IMTEC was the big recreational marine trade show that literally everyone went to. It was held once a year in Chicago around October time. The big difference between IMTEC and today’s trade events is that boat builders took their new boats and designs for the following model year so that their dealers could see them and place orders. Equipment and accessory manufacturers wanted and needed to exhibit in order to keep their brands in full view of the builders and dealers. Buyers for the retailers and distributors showed up because everything was there. With all this buying and selling going on a business had to be there or miss out.
It was the boat builders who killed IMTEC in their efforts to sell more boats. They knew that most of their dealers stocked more than one brand. Some brought their model year forward to earlier in the year and held their own private dealer shows so that the dealer was not distracted by what the other boat builders offered. This led other builders to do the same and IMTEC dwindled away.
On September 3rd the NMMA announced that “it will move its Marine Aftermarket Accessories Trade Show (MAATS) to combine with the fall 2010 International Boatbuilder’s Exhibition and Conference (IBEX) making the industry’s single largest trade event, following IBEX’s 2009 introduction of Dealer Development Days, even bigger.” The announcement goes on to describe Dealer Development Days as “the innovative boat building stimulus program added in 2009 to assist boat manufacturers and dealers in conducting crucial in-person business at minimal cost by allowing them to premier new boat models on land and in-water.”
MAATS was held in July while IBEX is held in October. One is not so sure about history but it does look as if IMTEC is recreating itself!
Posted by: James
Categories:
Marine Industry