MRO

MRO Americas 2022 Post-Show Recap

The three-day event brought together airliners, aerospace engineers, technicians, manufacturers and aftermarket suppliers.
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MRO Americas Strongest Show to Date?  

DALLAS, TX, APRIL 26th—There hasn’t been this much hype for a trade show in two years. With a fully sold-out floor plan hosting 800+ companies, energetic maintenance challenges and a Go Live! Theatre presenting educational sessions and panel discussions, this may be MRO Americas best show in recent memory.

Several members of The Trade Group were present managing client builds and gathering insight into key trends in the trade show and aerospace industry. Along the way, they got to walk the show floor, listen to aviation experts and hear strategies for strengthening the workforce pipeline. Here are some of the notable themes of the event. 


We’re Hiring! 

Stockpiling the workforce with qualified personnel is a real challenge for the aviation industry today. According to AirlineWeekly, Republic Airways expects the U.S. industry to be short of roughly 8,000 pilots in 2023.

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In a blog posted earlier this year, United Airlines CEO, Scott Kirby, suggests the cause of the pilot shortage is not due to the pandemic, pay or benefits, but the cost and time it takes to complete training.

MRO Americas responded to this issue directly with their Go Live! Theatre sessions on apprenticeship programs & best practices for those eager to enter the industry, as well as a panel focused on strategies for building the workforce pipeline.  

In addition, for the first time in two years, MRO hosted 27 aerospace maintenance challenges with 74 teams from around the country competing. Distinct yells, whoops and hollers came from the crowd every time a team won an event. A few companies even used the competition to scope potential job candidates.

Supply Chain Hurdles 

Nearly every facet of the global economy is being affected by a struggling supply chain, which is being exacerbated by geopolitical conflict. Naturally, the conference encouraged global distribution solutions, and the aftermarket supply chain saw plenty of movement during the show as new contracts were signed.

Despite the show confronting serious issues, the overall tone was one of hope and positivity as the sessions emphasized recovery and a desire to move forward.

It is heartening to see the aviation industry come together under one roof to develop solutions to today’s challenges.  


Trade Show & Exhibit Trends  

The Trade Group has been supplying exhibits for MRO Americas clients for the last 20+ years.

Three years ago, MRO Americas was honored by The Tradeshow Executive as one of the top tradeshows of 2019. It was also the 2019 TSNN winner. MRO Americas is a significant show not only for aviation, but for the events industry.

Last year when we attended the show, we noted the wide aisles, socially distanced meetings and mask requirements.

Today, those trends have largely been reversed.

Nonetheless, health and safety remain a top priority for show managers and exhibitors, indicating that sanitation is an expectation, and no longer the main event.  

Mo’ Demo, Mo’ Demo, Mo’ Demo 

As we predicted before the show, experiential marketing spearheaded exhibit trends.

Several booths offered their services during the show, such as AWING, a business dedicated to connecting women with aviation-related job opportunities. Immediately after the aerospace maintenance challenges, they set up interviews between potential candidates and companies.

And, of course, demoing was huge as flight simulations, VR Headsets and product displays filled booth spaces.

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Conclusion

In this case, it really feels like trade shows are making a strong recovery much like the aviation industry, and we’re looking ahead to see what next year’s MRO America’s show will bring.

If you’re in aviation & aerospace and looking for other great trade shows for your industry, try using our trade show search tool.

The Trade Group provides trade show displays that ensures your brand makes a big impression on the show floor. To discover how we can help you attract more buyers—whether at MRO Americas or any other show—contact us here or give The Trade Group a call at 972-734-8585.

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