Viva Las Vegas
After a 3-year absence, we were finally able to support our American colleagues again in April at the ISS Storage show in Las Vegas. The 2020 show was cancelled. The 2021 show was, by all Covid measures, a purely domestic affair. It became a great experience.
Physically present
Needless to say, it was great to see the whole team “live” again. Three years is a long time. Now it is true that the American colleagues had met again before, but this did not happen very often. The distances in the U.S. are such that it doesn’t matter much whether we fly from USC Netherlands to the headquarters in Connecticut, or whether our colleagues from Colorado do so. Physically, of course, it’s better to catch up than through that eternal Microsoft Teams. All goals were collectively refocused.
US leading the way
The ISS was well attended and what was particularly striking was the maturity of the market. The U.S. is decades ahead of Europe. In fact, there are already end users who have completed their entire life cycle as self-storage customers. As a 30- or 40-something, they rented a space in the 1980s. Now, unfortunately, they have passed away due to old age. Compared to this market, Europe is still decades behind.
Factor 10
It’s still fascinating to see that all storage-related issues in the U.S. are factor 10. This applies to the locations, but also to the number of requests at shows, the number of visitors and the number of containers to be placed. For us, fantastic to experience. The majority of visitors, partly for that reason, are American. However, we were very pleased to receive relations from the Netherlands and Belgium.
Customer Dinner
As is customary at USC, a Customer Appreciation Dinner was held. That means eating a fantastic meal at Joe’s Stone Crab with dozens of customers. This restaurant has its roots as far back as 100 years ago in Miami Beach. It is famous among fish lovers for the crab legs, the accompanying sauce, but also for the seabass. If you ever happen to be in Miami or Las Vegas, don’t forget to pay them a visit.
Las Vegas
Las Vegas is always an experience. No city in the world that is so bustling, but also no city in the world that has so much quality in terms of entertainment, dining, music, as well as nature. A downright fantastic place for a trade show. Next year that way too? Let us know and have a great meal!
