CHICAGO - As the world shrinks and economies become increasingly globalized, active participation in the global market has become a common business practice. With this goal in mind, the organizers of NeoCon, North America’s largest contract industry trade show, has expanded its international presence through new and expanded international showrooms, more than 80 manufacturers representing 20 countries, special exhibits and an incredible line-up of speakers from around the world to address some of the industry’s most pressing topics.

“The overall theme and guiding force in the marketing and promotion of this year’s show is ‘Think Big.’ NeoCon is a mecca, a destination and place where big ideas come to life. We’re certainly challenging ourselves to think big as we develop show components and programming that appeal to an international audience,” said Mark Falanga, MMPI president and CEO. “We are thrilled to welcome the world to Chicago and look forward to working with our international manufacturers and attendees.”

The Merchandise Mart’s permanent showrooms feature a vast array of International manufactures and will welcome newcomer, German-based, CP Furniture Systems Inc. during NeoCon on the 10th floor in Suite 10 - 166. CP Furniture Systems Inc. enhances the Mart’s already diverse collection of internationally-based showrooms including Vitra (Switzerland), TONON (Italy), Sandler Seating (U.K.), Allermuir (U.K). VS America (Germany), Andreu World (Spain) and Haworth, which carries many Italian lines in its Haworth Collection including Cassina, Castelli, Cappellini, and Poltrona Frau. All together, NeoCon will be the only place to see the latest and greatest from American-made products to innovations from countries such as China, Hong Kong, Korea, United Kingdom, Canada, Singapore, and Brazil.

While NeoCon historically has drawn exhibitors and attendees from across North America, the show has expanded more and more into the global market each year. The Taiwan Furniture Manufacturers’ Association and Korea Pavilions will return once again. Each of these pavilions showcases more than 1,000 square feet of exhibitors and features a few newcomers, along with returning companies expanding their presence at NeoCon.

Internationally Based/Manufactured Exhibitor Highlights:

Borgo Contract Seating (Suite #8-3054c) is a furniture manufacture based out of Toronto, Canada, where the majority of their product line is built. They also import components for chairs from Northern Italy. 

CP Furniture Systems Inc. (Suite #10-166) products are made in Germany.

Camira Fabrics (Suite # 8-9058) has manufacturing sites in the UK and in Lithuania, plus offices and showrooms in Europe, Australia and China. It is the innovative manufacturer and distributor of textiles for commercial interiors. Following the success of its Sting fabric, made from wool and nettle fiber, the company is launching a new bast fiber fabric made from wool and hemp. Offering superbly styled fabrics at mill direct pricing, in stock for immediate delivery, backed by 5 and 10 year wear warranties.

Chen Chi Furniture Co., Ltd. (ROF) (Suite #7-7034) manufacturer Office Seating Components in Taiwan. All of their products are made in Taiwan, including the materials, parts and packaging materials etc.

Configura,Inc. (Suite #7-7046) produces software for European and other global clients from its headquarters in Linköping, Sweden, and from a satellite office in Göteborg, Sweden. The company recently announced the opening of an office and developer site in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia.

Well-known global clients of Configura served primarily from Sweden include DeLaval, Ballingslöv, Nobia, Bott, Hoyez, Flexlink, Kinnarps, Martela, ITAB Shop Products, Electrolux and Bosch Siemens.

Deflecto, LLC (Suite # 7-7070, 7-78073) has wholly owned manufacturing facilities in Canada, Wales UK, and China.

Green Hides Leather Studio (Suite # 11-114b) produces all of its leather in their Italian tannery, allowing Green Hides to ensure the environmental quality of products, as well as eliminate many of the quality obstacles faced by other companies.

Gressco (Suite # 8-7094) specializes in children’s furniture for healthcare, schools and library markets. They are the exclusive distributors in the USA & Canada of the HABA product, which is made in Germany.

Hardwood Specialty Products’ (Suite # 7-7082) Echo Wood line is made from readily available and FSC Certified logs harvested in Africa and China. The logs are turned into fiber that allows us to recreate rare and exotic wood veneers without having to harvest rare and exotic trees.

Innovative Office (Suite #7-3022b) will host a Brazil Social Hour on Tuesday, June 12 from 4-5 p.m. to give attendees doing business in Brazil networking opportunities. The event was inspired by their recent incorporation of a subsidiary based in Brazil.

Legend Office Co, Ltd. (Suite # 7-2062) is one of Taiwan’s leading manufacturers of office furnishing services. The Legend Office Co., Ltd. today is competent in supplying cutting-edge office furniture products with high technical performance and global solutions tailored to today’s consumers. They also have another production plant located in Dong-Guan, Guang-Dong Province, China.

LOGICDATA Elektronic & Software Entwicklungs GmbH (Suite #8-9082) is an Austrian company and the innovation and market leader for microcontroller-based motor controls and accessories for ergonomics in the furniture industry. Located in Grand Rapids, Michigan, UNITEDLOGIC is a wholly-owned subsidiary of LOGICDATA - both companies are dedicated to providing world-class products at the best value and the highest quality services to its customers. The business unit logicOFFICE develops and sells motor controls and accessories for electrically adjustable office furniture. These individually adjusted systems are used by many of the leading manufacturers of office furniture in the world. Their products are manufactured in Europe and China.

At Metroflor Corp. (Suite #8-8122) , they proudly offer a diverse portfolio of commercial Luxury Resilient flooring options manufactured abroad for Retail, Hospitality, Educational, Multi-Family and Corporate environments, through such noteworthy brands as: Konecto, Starloc, Metroflor, Artistek, Engage, Hybrid, Laminique & Teknoflor. From start to finish, their flooring measures up to the highest standards of looks, performance and value… every step of the way.

They continuously search the globe for floors that make a statement through style, texture and color. They never sacrifice aesthetics for performance… capturing the best natural looks in wood, stone and tile through innovative manufacturing processes that ensure beauty, comfort, easy care and longevity.

Milliken (Suite # 11-1149) manufactures locally on a global scale to service a particular region and has facilities in the United States, United Kingdom and China.

Modernsolid Ind. Co, Ltd. (Suite #7-6118) , founded in 1988, has established its factory in Taichung City in Taiwan for over 20 years. MODERNSOLID made its first significant mark as a pioneer in innovation with the introduction of Gas-Spring LCD Monitor Arm LA-01, which accommodates most LCD monitors and offers effortless adjustability for ergonomic comfort.

With the insistence on the ergonomics and high quality, today MODERNSOLID has grown to be a world-leading supplier in all kinds of mounting solutions for LCD monitors, notebooks, large flat panel displays, TVs and projectors among office, industrial, education and healthcare markets.

OFC Desk, LLC (Suite #7-8033) was founded in 2005 and is headquartered in Chicago, Illinois (USA), with offices located in Indianapolis, Indiana (USA), and in São Paulo and Belo Horizonte (Brazil). Their software is produced in Brazil.

Terrazzo & Marble Supply Co. (Suite # 7-8074) produces their Difiniti Quartz Surfacing products in China and their Precious Stone collection is produced in Verona, Italy. 

TIGER Drylac Powder Coatings (Suite #7-7074) has offices abroad including Austria for Europe, Sao Paolo for Brazil, Shanghai and the South of China and Vietnam for the Asian markets.

Vitra, Inc. (Suite # 11-1192) is a Swiss company and produces many products in Switzerland, Germany and other European countries. The Asian market is served by a manufacturing plant in China.

International Seminar Highlights:

In keeping in step with the global perspective on the industry, NeoCon has attracted speakers from countries including Denmark, Colombia, Ireland and Canada.

The following programming elements highlight these globally-minded speakers, as well as topics that appeal to working in a global marketplace.

THE CHALLENGE OF WORKING IN INTERNATIONAL COUNTRIES [ M124]

Monday, June 11 • 1:00 PM - 2:00 PM

International work might sound exciting and glamorous, but language, culture, expectations codes and building practices in other countries can present many obstacles. Western firms typically pass their design concept on to local partners for implementation. How can designers communicate their intent effectively and maintain project integrity as it leaves their hands? Understand the variations and challenges in international markets vs. US standard practice. Get the most effective communication and presentation methods to convey design intent. Recognize what you can control and what you can’t, and when both situations can be used to the project’s advantage. Leave the session ready to take on that next project overseas or across the border. [Intermediate] [FC/R] [PD]

Bruce Rhoades LEED AP, is director of interiors for KlingStubbins in Cambridge, Massachusetts. • Sarah Springer, IIDA, LEED AP, is design principal of interiors for KlingStubbins in Cambridge, Massachusetts

GETTING THE SECOND CLIENT [T253]

Tuesday, June 12 • 9:30 AM - 10:30 AM

Discuss the importance of ongoing and consistent business development to a firm’s financial health, growth and reputation. Topics include the skills and attitudes needed to be a “rainmaker” in a firm and how to distinguish viable opportunities from worthless pursuits. Learn to differentiate your firm and activate specific strategies to dramatically improve opportunities. Learn how to focus the firm’s resources and energies through a targeted marketing strategy. Discuss why networking may be preferable to process marketing, and learn to build awareness within your firm of continual business development. [Intermediate] [PD]

Carol Jones, IDC, IIDA, IFMA, is a principal at Kasian Architecture Interior Design & Planning in Vancouver, British Columbia. • Richard Pollack, AIA, IIDA, is the founding principal at Pollack Consulting/POLLACK architecture in San Francisco, California.

RE-IMAGINING THE UNITED NATIONS: FINN JUHL’S TRUSTEESHIP CHAMBER [T263]

Tuesday, June 12 • 11:00 AM - 12:00 PM

The United Nations Capital Master Plan presents a collection of preservation problems that constitutes, when taken together, a microcosm of preservation issues related to mid-century modern architecture. The Trusteeship Council Chamber remains one of the iconic spaces at the UN Headquarters despite many changes to the programmatic function and interior. The current preservation project strives to balance past and future. Hear the specifics about the latest advancements in state of the art technology and how they’re being used in this historic space in seamless fashion. See one approach to difficult space planning that upholds accessibility clearances and at the same time increases seat count and preserves sight lines. Get one team’s take on how to strike a balance between the need for modern interventions and the character of an important and sensitive mid-century modern space [Basic] [FC/R] [HSW]

Mary Burke, FAIA, IIDA, is a principal at Burke Design & Architecture PLLC in New York, New York. • Anthony Cohn, AIA, LEED AP, is design principal at EYP Architecture & Engineering in New York, New York. • Kasper Salto is a partner and product designer for Salto and Sigsgaard in Coppenhagen, Denmark.

COLOMBIA: AN EMERGING COUNTRY IN SUSTAINABLE CONSTRUCTION [T292]

Tuesday, June 12 • 4:00 PM - 5:00 PM

One of today’s key objectives is to establish clear environmental commitments in construction. And creating urban languages and urban understanding to reduce the negative impact on the environment must be balanced with the aesthetic elements of design, where color and spatial harmony are relevant variables in the equation. Come discuss the importance of environmental sustainability in the construction practices of a responsible country as a whole. Promote the creation of functional and aesthetic spaces that improve people’s quality of life. Discover that environmental social responsibility is more than a fashion: it is a culture. [Intermediate] [FC/R] [ENV] [HSW]

Marta Gallo, USGBC, is an architect and general director at Arquitectura e Interiores in Bogota, Colombia. • Juliana Fernandez, USGBC, is general director and partner of Arquitectura e Interiores in Bogota, Colombia.

BEST PRACTICES FOR THE DESIGN OF LEARNING SPACES, FURNITURE AND TOOLS IN THE 21ST CENTURY: A REVIEW OF INTERNATIONAL RESEARCH AND CASE STUDIES [W316]

Wednesday, June 13 • 11:00 AM - 12:00 PM

Educational facilities design and development research leaders share extensive research and insight into how space and furniture can accommodate the shift in modern teaching and learning methodologies. They’ll discuss best practices for the design of effective learning environments. You’ll learn how to support changing teaching and learning methodologies with furniture and the built environment and understand best practice design patterns for the 21st century school. This session covers the research from the four year Task Furniture in Education (TFE) project in Dublin and the practice of the 5D process: discover, define, design, develop and deploy. Become empowered with the keys to revolutionize learning environments and teaching experiences through space, furniture and educational tools for this century. [Basic] [INST] [HSW]

Jennifer Lamar is a senior interior design consultant with Fielding Nair International in Tampa, Florida. • Kelli Ogboke is a senior design researcher for Fielding Nair International in Dublin, Ireland

WHO’S MINDING THE OFFICE? TRENDS AND TRADE-OFFS IN OFFICE LIGHTING [W328]

Wednesday, June 13 • 1:30 PM - 2:30 PM

Lighting the workplace is as important as ever. New publications introduce updated recommendations and guidelines for designers working out the details for the modern office. Hear the new criteria; examine how they can be applied and the related impacts on current technologies and design. Go over all the diverse visual tasks in the modern office. It’s no longer enough to consider a piece of paper and a desk top computer. Laptops, handheld devices and localized video conferencing are changing the office landscape. Learn about the new guidelines in the latest IES publications and how they have changed from previous editions and how to apply the guidelines with current technology and forecast future needs for effective design. Discuss potential traps and pitfalls of bad lighting design choices. Leave with useful, practical information and tips for lighting designs you can use right away. [Intermediate] [LT] [OF] [HSW]

Gary Woodall, IES, IALD, LC, LEED AP BD+C is a senior designer for Gary Steffy Lighting Design Inc. in Ann Arbor, Michigan. • Wilson Dau, LC, LEED AP, is a principal of Dau Design and Consulting Inc. in Calgary, Alberta, Canada.

For more information to register for seminars, visit www.neocon.com.

The 44th annual NeoCon®, the National Exposition of Contract Furnishings, is North America’s largest exhibition of contract furnishings for the design and management of the built environment. NeoCon features the latest trends, products, and concepts in office, healthcare, hospitality, residential, institutional and government environments from more than 700 exhibitors. Approximately 40,000 trade professionals are expected to attend.

Registration is now available at www.neocon.com. NeoCon attendees are encouraged to pre-register by June 4th to save time and money. As part of an effort to increase online pre-registration, attendees who register at www.neocon.com by June 4th will be admitted into the show at no charge. Attendees who wait to register on-site will be charged $25 for a show badge.

For more information about NeoCon, visit the www.neocon.com or call (800) 677-6278 (MART).

Outside of the United States call (312) 527-7600. NeoCon is only open to trade professionals with proper credentials.

NeoCon® is a registered trademark of MMPI.

Source: MMPI