The 2023 ISN Tool Dealer Expo saw attendance levels matching those of pre-COVID attendance. With over 750 registered attendees, not including the locals who enjoy stopping in on the last day to get some deals, the event also featured around 120 vendors – up about 20 percent from last year’s show – and over 175 ISN employees, making overall attendance about 2,000 people.
“You can hear the buzz on the floor, and it’s been constant since we opened the doors this morning,” said Pete Peterson, ISN president on day one of the event.
This year’s Tool Dealer Expo was held at Rosen Shingle Creek in Orlando, Florida on June 9-10. Attendees got to catch up with old friends, find some truck stocking deals, sit in on multiple training events, and get a first look at many new tools.
New on the show floor
Peterson noted that the theme this year was “new products and new solutions.” With at least 60 suppliers introducing new products at the show, it’s easy to see why.
Some new products featured at the show include:
- CPS Products UView SpotGun Jr Injection Starter Kit, No. 390100
- Killer Tools Vacuum Floor Puller, No. ART23
- Redline Detection Smoke Pro Air
- Ingersoll Rand W3151 IQV20 Cordless Compact 1/2" Impact Wrench
- Mayhew Tools Socket Bit Line Expansion
- CTA Tools 8-pc Pry Bar and Scraper Kit, No. 1446
- Curien RGTB 'Run’n Gun' Tablet Kit
- SureWerx Airwalk Safety and Occupational Footwear Line
- LDS Industries Heavy Duty Creeper with Adjustable Headrest, Tool Tray, and Magnetic Light, No. 1010931
“That new product pipeline is so critical to the success of any business,” Peterson said, “…it gives us a reason to call customers, new or old, to talk about something different.”
Training and demos
Paired nicely with all the new products, was all the training available to attendees. ISN set aside an area on the show floor for vendors to present on products and made announcements throughout the day notifying when new training sessions were about to begin.
Peterson explained how some vendors brought in elite technicians or certified trainers to talk about their products and help the attendees to understand why the product is important, how to sell it, how to position it, etc. Additionally, many vendors were doing in-booth demos, so even if an attendee missed a training session, they were still able to see some products in action and get some more in-depth information.
Wrapping up
Wrap-up on day one of the show hosted a new ISN event – Women Connect. The Women Connect event was an inspirational gathering where women of the automotive aftermarket industry could connect with other women, share ideas, and make new friends.
Day two’s wrap-up included the highly anticipated farewell event. This year’s farewell event was emceed by Kevin Byrd from Two Guys Garage and featured dueling pianos and a variety of prizes.
Peterson noted that the farewell event “gives us a chance to celebrate our successes.”
To view more pictures from the event, check out the 2023 ISN Tool Dealer Expo photo gallery.
