Incon Power Reliability Products has been exhibiting at Finepoint's Circuit Breaker Test and Maintenance Conference since 1998. The company, a manufacturer of circuit breaker and transformer monitoring products, is always one of the first ones to sign up for the following year, citing several benefits.

Tony Wagner, business unit manager at Incon said that the company only exhibits at two or three other conferences annually. The Finepoint conference allows a lot of networking time and does not allow for many distractions. “There’s a huge amount of time to mingle, in addition to the conference sessions, and that’s done by making sure there are no extraneous events outside of the conference venue,” Wagner said. “There is a very limited if non-existent opportunity to be distracted.” The only extra “tour” to this conference is the Factory Day Tour, which takes place at a circuit breaker manufacturing plant.

Wagner also pointed out that Finepoint is a “hands-on” conference focused on training. Even Incon’s staff attends the conference sessions. “The papers are valuable,” Wagner said.

The exhibition also produces advantages—“good leads and good opportunities to talk to existing customers,” Wagner said. He said a lot of Incon’s existing customer base is at the show, and that is a good time to “flush out any problems with the products they’re having, and to see if the product is working.”

The evening expo offers a format that is hospitable and productive. The exhibits surround a buffet of food with tables and chairs for sitting and conversing. “I think the format is a good use of time, space and resources,” Wagner said. “It’s equally beneficial to the exhibitors as well as the attendees because it’s convenient and conducive to discussions that benefit both parties.”

Incon greets visitors to its booth.