visitors fully for the first time since the pandemic,” Beth Casson, RX Global Group Vice President said. “NHS saw the return of many local buyers but is also starting to welcome buyers from different channels and age ranges. One trend the industry is seeing is that trade show attendees are getting younger as roles in workplaces change… We were really excited to hear from vendors that the quality of the buying audience was strong.”
NHS also invited select industry professionals — including carpenters, electricians and general contractors — for the first time in 2024.
“We are hearing more and more that our vendors/exhibitors are targeting end users… so to give them more exposure to this audience we welcomed industry professionals. With this we are also able to share insights from industry professionals to our retail universe so they can stock their shelves more efficiently,” Casson explained.
Enhanced Organization, Programming and Networking
In response to exhibitor and attendee input, NHS took place in March this year (it was held from Jan. 31-Feb. 2 in 2023, and April 5-7 in 2022).
“The feedback has been positive and everyone enjoyed the weather a lot more!” Casson said, adding that NHS is scheduled for this period through 2028.
Community input also inspired NHS to offer new exhibitor categories in 2024, including Sporting Goods and Outdoor Recreation, Gift and Craft, and Hobby.
“Every year we ask our buyers what types of different products they’d like to see and we work to curate the floor plan accordingly,” Casson explained, adding that this customer-centric approach informed the programming too.
“Our goal this year was to provide programming for the various different groups of attendees in the NHS Community. For example, the Independent Retail Center was a new initiative that we partnered on with long time partner The North American Hardware and Paint Association (NHPA) where we held round table sessions specifically focused on the challenges independent retailers are facing.
“We also launched the first NHS Executive Summit featuring keynotes from Ernst & Young, Houzz and the Reverse Logistics Association that focused in on consumer trends, buying behaviors, merchandising strategies, home projects and sustainability,” Casson said.
Additionally, NHS offered two new networking features in 2024: NHS After Dark, a partnership with Jampack where the NHS community received special rates at nightlife venues around Las Vegas and a VIP Reception at Sphere that was sponsored by Rescue! Sterling International and Tangent Technologies, representing a shift in sponsorship toward more experiential opportunities that Casson noted for NHS.
NHS 2025 will be held March 18-20.
“We will continue to invest in experiences and build connections both during and after show hours,” Casson stated.
Reach Beth Casson at beth.casson@rxglobal.com.
