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Well folks, here it is.  We are on the Eve of one of our most longstanding, yearly anticipated trade shows.  IFE.  Fastener Show West.  National Industrial Fastener Show.  Vegas Show.  While there are times you feel age catching up with you, a lot of people probably think of themselves as younger than they actually are.  With that in mind, how many of you remember the Columbus Show?  Not a single member of the Young Fastener Professionals can say they remember it.  Or very few, I suppose.  And while it does feel like a long time ago there are many memories of that show that don’t feel that old.  But, they kind of are.

And now, the Vegas Show is moving.  Next year it will be in Phoenix.  I have not heard if that is a one year deal or a multi year agreement or if the show is going to be traveling each year.  Someone might know but I have not heard.

And, even the Vegas Show has changed over the year quite a bit.  From Paris to the Convention Center near the Venetian.  A one year side show at the, what was it, the Westgate?  My biggest memory from that is hanging out in the suite where Elvis stayed thanks to my friends at Screws Industries.

While a lot of us consider our show to be big I think we probably pale in comparison to a lot of tech or auto shows.  Now we compete with an NFL team and many other attractions and I am guessing our show just does not have the fire power it once did.  Even being down at the Mandalay Bay feels like we are isolated and shoved down to the end of the strip.  Maybe it is time to move on to a new city.

I wonder about the international exhibitors that come to the show.  Do tariffs change anything?  I’m guessing it does for some companies and not so much for others.  Many international sources still are less expensive than domestic, even with the tariffs.  And, it could depend on the products.  Most companies probably consider the long game and are anticipating some changes in tariff policy either in the short term or maybe four years down the road.

Regardless, this is the last trip to Las Vegas for a while.  I would not have guessed a few years back that I would be looking at 2026 and thinking I would be attending Fastener Shows in Phoenix and Charlotte.  Fastener Fair has plans for 2027.  I guess we will be finding out what IFE has in mind.

So, all of you folks who have said you hate going to Vegas need to start making plans for 2026 and show up in Phoenix.  Either IFE listened to you or Las Vegas just got too difficult to work with for a show the size of our show.

See you all next week.  Looking forward to it.