Plans in the Works for Future Nearshoring Expo

Exhibitors, importers, retailers and others who attended the first Expo this past December are being polled for timing and format for the next show.

After the conclusion of the initial Expo in 2024, the Dallas Market Center is already working on preparations for the next event. Based on interviews with those who exhibited and attended the first event and a post-show survey, DMC is looking into several areas:

• Timing: While the December dates were chosen as the optimum timeframe for the Expo, given schedules of other shows and retail selling periods, other possibilities will be looked into. Being so close to the end-of-the-month holidays may have been a factor in attendance and participation.

• Exhibitor Mix: The Expo represented a cross-section of suppliers from the apparel and home sectors, but several survey respondents said they would like to see larger vendors who are better suited to export. Pet, ranch and seasonal were seen as categories that might warrant more exhibitors. Artisanal companies might not be a fit for the importers seeking larger quantities. Overall, attendees liked the mix of companies that showed, including government-sponsored pavilions from Mexico and Brazil.

• Attendance: For a first show, expectations were modest on both the number of visitors and exhibitors. However, while many exhibitors recognized that there was general agreement that more buyers and importers were an important area to build on for the next event.

When the Dallas Market Center announced the show, CEO Cindy Morris acknowledged its importance in the global marketplace. “We are creating this groundbreaking new trade event for several key reasons. First and foremost, many leading companies in several of the industries we serve have encouraged a juried event in Dallas and they requested the event be created by the industry for the industry. They also understand our commitment to supporting more efficient trade and our unique access to brands, factories and service providers as well as our long-standing relationships with them.”

Details on the 2025 Nearshoring America Expo are expected to be announced over the next several months.