MANTS attendance returns to pre-pandemic levels

The 2023 Mid Atlantic Nursery Trade Show (MANTS) welcomed more than 11,000 attendees, including exhibitors, in Baltimore from Jan. 11 – 13.

Known as the Masterpiece of Trade Shows™, MANTS jump-started the 2023 green industry trade show season on a high note bringing together horticulture industry leaders from around the country. A sold-out trade show floor showcased more than 900 exhibiting companies in more than 1,530 booths. Attendees from 42 states and 14 foreign countries spent three days connecting with colleagues, discovering new products, and seeking new plants, nursery stock, landscape and garden items, heavy and light-duty equipment, tools, outdoor living essentials and other allied industry products.

Don Ward III of Eastern Shore Nursery talks with Donald and Althea Paine of MaineScape Garden Center.

“The energy on the trade show floor was electric this year as our exhibitors and attendees reconnected with one another,” said MANTS Executive Vice President Vanessa A. Finney. “Business was booming, and it was easy to see that all in attendance were excited to be back full force.”

Justin Taylor and Sophia Rasiak exhibited a sampling of the variety and sizes of plant material available from Abby Farms.

MANTS 2023 continued to mean business, enticing well-qualified buyers with high levels of purchasing power to solidify partnerships. More than 84.5% of MANTS attendees identified as either the final decision-makers or those who influence their companies’ purchasing decisions, while more than 76.3% are categorized as owners, vice presidents, managers, buyers or sales and marketing professionals. By the end of the final show day, more than half of this year’s exhibitors had already renewed their exhibit space for the 2024 show.

Walter Johnson, Carmen Arnce and Charlotte Maitland of BCS showed some of the various attachments for their two-wheeled tractors.

“MANTS 2023 has been the busiest we’ve seen in over a decade. It’s called the masterpiece of trade shows, but it really should be called ‘THE’ show in the horticulture industry,” said Tree Seather, sales vice president, Greenleaf Nursery Company. “If you miss out on MANTS, you miss out on all the new innovative and necessary products you need to grow your green business.”

Scott Sterling discusses the various watering tools available from Dramm with Joel Yori.

“As a first-time exhibitor, our global team was thrilled to ‘roll’ into the horticulture market and share our newest nursery tools at MANTS 2023,” said Scott Britton, global attachments marketing manager, Caterpillar. “This has been an outstanding experience with a positively engaged audience and the perfect opportunity to establish partnerships. We’re looking forward to venturing back to Baltimore in 2024 to introduce more B2B products that are helping to ease the skilled labor shortage.”

Dugald Kell Jr. and Eric Kell displayed some of their Christmas tree and wreathmaking supplies from Kelco Industries.

“This show was established 53 years ago to encourage the development and cultivation of partnerships, and from what we saw on the show floor this year, we successfully met that goal,” concluded Finney.

Alla and Lee Squyres pose for a photo by their Red Boss Tree Spade. With self-sharpening blades and the ability to dig a wider array of ball sizes, this tree spade is the ideal choice for landscapers.

MANTS returns to the Baltimore Convention Center Jan. 10 – 12, 2024. For more information, visit MANTS.com or call 410.296.6959.