MJSA Press Room

Providence, RI–Nearly 5,000 buyers poured through the doors of the Jacob K. Javits Center on March 2-4 for the 2003 Expo New York. The premier trade show of Manufacturing Jewelers & Suppliers of America (MJSA), Expo New York featured 383 booths with the latest jewelry equipment, tools, component parts, and finished jewelry. First day attendance exceeded 2,500 buyers, while the next two days brought an additional 2,300 people to the show floor.

The show marked a return to the Javits Center, after previously being held there in 1995 and 1996. The move to the state-of-the-art facility is being linked to higher traffic and exhibitor sales. For the past three years, the Expo has been held at Pier 94, the UnConvention Center.

For Joseph Gestetner of WGM Inc., the move to the Javits Center was reason to exhibit at the show for the first time. The experience proved beneficial. “There has been a lot of traffic and good business,” said Gestetner. “Alloys are pretty hot items.”

Alfred Schoeninger of Cranston Casting Co. in Cranston, Rhode Island, agrees that the change of location resulted in increased business sales. “We met a lot of people and had some very nice followups,” he said. “For us, we strive to get contacts at the show, and we got more business cards the first day than all of last year.”

The move to the Javits Center also led to higher sales for Alden, New York-based United Precious Metal Refining. “The excellent facility allowed us to cultivate more business and solidify existing relationships,” said United Precious Metal’s Dave Siminski. “Not only did we see quantity, but there was also a great deal of quality.”

On top of experiencing success on the show floor, attendees had the opportunity to participate in various technical and business seminars from leading industry figures. The Great Minds ofJewelry Education, a series of thirty educational seminars, attracted more than 280 participants.

In addition, two pre-show symposia attracted eager-to-learn jewelry professionals. More than 150 people attended Designer Day 2003 on March 1, featuring various panel discussions, break-out classes, and one-on-one counseling for jewelry designers. Many also attended the eleventh annual Platinum Day Symposium on February 28, with nearly 100 present to see some of the top names in platinum manufacturing. (Designer Day was co-sponsored by MJSA, AJM Magazine, and the Jewelers Resource Bureau; Platinum Day was sponsored by MJSA and Platinum Guild Interational USA).

With another successful Expo New York concluding, the attention now focuses on MJSA’s LA Showcase on April 28-29 at the Hyatt Regency in Los Angeles. Taking place in the heart of the city’s jewelry district, LA Showcase allows suppliers to meet face-to-face with the much-desired Los Angeles area market. More than 60 exhibitors will present the industry’s latest equipment and technology, ranging from refiners and metal suppliers to computer software providers for business and design.

Jewelry industry professionals who are interested in either Expo New York 2004 or LA Showcase 2003 should contact MJSA at 1-800-444-6572 and ask for the trade show department, or visit MJSA Online at www.mjsainc.com.

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MJSA is a national jewelry trade association representing 1,500 members. MJSA’s mission is to unite and empower our members to advance the jewelry manufacturing industry. To learn more about MJSA and its trade publication, AJM Magazine, visit www.mjsainc.com and www.ajm-magazine.com.