CARY, NC — May 8, 2007 — A record number of exhibiting companies and a significant growth in international visitors were the highlights of the successful IDEA07 International Engineered Fabrics Conference and Exposition, held April 24-26 in Miami Beach, Fla.

IDEA07, the triennial event, sponsored by INDA, Association of the Nonwoven Fabrics Industry, attracted more than 400 companies/divisions as exhibitors, filling almost 400,000 gross square feet (37,000 square meters) of the Miami Beach Convention Center.

Exhibitors said that IDEA07 was a successful show in which they conducted a great deal of business. The level of excitement and energy on the show floor was palpable. The devaluation of the dollar made IDEA07 especially attractive for international companies to come and do business.

A combination of previous exhibitors requesting more exhibit space, 121 companies exhibiting at IDEA for the first time and a greater number of international companies contributed to the record number of exhibiting companies.

In addition, a total of almost 6,000 people from all corners of the globe attended IDEA07.

IDEA07 was also the most international IDEA show in history. Approximately 44 percent of the 400 exhibitors were from outside the United States, and 40% percent of attendees were from outside of the United States. Four country pavilions – one each from Taiwan and Turkey and two from China – contributed to the increased foreign participation.

“With this increasing number of visitors from outside of the United States, combined with the large contingent of international exhibitors, IDEA07 was a truly global event,” pointed out INDA president Rory Holmes. “The world certainly came to IDEA07 and attendees and exhibitors alike were welcomed with open arms.”

Holmes also pointed out that the 121 new exhibitors at IDEA07 were a reflection of the continued growth of this international market. “Much of the innovation in this market is coming from the smaller, aggressive suppliers from both the United States and overseas,” Holmes says. “All of this was on display at IDEA07.  I have counted 16 separate new product launches on the show floor.”

Among the other highlights of the first two days of IDEA07: 

• DuPont received two of the prestigious IDEA07 Achievement Awards – for its Sorona® polymer and its HMT (Hybrid Membrane Technology) roll goods technology – during a ceremony on Day 1. Other IDEA07 Achievement Award recipients were Kimberly-Clark (Huggies® Pull-ups with Cool Alert), Filtration Group (GeoPleat® Air Filter), Dienes (Quik-Set Automatic Positioning) and Teknoweb (Entrepreneur). 

• Industry pioneers Mr. Lee Sullivan and Dr. Edward Vaughn received the IDEA07 Lifetime Achievement Awards at the same opening day event and are now included in the INDA Nonwovens Hall of Fame.

• More than two dozen company presentations were made on Tuesday and Wednesday as part of the inaugural Product Showcase area in Hall D.

• The IDEA07 Conference featured presentations on subjects as diverse as India, Energy and Innovation.