White background assorted hand tools

Recap of the National Hardware Show

This year, 2019, marked the 74th year of the National Hardware Show®, held May 7th-9th at the Las Vegas Convention Center. This annual show featured products and services from the home improvement marketplace. Over 2700 exhibitors from over 32 countries launched over 1000 brand new products during the 2019 National Hardware Show, with an estimated attendance of 19,000. In years past, the show had its start in New York, following the post-World War II housing boom. It migrated to the Midwest, settling in Chicago during the 1970's and eventually moved farther West to its current location in Las Vegas, NV.

The National Hardware Show has become the gathering place for big buyers to find the latest and greatest products they’d like to see offered at the nation’s leading hardware retailers. The show’s goal is to promote hardware businesses in all sectors worldwide. Additionally, the show provides opportunities for smaller companies to present their inventions to buyers and interested parties they normally wouldn’t have the opportunity with which to connect.

This year’s show opened with a keynote address by True Value CEO John Hartmann and included special events and featured areas such as Tiny Living, Interactive Smart Home, Inventors Spotlight, and outside, the popular Tailgate, Backyard & Barbeque party in the convention center parking lot. A highlight for many was the opportunity to ride Traeger Grills’ mechanical pig at the entrance of the outdoor BBQ area. And another point of interest was the NHS Media Hub broadcast of shows “The Money Pit” and “On the House with the Carey Brothers”, filmed directly from the show floor.

Tiny Living

There are about 10,000 tiny homes in North America as of May 2019, with about 700 new tiny homes being built each year. The average size of a tiny house is 150 square feet, weighing in around 10,000 pounds. “Tiny homes are a booming niche, especially where the cost of a home is skyrocketing,” says North American Retail Hardware Association (NRHA)’s Retail Outreach Coordinator, Renee Changnon, mentioning a friend in the San Francisco Bay area who purchased one. “You can pick it up and take it with you when you move.”

The rise in the popularity of tiny homes also has to do with their sustainability and affordability. Tiny home communities are popping up everywhere and are popular with young transients as well as those moving toward retirement. An applied example of the booming tiny home industry is the Community First! Village in Austin, TX. It’s a 51-acre 500+ tiny home community that provides affordable, permanent housing and a supportive community for men and women coming out of chronic homelessness.

Interactive Smart Home

New in 2019 to the National Hardware Show was the Interactive Smart Home, focusing on the IoT (Internet of Things). This Smart Home was built as a structured house on the Show Floor that buyers could walk through. Walking through they were able to try out featured products hands-on, and to learn about them using dedicated visuals. This setup created a more realistic and interactive experience for those interested in the home-related IoT product lines.

The smart home industry is comprised of anything from security systems that monitor doorways and garages, to smart thermostats, or lighting controls - and all other products that can integrate with apps and be run from your mobile device. Smart Home products featured at the National Hardware Show included those like Simple Sence - which uses Wi-Fi- connected sensor devices under sinks, near water heaters and pipes to detect freezes and leaks – to protect the home from damage that could occur from inclement weather or faulty products. Another wireless-connected product at the show was the Motorola Smart Safe – an internet -connected personal safe for items you want protected but easily accessible. This safe is equipped with the capability of sending real-time security alerts to your phone in the event anyone tries to gain access or does gain access to the Smart safe.

Inventors Spotlight

The Inventors Spotlight section of the National Hardware Show is considered by many of the show organizers to be the lifeblood of show. Consisting of over 150 inventions – these products have never been experienced prior to this show. This featured area also provides inventors an opportunity to meet with buyers and potential investors to get feedback or create partnerships for marketing their new product(s).

Some of the new intriguing product finds at the National Hardware Show included:

  • The PacTool Snapper Shears Pro – This tool is perfect for bathroom and kitchen remodels. You simply attach it to a 20V drill and it can make curved/circle cuts on backer boards, indoors, with less mess and airborne silica dust. It’s also great for cutting toilet flanges and outlet openings.
  • Power caulking with Techniseal’s StructureBond™ – This component contains 8 cans worth of an innovative super strong foam adhesive that can bond a wide range of construction projects. The tool allows for precise delivery of the adhesive, whose quantity is controlled by a single pull of the trigger that stops as soon as the trigger is released. These materials bond in about 8 minutes with the adhesive fully-cured within 24 hours. And it lasts for about 2 football fields worth of projects.
  • The Champion gas-powered 2600 psi Pressure Washer features 3 quick-connect nozzles and a 25-foot high pressure hose. It gets its oomph powered by a 196cc Champion engine, providing cost-effective cleaning power in a compact design.
  • The Johnny Jolter Plunger is made of engineered-grade plastic that endures the test of time. It uses water to clear clogged toilets quickly with one push and no mess. This product is sustainable for years of service and is proudly assembled by disabled US Veterans.

Tailgate, Backyard & Barbeque (BBQ) Marketplace

The tailgate backyard and BBQ area of the National Hardware Show featured favorite outdoor lifestyle products. This area included grilling products and accessories, an outdoor product’s showcase, speakers, patio furniture, food, drinks, music and entertainment. And a big draw to this area – besides the 80 companies featuring products in the outdoor area that will be on display in the coming months - was the retailer happy hour and the annual tailgate, backyard & BBQ party for all exhibitors and attendees. And what’s not to love about free food, drinks and live music?!

The National Hardware Show 2019 was a great success, bringing together inventors, retailers and investors to review and promote the latest and greatest products in tomorrow’s hardware marketplace. And waiting nearby to offer support to these budding inventors in the way of product design and production, are companies like United Global Sourcing, Inc. UGS is available to help these entities bring new products to market for consumers purchasing. If you need assistance bringing your product to market, contact us today – we’re here to help!