The second Electronic Security Expo (ESX), held in Baltimore on June 22-26, proved once again to be an outstanding networking opportunity in which many of the industry’s top executives, company owners and managers were able to interface in a relaxed atmosphere and enjoy several mixers and other social activities.

Hosted jointly by the National Burglar & Fire Alarm Association (NBFAA) and the Central Station Alarm Association (CSAA), ESX experienced an increase in exhibitors, had larger booths and more attendees.

Attendance this year was up 30 percent from its inaugural appearance last year in Nashville, ESX Chair George De Marco tells SSI. However, attendance for many of the educational seminars, which was the real bright spot in ESX’s inaugural 2008 incarnation, was down significantly.

Many vendors at ESX were attending in support of the trade associations instead of trying to obtain sales leads. Yet, many vendors still walked away with an impressive amount of leads, NBFAA President Mike Miller tells SSI.

“Lots of good things happened and it was busy from day 1,” Miller says. “There are always bumps in the road that we will look back on and get feedback, but overall, the picture was positive.”

Miller says while the show was a success, he would still like to see more people attend next year. “We want to make sure the people there get more floor time. We need to make sure the exhibitors get to see all the people they can. But one of the nice things is we aren’t totally focused on numbers.”

According to Miller, ESX attracts a higher quality of elite attendees, and the NBFAA and CSAA are happy to focus on quality.

“This is an educational issue. With something like this, there are less technicians and operational people unless they are higher up on the food chain,” he says. “It’s a good return on investment for vendors.”

One of the more important aspects taken away from the show is the relationship building between the NBFAA and CSAA.

“The relationship we have going with CSAA is good and getting better all the time,” Miller says. “We are communicating better and working well together, and while we won’t agree on everything, we are agreeing to communicate with each other so we can be positive in our approach when representing each other in the industry.”

The third Electronic Security Expo will take place the week of June 14, 2010, in Pittsburgh.

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