Attendance has been strong for the first two days at this year’s HPBExpo in Atlanta. According to Tony Ramos, publisher of Patio & Hearth Products Report, attendance is the best that it has been in the past two to three years. “Since I spend the majority of my time walking the trade show floor, visiting and meeting with exhibitors and show attendees, I can get a good feel for show attendance. This year’s HPExpo is one of the best in years.”

Exhibitors have also commented that the quality of the show attendee is very high, and the overall sentiment at the show is very positive. “Manufacturer confidence and dealer confidence for our industry has definitely reached a higher level when compared to the past two years,” said Ramos.

In addition to the indoor exhibits, one of the unique aspects of HPBExpo is the “outdoor burn area.” With the outdoor burn area at this year’s show in Atlanta being a short distance from the indoor exhibit area, many of the show attendees have visited the outdoor burn area over the past two days.

“For the exhibitors, the show attendees and the HPBA, this year’s HPBExpo will end up being a successful event for all. It’s good to see that our industry is rebounding nicely along with the rest of the overall economy,” commented Ramos.

Next year’s HPBExpo will be held in Orlando, FL, March 14-16, 2013.