Where Were the Retailers?

The 2008 National Auto Glass Conference was held earlier this week in Tucson, Ariz.

One question was on the mind of many at this week's National Auto Glass Conference in Tucson: where were the retailers? A brief overview of the pre-registered attendee list shows there were 32 retail companies in attendance—for a total of 90 individuals from those companies. Nineteen of the retail attendees were affiliated with Belron US/Safelite, making up 9 percent of the entire attendance, and 23 percent of the retail population.

While retail attendance did seem to be low at the conference, which this year was designed as management-type conference, those suppliers seeking meetings with other suppliers did find it successful.

"For Mainstreet, the show was a great time for solidifying relationships with current customers as well as enhancing business opportunities with others," said Mark Haeck, sales manager for the Belleville, Mich.-based company. "There's nothing like a face-to-face meeting when it comes right down to it. Some of the meetings I had were timely for us strategically."

Attendance Breakdown

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