Best New Housewares Products to be Honored at the National Hardware Show(R)

NORWALK, Conn., April 19 /PRNewswire/ -- The housewares/homewares industry will have a chance to celebrate some of its most exciting new products in a special ceremony at the National Hardware Show®, to be held May 4-6 at the Las Vegas Convention Center. HomeWorld Business magazine's Third Annual Innovations Awards, held the second day of the Show, will honor excellence and innovation in such categories as Cleaning Supplies; Storage Organization; Small Appliances/Fans/Heaters; Home/Health & Safety; Impulse Items; Housewares & Kitchen Gadgets. The winners will be chosen by some of the industry's biggest retailers, including BigLots, Home Shopping Network and amazon.com.

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"The Homewares Awards is a great opportunity for attending buyers of housewares products -- like amazon.com, Home Shopping Network and organize.com, to name a few -- to give honest feedback to vendors regarding their new products," said Ed Several, Group Vice President & Show Manager, National Hardware Show. "It allows us once again to facilitate the conversation between buyers and sellers."

This marks the 65th anniversary of the National Hardware Show®, which is completely sold out of exhibit space to manufacturers from the Home Improvement, Lawn & Garden/Outdoor Living, Tailgating and other key industries. The list of attendees promises to be one of the strongest line-up of buyers, representing not only traditional retail and wholesale outlets but untraditional channels like grocery, mass, drug, catalog, Internet and international retailers. This includes industry giants like Home Depot, Walmart, Sears, True Value, Costco, Sam's Club, Ace Hardware and many more representing more than $237 billion in sales revenue. Attendance overall is up more than 1% over last year -- quite a feat in a challenging economy.

All eligible homewares/housewares products will be displayed in the main Registration area for judges to review at their leisure beginning May 4, the first day of the Show. Judges will be able to meet with participating exhibitors and discuss their products at a "Meet & Greet" dessert reception at 2 PM that day and must submit their ballots the next morning. The awards will be given out May 5 at 2 PM on the Central Hall Lobby Stage.

"Breakthrough product design is a vital catalyst for the recovery of the retail marketplace, and the Homewares Awards program has become an important forum for introducing major retailers to the latest value-added housewares solutions presented at the National Hardware Show," said Peter Giannetti, editor-in-chief of Homeworld Business. "Each of the retail judges in this year's awards program has demonstrated a commitment to innovation, and they have helped raise the bar for all retailers seeking to thrive in this promising, new economy. HomeWorld Business is excited to play a role in connecting innovative retailers and suppliers."

The confirmed retail judges also represent such retailers as ShopKo, ShopNBC, Storage Sources Group and Ace Hardware, who housewares buyer, Rich Neal, is on the panel for the second-straight year. "Obviously, the homewares business is built on innovation," Neal said. "I'm always looking for innovative new products that make a task easier for the consumer at home, that are eye-catching and that will ring at the register. Products that will resonate with consumers and get them excited, whether the item be colorful, have great packaging or improve on what's already out there."

The National Hardware Show® will be held May 4-6, 2010, at the Las Vegas Convention Center and celebrates a rich history spanning 65 years of serving the home improvement marketplace. From its early beginnings in New York during the post-World War II housing boom and eventual move to Chicago in the 1970s to today's current location in Las Vegas, the National Hardware Show continually evolves through the industry's involvement, commitment and passion to improving America's quality of life through their homes. Today, the National Hardware Show is the place for global manufacturers, associations, organizations and the media to unveil their new products, ideas and insights to a broad spectrum of home improvement resellers.

SOURCE The National Hardware Show