Get Ready for EDS 2010

Registration for EDS 2010, to be held at the Paris/Bally’s Hotel Complex in Las Vegas, May 11 – 13, 2010, is currently up 25% from last year’s numbers, signaling a more positive outlook for the industry as a whole and the economy in general. EDS, the premiere event focused on the electronics distribution supply chain, has remained the single most important annual conference and networking event for manufacturers, distributors, and manufacturers’ representatives in the electronics industry since 1937 despite a drop in attendance last year due to companies’ leaner budgets.

The increase in registration numbers indicates that the industry is recovering, and that manufacturers, distributors, and reps are prepared to come to Vegas and get business accomplished. EDS 2010 will be the right place at the right time for the electronics industry.

Each year about 3500 people attend EDS, divided relatively equally among manufacturer, distributor, and manufacturers’ representative personnel. EDS has superb market penetration, attracting some 80% each year of the target audience of companies who distribute electronic components.

Electronic distribution is a compact industry, so that means participants must take aggressive action to be sure to attract the attendees they want to meet.

In order to give 2010 participants more of what they find most valuable at EDS—face-to-face interaction with their global partners— the show and conference has evolved its programming to offer more networking. In place of the educational seminars, panels, and keynote speaker, the 2010 EDS conference will feature more get-togethers and more meeting opportunities, as well as the presentation of results of an all-industry survey and a revamped meeting hall designed to better serve the conference and networking needs of attendees.

This year, the opening afternoon All-Industry event will, for the first time, present a short program highlighting the results of a first-of-its-kind, all-industry survey that recognizes those distributors and manufacturers across a variety of areas which are performing above the rest. EDS sent out surveys to engineers, purchasing professionals, and manufacturers’ representatives asking them to name their preferred catalog, national and regional distributors, as well as preferred distributors and manufacturers of specific component types to determine the preferred distributors and manufacturers in organizations of all sizes with many different specialties.

The survey and all-industry event are just one example of the new format of EDS 2010. Participants say one of the most valuable aspects of EDS is the face-to-face meetings between manufacturers, distributors and reps and this year organizers want to further expand and enhance those meeting opportunities. This conference is as successful as participants make it for themselves, and in 2010, attendees will have more opportunities to get business done.

What are some of the unique circumstances you can plan for in advance?

• One-on-one meetings let you meet directly with decision-makers who can affect your business the day they get back to their offices.

• More press representatives are attending EDS each year, and they are interested in meeting you and hearing about your products, technologies, and services.

• International participants mean that you get the chance to discuss best practices and new strategies for operating in the global marketplace.

• EDS is attended by electronics-smart vendors and service providers who can offer companies expertise in sales consulting, marketing, media and promotional opportunities that help you boost your business with simple and affordable ideas.

Only EDS offers all these opportunities in one place, and you can take advantage of them with just a little bit of advance planning and appointment-making before you arrive in Vegas. We look forward to seeing you there, and appreciate your help in making this the most successful EDS ever!