By DEBORAH BEHRENDS

Indiana Correspondent

LOUISVILLE, Ky. — Even with eight interconnected exhibit halls of more than 1.3 million square feet in exhibit space, the Kentucky Exposition Center has a waiting list for vendors hoping to display their wares at the annual National Farm Machinery Show.

For the first time, this year, the center added a heated, 148-by-66-foot steel-framed tent. The added capacity introduced new exhibitors, including Truax, Farmco, Southern KY Wood Furnaces and more.

 “It’s one more way to accommodate as many exhibitors as we can,” said Amanda Storment, vice president of communications for the Kentucky State Fair Board.

A visit to the tent on Saturday, as a heavy snow fell, revealed mixed feelings from the first-time exhibitors.

“We applied for the show two years ago, and we thought this would be a good way to get our foot in the door,” said Jacob Carlen from New Hope, Minn., representing Truax Co. Inc. seed drills and planting equipment.

“This isn’t ideal, because we haven’t had much traffic, but it’s a step in the right direction.”

Brian Nordschow, a Decorah, Iowa, marketing representative with Italian-based MaterMacc precision planters and row-crop cultivators, was disappointed with the lack of visitors.

“I just think most people are unaware of the tent,” he explained.

The tent was located in the parking lot just outside the center’s South Wing exhibit halls.

Kevin Musco, inside salesman with RAD grain handling systems, agreed with the comments from other vendors. “We’ve been on a waiting list for three years, but we haven’t had much traffic,” he said.

“I think the main problem is that no one knows about the tent. It doesn’t seem like it was advertised very well.”

The company, based in Quebec, Canada, displays at 5-7 farm shows each year, said Marketing Manager Emmanuel Potvin.

Musco also pointed to water running in streams through tent as the snow melted off the roof, potentially damaging the floor covering and displays in their booth.