Educational extras in store for CARS/NACE shows

The upcoming International Autobody Congress & Exposition (NACE) and the Congress of Automotive Repair & Service (CARS) include many on-floor education opportunities that add value to the overall show experience, say organizers.

These industry events are co-located at the Mandalay Bay Convention Center in Las Vegas, Nov. 5-8. Together, NACE and CARS represent the cornerstone of the recently created Automotive Service & Repair Week (ASRW) and are sponsored by the Automotive Service Association (ASA).

NACE Expo Extras include on-going exhibitor presentations and live demos, as well as the I-CAR Technology Showcase featuring daily clinics on the latest technology and repair methods. Also included is the Auto Glass Expo, a focused pavilion featuring auto glass companies, live demos and the annual Auto Glass Technician and Windshield Repair Olympics. These competitions allow technicians from across the United States to showcase their skills and techniques. Expo Extras are free to all NACE and CARS registrants.

The CARS show floor features 80-plus exhibitors displaying the latest automotive repair and service products, services, equipment and technologies available today, as well as Expo Extras, including daily exhibitor presentations and exhibitor theaters featuring comprehensive training by Identifix (Thursday), clientONE (Friday) and Bosch (Saturday). These events are free to all NACE and CARS registrants.

“Increased value for both the attendees and exhibitors is what the Expo Extras are all about,” says Lindsay Roberts, Hanley Wood Exhibitions’ associate director of NACE and CARS. “Providing exhibitors with extra methods of reaching their customers with on-floor training and product demos, as well as the chance to entertain attendees with celebrity appearances in their booths, helps deliver attendees the expanded options they’re looking for – all while walking, shopping and networking with suppliers and manufacturers.”

The NACE show floor features 400-plus exhibiting companies displaying collision repair products, equipment, technology, services and innovations available today in more than 130,000 net square feet of exhibits.  NACE has been designated by Tradeshow Week as one of the top 200 trade shows in the country and remains the only trade event specifically focused and designed for collision repair industry professionals. 

For 2008, the New Product Pavilion – featuring both NACE and CARS exhibitor products – has been redesigned and positioned front and center in the main lobby. Attendees are able to preview the newest products hitting the market prior to stepping on the show floors. The list of participants and registration options can be viewed at www.NACEexpo.com and www.CARSevent.com.