The National Hardware Show is just around the corner. From May 7-9, 2013, in Las Vegas, retailers, designers, builders, trade professionals, and media members will have the opportunity to view new products in a variety of categories. The event is the industry’s largest trade exhibition show, offering the latest inventions and products from companies in hardware & tools; homewares; pet products; lawn & garden/outdoor living; paint & accessories; plumbing & electrical; storage & organization; and tailgating, camping & picnicking.

And, for the fourth year in a row, the ECPR team has an alliance with the show, showcasing exhibitor’s products in our “Sneak Peek” article series on our company blog. Our “Sneak Peek” series is a great way to preview the show and allows media members to easily learn more, whether they plan to attend or allow us to serve as their “eyes and ears.”

DesignMod’s new Smoothline Flush-Mount Wall Plate System offers a sophisticated option for mounting outlets and switches to walls. Blending seamlessly, the Smoothline system installs easily during construction using standard drywall finishing techniques, making it an affordable option for both builders and homeowners.

First introduced to architects and builders in February, this new product will be taking center stage at DesignMod’s booth (IS309) at this year’s National Hardware Show. With its sleek design, the Smoothline system is the perfect way to achieve an uninterrupted, modern aesthetic for about the same cost as a common hidden-screw wall plate. Moreover, these innovative wall plates can not only be used on painted walls, but can also be used with patterned wallpaper.

DesignMod’s Smoothline system is available for one- to four-gang installations. For more information, visit www.designmod.com.

Last month, Facebook introduced a new “Replies” feature on Pages and popular Profiles to help boost interactions with fans and readers. Up until the launch, Facebook users could comment on a post, but others, including the Page owners themselves, were unable to respond directly to them.

According to an article on TechCrunch.com, a Facebook spokesperson said the feature is intended to increase engagement and allow Page administrators to easily manage conversations. “We think this update will allow for easier management of conversations around posts, which is a better experience for people interacting with Pages and public figure profiles.”

After doing some research and activating the new feature on Pages managed by our team, ECPR is able to weigh in on the benefits and bring our fans up to speed on how it works and what it means for business.

Photo courtesy of Facebook. Click to enlarge.

Additional features – Active-thread sifting

With regard to the new Replies feature, Facebook has also launched what is called active-thread sifting. This attribute orders the most active and engaging conversations to appear at the top using an algorithm to appear higher in the posts. Now, companies can be ensured that fans who visit their pages will see the best or most popular conversations. Facebook officials have revealed that conversation threads are also re-ordered by relevance to viewers, and may appear differently to each person based on their connections, specifically:

• Positive Feedback: the amount of positive feedback based on the total number of Likes and Replies in a conversation thread, which includes Likes or Replies by the Page owner. 
• Connections: connections to participants in a thread may move the conversation higher. For example, conversations with Comments left by friends may appear at the top. 
• Negative Feedback: the total number of spam reports in a thread, as well as marks-as-spam made by the Page owner. We also may down-rank comments made by frequent spammers. 

It’s where the Kitchen and Bath Industries’ best and brightest assemble to spot trends, take in product introductions, build connections, and find practical solutions that lead to tomorrow’s innovative designs and techniques. The Kitchen & Bath Industry Show (KBIS) will once again be the industry’s reliable annual resource for staying current, competitive and profitable. It is one of our favorite tradeshows of the year due to the high-level interfacing and relationships that are fostered on site.

Up for a Best of KBIS 2013 award, Shaws 30″ Bowed Apron Front Fireclay Sink with Lavastone Countertop is authentically crafted in Lanchashire, England, and is hand poured, shaped and stamped with the name of the arisan who created it. Photo courtesy of KBIS and Shaws.

This year marks the 50th anniversary of the Kitchen & Bath Industry Show, so don’t miss out on celebrating the world’s largest international trade event dedicated to the kitchen and bath industry. In case you’re wondering if a trip to this year’s show pertains to you and your business, check out the list of applicable attendees provided by KBIS:

• Architects 
• Builders/Remodelers 
• Cabinet Shops 
• Consultants 
• Dealers 
• Designers 
• Distributors 
• Fabricators 
• Home Centers 
• Installers 
• Independent Manufacturers’ Reps 
• Decorative Plumbing & Hardware Professionals 
• Students 

On top of meeting key decision makers from national and international markets and target industry professionals, attendees can enjoy some of the following opportunities by checking out the links below:

• From appliances, hardware, faucets, fixtures and more, exhibitors will be displaying new products perfect for your next design / build project. For a full list of exhibitors, please click here. 

• Attend a conference program to earn your CEU credits; simply click here to find what’s right for you.  

• Audition for your own show at HGTV’s and DIY’s open auditions. For more information, please click here. 

The Kitchen & Bath Industry Show will be held April 19-21, 2013, (Friday thru Sunday) at the New Orleans Ernest N. Morial Convention Center. If you’re interested in learning more about KBIS, show floor hours and registration hours, or want to view a full schedule of events, visit the show’s website by clicking here.

This year at KBIS, KHOLER will be showcasing their Moxie showerhead, a first of its kind to combine the delivery of water and music, simultaneously soaking the user with music and a best-in-class spray experience. Photo courtesy of KBIS and KHOLER.

Blog Readers, Media Members, and Clients, be sure to tell us what inspired you at the show- from trends and new products to education and engagement. We’ll feature a couple of high-interest topics based upon your feedback.

~ The ECPR Team

Photo Credit: Builder Online

The International Builders’ Show (IBS) is known for showcasing innovative technologies in a variety of different categories, and this year’s show, which took place January 2013, was no exception. One notable standout was Heat & Glo’s brand new, ultra-slim Revo fireplace series. Available in square, linear and vertical styles, this new line of modern fireplaces is said to include the thinnest AFUE-rated fireplaces ever made. For those of you who don’t already know, AFUE stands for annual fuel utilization efficiency, a thermal efficiency measure of combustion equipment such as furnaces, boilers, fireplaces, and water heaters.

This new series of slender fireplace models quickly fill their compact fireboxes to produce an impressive heat output into a living space—up to 24,000 BTUs—more quickly than other leading gas fireplaces on the market. The new Revo collection also uses direct vent technology to ensure 100% of exhaust gases are expelled outside of the home, and each fireplace features Heat & Glo’s patented, invisible razor burner.

Designed for ease of installation, the Revo fireplaces require no footprint or exterior chase. Once a hole is made in the wall and an SLP venting pipe is set, the lightweight units are hung on mounting brackets.

For more information about Heat & Glo’s Revo series, visit the company’s website at www.heatnglo.com.

With growing consumer interest, Brussels sprouts are making their way onto world-class menus and family dinner tables at last. Once considered an unglamorous vegetable, Brussels sprouts are now a “hot ingredient” being used by chefs on popular television shows and in restaurants. As a result of their high-profile exposure, consumers are gaining expert knowledge of how to select and prepare Brussels sprouts, making home chefs reconsider their predisposed views from childhood.

According to a recent article posted on Produce Retailer’s website, senior marketing manager for California-based Green Giant Fresh Mishalin Modena attributes the surge in Brussels sprout sales to well-known chefs’ new-found creativity for the vegetable.

“Chefs are being more adventurous and finding new flavor in these vegetables that some consumers might have considered unexciting,” Modena was quoted as saying.

Grocery store buyers can expect an impact in their sales thanks to Brussels sprouts’ resurgence in the food and beverage industry as well. With regards to one of the latest trends, shredding or chopping the vegetable in salads, consumers will continue their demand for the item during summer months.

“Seven or eight years ago, Brussels sprouts used to be just a cooking item which had more popularity in winter, but we’ve seen an increase in summer sales,” said Russ Widerburg, sales manager at Boskovich Farms Inc., Oxnard, CA., as reported by Produce Retailer.

Other trends making their way from professional kitchens to personal ones are sautéing, roasting and grilling Brussels sprouts as well as serving them as a seasoned side dish, cut in halves or quarters.

In light of the growing trend, companies such as Green Giant Fresh and others have upgraded Brussels sprouts packaging. By using high-graphic bags that pop off the shelf, sales have surged even higher for suppliers.

So what’s next for the industry? Butch Corda, general manager of Ippolito International LP, Salinas, Calif., expects and suggests suppliers will start offering chopped versions to consumers. This will allow companies to embrace restaurant-influenced trends and keep sales up during summer months.

The Conlan Company’s services include preconstruction, in which a team of qualified professionals gather estimates and evaluations; design-build construction; general construction; self-performed work, giving the firm ability to control the concrete portion of projects; and LEED / sustainable construction.

In addition to its commercial contractor services, The Conlan Company’s Interiors Group focuses on minor to multimillion dollar tenant finishes / renovations. The range of projects includes interior Class A office renovations; industrial offices / warehouses; manufacturing facilities; medical offices, hospitals and laboratories; commercial spaces such as schools, shopping centers, hotels, etc.; and additions / expansions.

Two noteworthy examples of The Conlan Company’s commercial construction projects include Sany America, manufacturer of construction equipment located in Peachtree City, Ga., and MAP International, a global Christian health organization based in Brunswick, Ga. Photos of both projects can be seen below.

To learn more about The Conlan Company, visit the firm’s website at www.conlancompany.com.

Our editor friends at Greenhouse Grower recently featured nine must-grow perennials for 2013 in their March issue. From dwarf varieties of monarda and perovskia to a grower-friendly veronica, there is a little bit of everything being introduced to the marketplace this year. Also included on the list are two varieties from our client Terra Nova Nurseries, Echinacea ‘Big Kahuna’ and Sedum ‘Thunderhead’.

A New Library Design-Build Project Pays Homage to Regional Culture…

Perhaps most notable and a true highlight of the project, the Gullah Geechee Collection room pays tribute to the area’s rich history and tradition. Celebrating the regional Gullah heritage, this unique room is constructed of a bamboo basket weave membrane over wooden rib-and-beam ship construction framing.

In case you live and work outside the Southeast, the Gullah are descendants of slaves who live in the Lowcountry region of South Carolina and Georgia, which includes both the coastal plain and the beautiful Sea Islands.

The meaning behind this subtle design theme may not be immediately obvious to everyone. Though, it accomplishes what most good design should do. It gives rise to learning about the region and culture in which the structure has been imbued.

Several sustainable elements were also included in this project such as recycled materials, recycling construction waste, and natural lighting. Due to Choate Construction Company’s sustainable efforts, the building is hoping to be approved for LEED Silver certification.

       Photo Credit: Choate Construction Company

If you’re as impressed with this new library by Choate Construction Company as we are, follow the link below to learn more about the company and its variety of services and awe-inspiring portfolio. http://www.choateco.com.

Spring is just two weeks away and, for interior designers, your clients will be eager to clear out the clutter and lighten up their homes with fresh new looks. To help get your creative juices flowing, our team at ECPR has compiled some of our favorite design tips for livening up the home for the days of spring.

Tip # 1 – Welcome Spring at the Front Door

After enduring the long winter months, a home’s exterior will be in dire need of a facelift. Landscaping aside, start your spring spruce-up with the outer focal point of the home, the front door. Encourage your clients to stray away from the traditional red and basic black door, and suggest Farrowand Ball’ s Folly Green or BenjaminMoore’s Venezuelan Sea for an inviting spring twist! Doing so can keep the home from looking just like the Joneses’ home.

Tip # 2 – Think Nature

With the digital world in full swing, companies are looking for ways to incorporate new online marketing strategies into budgets. This not only includes online and e-newsletter advertising, but also valuable editorial content available through target media outlets. Many trade and consumer publications, blogs, digital magazines, and websites enable companies to submit their own editorial content online through submission forms. For example, press releases, product profiles, case-studies, feature articles, and much more.

This is something we PR professionals call self-publishing. And, by using these valuable tools, companies have the ability to exponentially increase their online presence. Researching online submission sites and guidelines can be an arduous task. It is important to know upfront which sites will add value to an organization’s branding message. Also, following instructions is a key factor to achieving publication. This is one of the many reasons why companies turn to public / media relations firms like ours for assistance.

Our team of experts can help develop strategic digital and integrated marketing plans as a gateway to increasing brand awareness. The premise behind this is one of our mottos: Content is King!

We assess, analyze and execute online submissions to help benefit our clients’ overall editorial content and reach, as a clear supplement to other forms of published company news and product information. In turn, we help companies expand their website press sections to more well-rounded displays of multimedia placements, ultimately building brand awareness for their design services and / or product launches.

To learn more about our services, please visit our website at www.eberlycollardpr.com.

~ ECPR