HPM sets June date

HIGH POINT, North Carolina – The High Point Market Authority (HPMA) will hold the recently postponed Spring 2020 edition of the High Point Market from 12 to 14 June, a three-day run instead of the typical five days. The twice-annual furniture industry trade event was originally scheduled to open 25 April.

HPMA decided to postpone the event after the governor of North Carolina advised the cancellation of all events drawing an attendance of more than 100 people as part of their response to the coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic.

The condensed spring market will be held from Friday through Sunday, instead of the typical Saturday through Wednesday schedule. It will likely include minimal programming to keep the focus on    appointments and sales meetings within the market’s 2,000-plus showrooms.

“We’re choosing to focus on the positive and look at this as an opportunity for exhibitors and buyers alike to really hone in on the foundational element upon which market was built, the buy/sell relationship,” HPMA chairman Dudley Moore, Jr., president of Otto & Moore, said in a statement. “With minimal programming on the schedule, the relational aspect of the product sourcing cycle will truly shine, and attending buyers will have more time in their schedules to explore new vendors, visit parts of market they usually don’t have time for, and hopefully grow their product prospect list as a result.”

Some 85 or so Canadian companies are expected to exhibit at the spring High Point Market.

The authority also said all badges that have already be received for the spring market will be honoured for the June show and the new regime of registration fees for industry passes remains in effect. However, the onsite processing fee will be waived for all pass types.

In its statement, HPMA note that given the uncertainty of the pandemic and with no set parameters for the length of time the imposed restrictions will remain in place for large gatherings, it will reassess the situation in mid-May and will announce an necessary decisions no later than Friday, 15 May.

Online registration will re-open on 15 May should conditions improve. The market’s web site will be updated regularly to showcase exhibitors who will be open and product that will be launched.

“The decision to postpone was inevitable as the situation evolved last week, but still not made lightly,” HPMA president and chief executive officer Tom Conley. “We look forward with hope and are focusing on actionable solutions that will best support our buyers, exhibitors, and our industry as a whole. Our industry and community have weathered storms before, and I am confident that we will all get through this together.”