request a demo
If you've never considered attending a plumbing trade show, make 2020 the year you change that. These events can introduce you to new best practices and help you discover innovative tools or technologies that can increase your efficiency and effectiveness. Plus, you can use plumbing trade shows as a way to research vendors, take continuing education courses, or network your way to new opportunities for your company and yourself.
Plumbing trade shows take place all over the US and abroad. This year, make it a point to check out the event nearest you. Here are some of the most notable expos/conferences.
WWETT Show
Number of Attendees: 13,451
2020 Dates: February 17-20
Location: Indianapolis, IN
WWETT stands for Water & Wastewater Equipment, Treatment & Transport. It is the largest annual trade show for the wastewater industry. This conference features more than 100 education sessions and it attracts thousands of attendees. For 2020, 13,451 attendees have already registered and 610 companies plan to exhibit, including the plumbing software provider Smart Service (booth #3130).
Flow Expo 2020
Number of Attendees: 3,500
2020 Dates: March 21
Location: Pamona, CA
The Flow Expo has been around for 45 years. It started as a small event put on by the PHCC of the Greater Los Angeles Area and grew into an event so large that it had to move to the Los Angeles Fairplex. More than 500 brands are represented at the expo now and over 136 companies exhibit. Expect around 3,500 people to attend the one-day event.
National Hardware Show
Number of Attendees: 20,000
2020 Dates: May 5-7
Location: Las Vegas, NV
The National Hardware Show is enormous. In 2020, there will be more than 20,000 attendees and over 2,800 exhibitors–and that’s just the ones attached to the National Hardware Show specifically. The North American Retail Hardware Association (NRHA) has its annual conference adjacent to the National Hardware Show.
This event may not be 100% related to plumbing, but plumbing is included in the topics covered. Also, keep in mind that this event is centered on innovation, so you will get to see new products coming out and trends on the horizon.
Emerging Water Technology Symposium
Number of Attendees: 500
2020 Dates: May 12-13
Location: San Antonio, TX
The Emerging Water Technology Symposium (EWTS) is put on as a joint effort between several major industry organizations. In alphabetical order, this includes the Alliance for Water Efficiency (AWE), the American Society of Plumbing Engineers (ASPE), the International Association of Plumbing and Mechanical Officials (IAPMO), Plumbing Manufacturers International (PMI), and the World Plumbing Council (WPC). The focus here is on energy efficiency. Participants learn about emerging technologies and green plumbing techniques. There are as many as 50 exhibits and up to 500 participants.
PHCCConnect 2020
Number of Attendees: 900
2020 Dates: September 30-October 2
Location: Dallas, TX
PHCCCONNECT2020 is an annual conference put on by the Plumbing-Heating-Cooling Contractors Association, better known as PHCC. In 2020, the event will be in Dallas. It was held in Indianapolis, IN last year, and around 900 people registered for that iteration. There were over 50 education opportunities, and the show featured over 100 exhibits.
World Plumbing Council
Number of Attendees: 500
2020 Dates: September (Dates TBA)
Location: TBA
Last year, the World Plumbing Conference was held in Melbourne, Australia. The dates and location for 2020 have not been announced as of February 3, 2020. It is held in a different location every year. In general, over 500 people attend and over 40 companies have exhibits.
The World Plumbing Conference explores products and practices in plumbing and examines how professionals can minimize risk.
Service World Expo
Number of Attendees: 1,000
2020 Dates: September 22-24, 2020
Location: Tampa, FL
The Service World Expo is a newer conference. This year’s event will only be its fifth incarnation. Details on the Service World Expo 2020 are not up yet, other than the dates and location. In 2019, the expo featured 3 keynote presentations and over 40 breakout sessions as well as a range of exhibits and more than 170 vendors.
2020 ASPE Convention & Expo
Number of Attendees: 4,000
2020 Dates: September 11-16, 2020
Location: New Orleans, LA
The ASPE Convention & Expo is put on by the American Society of Plumbing Engineers. It lasts for six days and it attracts a large crowd. The show expects over 300 exhibitors and more than 4,000 plumbing professionals in 2020. The ASPE Convention also offers more than 25 technical sessions, so you can easily earn continuing ed credits or just find out more about new technology. The expo bills itself as “the Largest Event for Plumbing System Design Professionals,” but if that isn’t enough reason to convince you to go, just remember that this one takes place in New Orleans.
Attending Plumbing Trade Shows
Going to plumbing trade shows and expos is a good way to improve your knowledge about the industry and identify opportunities to grow in your profession. Each event has a slightly different focus and a vacation-worthy location, so why not go and see what the fuss is about? Worse comes to worst, you can see cool new technology, research some vendors, and meet other people in the biz.
