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The 29th International BoatBuilders’ Exhibition and Conference (IBEX) closed Thursday, October 3 with early indications that attendance figures were up from last year for the three-day event. IBEX 2019 had more than 700 exhibitors – 100+ new to the Show – from 25 countries filling the 138 thousand square feet of exhibit space.

According to the IBEX release, the International Pavilions included exhibitors from Australia, France, Italy, Slovenia and South Korea, which accompanied the four Specialty Pavilions: the Compliance, Standards and Education Pavilion; Composites Pavilion; Marina & Yard Pavilion, and the NMEA Connected Boat Experience.

The IBEX Docks and expanded Outdoor Displays saw more traffic than in past years – with 30 boats in slips outside the convention center, show visitors were able to participate in live product demonstrations. The recent renovation to the Sail Pavilion added more space for the Outdoor Displays, adding to the overall experience at IBEX.

The IBEX Education Conference was well-attended with the pre-conference Super Sessions bringing in more than 300 participants before the exhibit halls opened. The Special Session: Return to Thunderboat Row kicked off the 60 session seminar series, which ran all three days of the event. The 2nd Annual Vacuum Bag Challenge was a popular attraction again this year, as were the models from the Design Challenge finalists, produced onsite with a 3D printer. 

Two new additions to IBEX were also a success: The Digital Innovators Pop-Up Show had standing room only as 10 start-up companies offering new technology for the industry pitched their products and met with press and other show attendees; and, the Marinas of the Future presentation showcased the latest in marina product development in the Marina & Yard Pavilion.

IBEX is scheduled to return to the Tampa Convention Center for the next two years, with IBEX 2020 show dates set for September 29 – October 1, 2020 and IBEX 2021 dates set for September 28-30, 2021. For more information, visit www.ibexshow.com. 

Click here for the full press release