I have been waiting to read your insights on the recent announcement of a joint conference [on cleaning] sponsored by IPC and SMTA. While I think any personal issues between these or any two groups should not be amplified in the media, this is a case where clearly the glass is more than half full and represents what I would consider a positive move toward collaboration and coordination in the industry. Perhaps your assessment will see fit to expound on the positive trend this alliance illustrates.

Name withheld by request

The editor responds: You ask a fair question. I haven’t written anything on the joint IPC-SMTA Cleaning Symposium because I’m not sure what, if anything, this really represents. Does one event make a trend? IPC does several events with Jedec each year, and SMTA has its share of cooperative productions as well, so teaming with other groups isn’t new to either entity. Further, “cleaning” is a safe territory. There aren’t a bunch of big equipment companies fighting over owning that space, so the opportunities to derive revenue from large exhibitions are minor and the downsides of working together thus nominal. If the two organizations could come to agreement about their respective fall trade shows, however, that would be a development I wouldn’t be able to avoid.

I enjoyed reading Susan Mucha’s recent column (“Weathering a Trade Show Storm,” September 2008). Interesting that a limited attended show was one of my best! You see, the people who were prepared were the people I wanted to deal with. And the masses that were not there enabled me to get in front of them with relative ease because I didn’t have to fight for time.

I have already made appointments with several prospects – I just left a prospect who will now become a customer. My goal has always been a customer per show, and I will get three good ones out of that storm in Orlando. There must be a reason why I have always loved foul weather!

Greg Papandrew
President, Bare Board Group