Officials with the 2014 International Roofing Expo say excitement is building as the calendar gets closer to Feb. 26-28.

Following shows in Orlando, Fla., and San Antonio, the expo returns to the glitz and glamour of its longtime host city, Las Vegas, and promises to again be a must-attend event giving roofing professionals the chance to meet with manufacturers and suppliers.

“Over three days attendees can gain insight and inspiration while experiencing what’s new and how to maintain success in the ever-evolving world of roofing,” said show director Tracy Garcia.

With all the education, ideas, leads and products you’ll find at the International Roofing Expo, attendees will find that what happens in Vegas shouldn’t stay in Vegas, officials say.

With more than 500 exhibiting companies and 16 hours of trade show exhibit time, you will find a wide range of manufacturers and suppliers of all sizes displaying thousands of products, services, technologies and equipment in more than 1,000 booths.

Products and more products

At the expo’s Product Showcase, attendees will have the chance to see, try and compare products in the following categories: new, sustainable, safety and made in the USA. Located on the show floor, this area is designed for attendees to find great products in a direct, non-selling environment. A panel of industry experts will select the “best new product” based on innovation, productivity and cost-effectiveness — it’s like the Oscars for new roofing products, officials say.

Stop by the Metal Marketplace on the show floor to find manufacturers supplying creative and innovative metal roofing products, designs, building concepts, tools and services. If metal is your specialty, you will find what you need here.

In the Technology & Business Services Pavilion, attendees will find the things that will help their businesses run more efficiently and effectively and provide them an opportunity to meet with the suppliers who are changing the face of this segment of the industry, officials say.

For this year’s keynote address, the roofing expo has hired Frank Abagnale, subject of the book and movie, “Catch Me If You Can,” who will speak at 9:45 a.m. Feb. 26.

By the time he was 21, Abagnale had posed as a commercial pilot, an assistant attorney general, a college professor and a pediatrician, and had cashed $2.5 million in fraudulent checks. Following stints in prison, he became an expert in fraud and now works as one of the world’s most respected authorities on forgery and embezzlement.

After the close of the trade show’s first day, attendees are invited to a welcome party at Light Nightclub in the Mandalay Bay hotel-casino. All guests must be 21 years of age with valid ID and a roofing expo name badge.

Charity event

Show participants are encouraged to arrive a day early, and give back to the Las Vegas community by participating in Community Service Day’s home renovation and revitalization project sponsored by Sika Sarnafil. Held 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. Feb. 26, volunteers are needed from a variety of construction disciplines to help repair the homes of unemployed and disabled families in Las Vegas. All skill levels are needed from professional to amateur.

A new event this year is the Treasure Chest game. Attendees have the opportunity to find new products and meet exhibitors. They will follow a treasure map to each of the participating “treasured” exhibitors across the show floor and receive a jewel stamp on their map. Once the map is full of the allotted stamps, attendees will be entered for a change to win $3,500 cash presented by former Las Vegas mayor Oscar Goodman, now the host committee chairman of the Las Vegas Convention and Visitors Authority.

Apart from the trade show, attendees can choose from 44 educational sessions in eight categories where they will learn the best practices and the latest technologies designed to improve your skills and grow your business. Ninety percent of the sessions are new topics. Sessions include Occupational Safety and Health Administration regulations, young contractors, fall prevention, executive leadership, human resources, marketing and sales.

Each class is 90 minutes and is staggered with the conference to not take time away from the trade show.

The full list of exhibitors and sessions is available at www.TheRoofingExpo.com. More show information is also available through social media. Visit the Facebook page at www.facebook.com/RoofingExpo, Twitter at www.twitter.com/RoofingExpo, Pinterest at www.pinterest.com/RoofingExpo, and YouTube at www.youtube.com/RoofingExpo. 

This article was supplied by Hanley Wood Exhibitions, organizers of the International Roofing Expo.