It’s that time of year again, when manufacturers and distributors tart-up their products, ready to wow custom installers from across the nation.

This year to be held in Melbourne (23-25 June) alongside the DesignBuild Exhibition, the CEDIA Expo is set to be the biggest (and bestest) to date. Already there is word of more entries into the Electronic Lifestyles Awards than last year’s record-breaking effort. And floorspace is selling out fast.

When CEDIA moved its annual event to Sydney last year, there was an apparent shift in the atmosphere, and exhibitors reported greater than expected results. Gone were the days (for some) of drinking all night in Surfers Paradise then turning up hung-over the next day, or not at all. The Sydney Expo marked a huge step forward for CEDIA and its efforts to truly help build the industry.

The move to Melbourne should continue on from the success of last year. And the co-location with DesignBuild will be interesting to see.

It’s true that the move has polarised the industry – some think it’s the perfect move, while others think that it defeats the purpose of having a trade-only, custom installation event. But at least they can’t say that CEDIA isn’t trying new things to move the industry forward.

With the lead-up to the Expo now in full swing, Connected Home Australia has been out to industry to find out what it will be launching at the show, including some very interesting offerings from some of the smaller players in the industry.

For a 14 page comprehensive Expo planner, click the link below.

As always, we will again be at this year’s show. If you’d like to come and have a chat with me, or meet the new Connected Home team members, please feel free to stop by any time.