SMART HOME SHOW SET TO DOUBLE IN SIZE

["Mark McCall" <lists@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx>]

Press Release...

M.



SMART HOME SHOW SET TO DOUBLE IN SIZE
AFTER SMASHING EXPECTATIONS

The inaugural Smart Home Show, the UK's first consumer exhibition
for integrated home technology, surpassed all expectations by attracting a
27,000 strong quality visitor audience* to Birmingham's NEC from 14-17
April
2005.



The Show opened its doors at 10.00am on Thursday 14th April to a queue of
visitors and by lunchtime the stands and aisles were packed to bursting
with
an impressive mixture of trade, professional and serious consumer buyers
all
looking for the latest in integrated home technology. Show features, such
as
The Sevenoaks Sound & Vision Fusion Lounge and free seminar programme,
were
standing room only throughout the four days and their expansion is part of
an exciting programme of new marketing initiatives already in place for
2006.



A delighted exhibitor base has shown their support in the most emphatic way
by swallowing up the floorplan for the 2006 event.  By close of play on the
last day of the Show 85% of space had already been rebooked and organizers
Centaur Exhibitions are hurriedly redrawing their floor plans to at least
double the size of the event in 2006.



Furthermore, in response to exhibitor requests, Centaur are now launching a
Smart Home Zone within the London Homebuilding & Renovating Show 2005
(30
Sep - 2nd Oct 2005).  Stand space in the Smart Home Zone is limited to 15
companies and 50% has already been reserved.



Nick Noble, Group Show Director of Centaur Exhibitions and responsible for
the co-located National Homebuilding and Renovating Show as well as the
launch of the Smart Home Show explained:   "We were always confident
the
Smart Home Show would be a success based on exhibitor and visitor feedback
from our Homebuilding & Renovating Shows - but the level of serious
response
in year one confirms that the custom installation industry in the UK has
come of age.  2006 will be bigger and better for The Smart Home Show - we
will build on the hugely popular seminar programme for instance with new
educational visitor features - and we look forward to working with
suppliers
to help grow this tremendously exciting new industry".



CEDIA, the Custom Electronic Design Installation Association, sees The
Smart
Home Show as an important platform for developing their role in the sector.
According to Wendy Griffiths, Operations Director, "CEDIA enjoyed a
great
Smart Home Show."



- 2 -



"We were particularly pleased to receive numerous enquiries from
homeowners,
architects, interior designers and property developers on every day of the
show. We were able to talk to them in detail about CEDIA, home electronics
technology and its application, and the work of CEDIA members in this
fast-growing market sector. The event provided us with the perfect platform
to explain the advantages afforded by employing a CEDIA member company.



Bev Mc Kinder, Managing Director of Audiofile, was particularly impressed
with the serious business interest.  "The quality of the enquiries we
received was tremendous. These were genuine buyers with live projects. In
many cases, they were able to give us actual plans of the property, and a
vision of the electronic lifestyle they wanted to achieve as well. We also
saw a number of property developers, offering a range of exciting, home
electronics opportunities.  We're confident we can grow our business
significantly as a result of our participation, and we've already re-booked
the same space for next year."



Phil Longhurst, Operations Director of Smartkontrols, was equally
enthusiastic. "The Smart Home Show was excellent. Enquiries exceeded
last
year (at The Homebuilding & Renovating Show) in both quantity and
quality.
The hi-tech village concept of the show worked really well too, rightly
focusing visitor attention on the sector and managing their expectations
accordingly. The seminars were well attended and warmly received. We were
delighted with the response."



Other exhibitors singled out the organization and marketing of The Smart
Home Show as key to its success.  ""I can't praise this Show
highly enough,"

said Trudy Tyler, MD of custom installer UVizualize, "from the
organisation
and marketing which had a really personal touch, to the quality and
quantity
of serious buying visitors this event was just superb. We're still working
through a stack of enquiries from private builders & renovaters but on
the
commercial side we were also delighted to meet senior specifiers from big
building groups such as Westbury and Homestead Properties.  The PR results
were excellent - Central News filmed us on the opening day and the
presenter
came back on the Saturday to talk to me about our products. We couldn't be
more delighted and we recommend this event to anyone involved in custom
installation."



The Smart Home Show 2006 will take place from 2-5 March at Birmingham's
NEC.

For further information about exhibiting at The Smart Home Show call Chris
Walton on Tel: 01527 834 498.