Orlando, FL (July 16, 2021) – The Orange County Convention Center (OCCC) welcomed back Coverings – the largest international ceramic tile and natural stone conference and showcase in North America. Managed by Taffy Event Strategies, Coverings 2021 featured the latest trends, innovations and products in the tile and stone industry, and had nearly 10,000 registered attendees for this year’s event. Held from July 7-9, Coverings 2021 co-located with the National Wood Flooring Association’s (NWFA) 2021 Wood Flooring Expo, which also welcomed nearly 2,500 attendees to its expo. 

“We have enjoyed an outstanding relationship with Coverings and NWFA, and we are honored to continue our valued relationship as the industry’s premier tradeshow partner,” said OCCC Executive Director Mark Tester. “The Center of Hospitality is excited to welcome back thousands of leading tile, stone and wood flooring professionals and showcase how the Center is doing Business Better than Usual.”

After a two-year hiatus, Coverings 2021 attendees and exhibitors were given the opportunity to reconnect with peers in-person, while also exploring international pavilions, show floor exhibits, live installation demos, educational sessions and discover new products, applications and techniques from leading industry organizations.

“Coverings 2021 was a successful and highly productive event for our exhibitors and attendees alike,” said Jennifer Hoff, president of Taffy Event Strategies, the event management company for Coverings. “The regional, national and international feedback we received from architects, designers, distributors, retailers, contractors, and installers was that Coverings well-served them as the year’s must-see tile and stone industry event.” 

Complimentary educational opportunities included Continuing Education Units (CEUs) and demonstrations, roundtables, live interviews with industry thought-leaders, and industry forums. Coverings’ top-rated education is geared to provide attendees with the knowledge, solutions and business-building resources required to excel in the tile and stone industry in 2021 and beyond.

Coverings is slated to return to the OCCC in 2023, 2025, 2027, 2028 and 2029.

“We were very pleased with the results of co-locating with Coverings for our Expo this year, and the feedback from attendees and our exhibitors has been fantastic,” says Michael Martin, President and CEO of the NWFA. “While COVID-19 had its impacts and restrictions, the level of engagement and the quality of interactions had at this year’s NWFA Expo was unparalleled.”

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About the Orange County Convention Center

The award-winning Orange County Convention Center provides approximately $3 billion in economic impact to Central Florida annually. In recent years, the Convention Center has averaged nearly 200 events, including 115 conventions and tradeshows that attract more than 1.5 million attendees to the region each year. For more information about the Orange County Convention Center, visit www.occc.net.

About Coverings

Coverings is the largest and most-significant ceramic tile and natural stone trade fair and exposition in the United States and North America. It features exhibitors from more than 20 countries and is the stage for introducing some of the most innovative tile and stone products in the world. The exposition and conference serve as a valuable and complimentary continuing education resource for all segments of the industry, with dozens of educational opportunities throughout the show. Coverings attracts thousands of distributors, retailers, fabricators, contractors, specifiers, architectural and design professionals, builders, real estate developers, as well as journalists, reporters and bloggers who cover the vital tile and stone industry. Learn more: www.coverings.com.

About the National Wood Flooring Association

The National Wood Flooring Association (NWFA) is a not-for-profit trade organization, with more than 3,200 member companies worldwide, dedicated to educating consumers, architects, designers, specifiers and builders in the uses and benefits of wood flooring. The NWFA is located at 111 Chesterfield Industrial Boulevard, Chesterfield, MO 63005, and can be contacted at 800.422.4556 (USA & Canada), 636.519.9663 (local and international), or at www.nwfa.org.

(Photo Credit: Coverings)