The Canadian Rental Mart, which ran March 6 and 7, hosted 855 rental professionals, up 24% from the 2010 tally of 689. Of those, 488 were rental operators representing 225 individual companies attending. They visited 104 exhibiting companies. The American Rental Association's trade show guidelines recommend a ratio of two attendees to every exhibitor as a rule-of-thumb for a successful show.
Other statistics point to a very strong edition of the Toronto-based show. The show partner hotel, the DoubleTree Hilton, sold its entire block of 151 room nights out well before the show, and the overflow hotel, the Radisson, sold 17 room nights. The Canadian Rental Association Ontario's banquet was the largest ever, with 152 registered guests. Bryan Baeumler's appearance, the ROOTY award presentation and the seminars all drew enthusiastic crowds.
"We felt we were optimistic in hoping for 300 to 400 attendees," show manager, Ed Cosman, said. "As it happened, the show exceeded all expectations."
Feedback from exhibitors on the show floor was overwhelmingly positive. "This is the best show we have had in 10 years," Paul Everitt, Rentquip sales manager, said. The famous Rentquip Wheel of Fortune could be heard almost continuously on the first day.
The CRA Ontario will host its table-top show next year, and the Rental Mart returns in March 2014, exact date to be determined.
