Yes, You Should

By Amanda Hosey

I know what you could be thinking: “I’m not involved in facility maintenance. So, I’m not sure why I should attend the ISSA Show.” I understand where you’re coming from, but here’s the thing: ISSA Show North America—taking place November 18-21 at the Las Vegas Convention Center—holds interest for many outside the facility maintenance and building service contractor arena.

What will you find at ISSA Show North America? The Specialty Cleaning & Restoration Pavilion is back for the second year. There you will see demonstrations in advanced cleaning and restoration techniques. You’ll visit with well-known industry manufacturers and other service providers, from restoration franchisors to dehumidifier, airmover, and truckmount manufacturers—everything you use in your company. There are multiple educational sessions of interest, including a hard floor care certification course from the Cleaning Management Institute (CMI).

There’s more to explore. Diversification avenues, networking events, and products directly impacting your company, such as vacuums and portable extractors. And here’s a key component of the show: You will see products from manufacturers you might not be familiar with, but who offer solutions that could substantially improve your productivity.

The goal of ISSA is to represent all segments of the industry—including carpet cleaners and disaster restoration professionals—and to work to elevate and change the way the world views cleaning. ISSA is the leading advocate of the cleaning industry and, to that end, has worked to ally itself with other powerful and important associations to use their combined powers to meet these goals.

For instance, you might have seen recently that the Global Biorisk Advisory Council (GBAC) merged with ISSA. GBAC is made up of those working in forensic restoration, bio-decontamination, and biosafety control, and it has joined forces with ISSA in an effort to offer more science-based education, create licensing programs within these sectors, and advocate for the involved parties. Read more about the merger on page 22 of this issue of Cleanfax.

ISSA also has been working closely with the IICRC and RIA in their individual efforts to educate and protect our cleaners and restorers. In fact, RIA is co-locating its Technical Fire Restoration Summit with ISSA Show North America, and all those attending the RIA event can also visit the ISSA trade show floor, compliments of ISSA and RIA.

At ISSA Show North America 2019, there will be plenty to pique your interest. I’ll be there, and I hope to see you there, too.

Amanda Hosey is the managing editor of Cleanfax. She has worked as an editor and writer for more than six years including four years with Cleanfax. Reach her at [email protected].