The Plumbing Manufacturers Institute is continuing to work toward building a coalition of support among trade associations and groups in favor of trade show consolidation. Barbara Higgens, executive director of PMI, has developed a presentation that outlines the advantages of show consolidation and points to the pervasive, cross-industry duplicity of national, state and local trade shows for builders, wholesalers, contractors, dealers, designers, remodelers, engineers and plumbing manufacturers.

"Our primary goal is to help other industries and players within our own industry understand that it just isn't cost effective to spend vast amounts of money on multiple trade shows throughout the year, many of which only reach limited, duplicate audiences, domestic or foreign," Higgens said in a statement. PMI's secondary goal is to obtain support to fund a third party to actually map out a consolidation strategy.

Higgens has contacted the Hardwood Manufacturers Association, the Water Quality Association, the Gas Appliance Manufacturers Association, the Radiant Panel Association, the Hydronics Institute, the Window and Door Association, the Association of Home Appliance Manufacturers, the Plumbing Drainage Institute and others to assess their interest in trade show consolidation.