This was a very worthwhile small show with plenty of relationship building and deal closing to go along with the education and general acumen enhancement.
The LED Specifier Summit was a dynamic mix of exposition, education, and networking. This was not Lightfair, and it didn't need to be. It was an unqualified success on its own merits.
The summit was held in the Chicago Sheraton ballroom -- a nice if smallish setting. The venue did the show justice. It is my understanding that next year's show will be at the Hyatt to accommodate an even larger gathering.
The summit's purpose was to educate -- to enrich folks' knowledge of what is current in LEDs. It featured a bevy of respected lighting experts who spoke on a variety of topics pertinent to us in the industry. Jim Benya's talk was particularly compelling and informative.
A notable aspect about this show was that I actually saw people working. They were closing deals and furthering relationships. Face-to-face promotion was going on. And with nearly 90 exhibitors in attendance, clearly many were there to get on with the business of expanding their presence and learning more about what passes for good quality these days.
Though I am not the best promoter for inorganic LED wares, I'll state that what was on display was not disappointing. Moreover, I had the sense that people who had not been in the SSL industry (but now are) were getting up to speed acumen wise. That was my takeaway moment of optimism over the industry's growth and maturation process: better wares with better ambassadors. Outstanding.
The level of enthusiasm was high, and the crowd seemed to be fairly sophisticated -- both the exhibitors and the attendees. I was happy to talk to folks doing good work at presenting their teams' wares.
The cost to attend was crazy low, and the value proposition for what could be gained there was clear. It was a right-sized show that was easy to get to and actually enjoy. I did enjoy this one.
Exhibition highlights
At the Allied Scientific Pro booth, the Passport Spectrometer was being showcased as a gold-standard resource. I was only too happy to regale folks with an infomercial on using this tool.
At the Philips display, I spent time having informative discussions with the savvy Philips lighting reps. (I missed by millimeters winning a raffle for a Hue lighting system.) Lumentix, Kenall, Digital Lumens, and Acuity also had memorable booths with some great innovations.
Chicago charm
Chicago is a prime location for these other lighting trade shows. Memo to whomever decides these things: We need more. Of course, this is coming from a Chicago-area guy who loathes travel. That said, I met some new friends from other regions, all of whom seemed happy to come to Chicago, with all of its amenities, LED acceptance, and pseudo glamour.
Though I am a bit biased, there really was a noticeable charm about this show. It seemed to be about sleeves being rolled up and work happening. An SSL gathering with a Midwestern sensibility to it -- I love it. My only complaint was the dearth of OLEDs. If the subsequent specifier summits address this, I will report back with an even more effusive report on LSS2014.
So cheers for the show runners, the exhibitors, the speakers, and for the show itself. It was a good one.
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