show report

A World of Protection
The 4th Annual Industry Trade Show gets the 2006 season off to a rousing start.

by Howard Shingle

T he fourth annual World of Hurricane Protection Trade Show & Educational Conference got the 2006 hurricane season off to a rousing start. Held May 19 and 20 at the Orange County Convention Center, Orlando, FL, this year’s event was its largest yet. Sixty-five manufacturers, suppliers and industry associations exhibited on the show floor, which welcomed 1,200 visitors.

    Sponsored by the International Hurricane Protection Association and produced by Hurricane Protection magazine for all hurricane industry professionals—dealers and builders constructing homes and businesses to meet updated codes—the show also included two days of seminars on product approval, insurance mitigation, risk management and raised floor foundations.

IT WAS ALL THERE
    Getting things started was an opening panel discussion on Florida’s Building Code. Guest panelists were Bill Dumbaugh, chief structural code compliance officer for Broward County; Joe Belcher, JDB Code Services, Inc. and IHPA code consultant; Phil McMahan, Florida regional manager for the International Code Council; and Mo Madani, manager of the Technical Unit in the Office of Building Codes and Standards, Florida Department of Community Affairs. This standing-room-only session was a good indication of the number of questions dealers and installers still have about what may or may not be accepted under provisions of the state code.

    The show’s seminar program was also well attended. Offered particularly for contractors and builders were certified sessions providing Continuing Education Learning Units. Of special note was the two-part seminar by Joe Belcher on the 2004 edition of the Florida Residential Building Code with 2005 Supplement.

    The aesthetic and practical reasons for building on a raised foundation was presented by Melissa Johnson, Southern Pine Council; the Florida state product approval system was led by Madani; Florida building code and wind insurance mitigation was presented by William York, WHYork Consulting; and understanding risk management was presented by Don Leggett, Advanced Risk management Inc.

    The business-to-business trade show featured exhibits ranging from fabrication machinery to fasteners, storm panels, roofing systems, wall systems, windows and doors, screening, hardware, software and motorization—all specifically for hurricane protection. Many new products were introduced at this year’s show.

    Preparations are underway for the fifth annual show to be held in spring 2007. Exhibiting and attending information will be made available through Hurricane Protection magazine and www.hpmag.com.