A variety of attendees and exhibitors gathered in Baltimore for MANTS 46th show.Photo: MANTS
Green industry professionals from far and wide flocked to Baltimore for the 46th Mid-Atlantic Nursery Trade Show (MANTS), with attendance reaching a little over 11,000 this year.
About 100 new companies were on the show floor this year, along with 3,379 “non-exhibiting/buying” companies.
“Another great year in the books!” said Vanessa Finney, executive vice president of MANTS. “MANTS 2016 not only brought innovative and exciting new products and exhibitors from around the world but also an influx of young, enthusiastic horticultural leaders! We have always known that MANTS means business and this year truly proved that MANTS is the place where all generations gather to do commerce.”
One of the special groups that attended MANTS was the Young Nursery Professionals and Emergent Group. While at the trade show the group of young professionals hosted booths for their individual companies and met at a networking event that brought them together with other industry innovators.
“This is our second year at MANTS,” said Ryan Yanchuleff, CEO of Describeit.com, a sales-automation software company focused on landscape contractors and other green-industry customers. “Landscaping is a pretty fragmented industry and there are a lot of shows around the country …, but MANTS seems to be the only show that’s brought a number of states together.”
Businesses from 44 states and 11 countries were represented at MANTS and some presented new products at the show.
“To me, it’s the best garden show,” said Tyler Richardson, owner of Richardson’s Floral Center in Newark, Delaware.
“It’s great to see your vendors and have face recognition,” Richardson said. “And every year I find something new here. A lot of the shows, it’s all repetition. But there’s always something new at MANTS. That’s why I enjoy coming every year.”
