MAGIC News

Amidst a festive backdrop complete with salsa dancers and sourcing executives, at 12 noon yesterday, MAGIC's August 2011 show commenced with the official opening of SOURCING at MAGIC. Comfortably sheltered from 104-degree Vegas heat, a crowd of buyers, exhibitors, press and other professionals took in the scene as SOURCING at MAGIC VP of Sales, Karalynn Sprouse, initiated the action with the introduction of guest speaker, Under Secretary Francisco J. Sánchez of the U.S. Department of Commerce.

Joined by fellow DoC officials Kim Glas and Gail Strickler and USA-ITA representative Julie Hughes among others, MAGIC President Chris DeMoulin carried out the ribbon-cutting honors, ushering in the season's highly anticipated focus region, The Americas. Spotlighting 70-plus exhibitors from North, Central and South America, The Americas Pavilion provides a focal point for over 800 exhibitors from 40 countries, creating the largest and most comprehensive SOURCING show to date.

Once inside the event, the mood remained bustling and upbeat. In The Americas Pavilion, Julissa Lorini, Sales Export Manager for the Textile Division of Guatemalan-based Los Volcanes Group, expressed optimism in response to early sales. A producer of sports performance fabrics as well as full-service manufactured garments, two hours into the show, Lorini reported being "busy since we opened." Encouraged by the turnout, Lorini enthusiastically described their opening-day activities: "We have been meeting people and making sales through both appointments and foot traffic."

And this sentiment was echoed by exhibitors closer to home. At Buhler Quality Yarns Corp., a Georgia-based company who converts raw cotton to yarn through a natural spinning process, modest first-morning expectations were shattered. "We figured it would be slow today, since the show just opened. But it hasn't been," recounted sales representative Dawn Charriez.

Even more promising, stated Charriez, was the nature of their initial sales: Although four of their biggest customers are in attendance, "all of our orders today have been through foot traffic," she explained. "Since our president of sales was participating in a roundtable, we didn't even make any appointments for this morning."

Sourcing leaders, salsa dancers, U.S. dignitaries and surpassed expectations-if opening day is any indication, seems we can all look forward to a successful show!