A total of 8,852 registered buyers representing 2,567 retail and wholesale firms attended H.H. Backer’s 43rd Annual Pet Industry Christmas Trade Show and Educational Conference, held Oct. 2-4 at the Donald E. Stephens Convention Center in Rosemont (Chicago), Ill.

Attendance was comparable to the 2008 show, when 8,880 buyers representing 2,591 firms attended. However, with general economic indicators now showing signs of improvement, the overall mood among buyers and exhibitors was much more positive this year.

“We noticed that buying was up significantly from the last couple of shows,” said Colette Fairchild, trade show director for H.H. Backer Associates Inc. (Chicago). “Exhibitors reported steady sales throughout the weekend. Our industry seems to have weathered the recession better than many others.”

(Click here to see the online photo gallery for Backer’s 2009 Christmas Trade Show.)

A total of 728 companies—including 144 first-time exhibitors—occupied 1,187 booths at the show, Fairchild said. The exhibitor count was down 13 percent from 834 companies last year, and the booth count was down 11 percent from 1,338 last year.

Returning to the Christmas show was the All-Natural Area, a dedicated area of the show floor featuring companies with natural or “green” products representing nearly every segment of the pet industry. Also returning to the Christmas show was the Aquatic Answers area, with aquarium-related exhibitors and individually tailored “Ask the Expert” sessions in a dedicated hall.

More than $20,000 in cash, trips and trophies were awarded in H.H. Backer’s 10th annual Celebration of Style grooming competition.

In addition, PET AGE magazine, in cooperation with H.H. Backer Associates, sponsored several free educational seminars, covering topics of interest to a wide range of retailers.

H.H. Backer’s 22nd Annual Pet Industry Spring Trade Show will be held April 23-25, 2010, at the Baltimore Convention Center.

Backer’s 44th Annual Pet Industry Christmas Trade Show will be held Oct. 8-10, 2010, at the Donald E. Stephens Convention Center in Rosemont (Chicago), Ill.

For details on H.H. Backer’s pet industry trade shows, including an updated list of exhibitors, visit www.hhbacker.com. [December 2009 PET AGE]