By Patrick Avenell

SYDNEY, NSW: Despite the global financial crisis, CEDIA organisers are happy with the numbers of exhibitors and delegates expected at the 2009 show. CEDIA has moved down to Sydney from the Gold Coast, and there’s a new format this year, but media liaison officer Jeff Salton is anticipating a successful exhibition.

“This year you would expect that things would be down a fair bit with the global financial crisis, and a bit of shortcoming in discretionary spending, but the numbers are still really good,” said Salton.

“The exhibition is going ahead really well, [exhibitors] are very positive and they're happy to have that little bit of extra exposure as well.”

The extra exposure Salton is referring to is CEDIA’s new Open Day, when professionals on the periphery of the customised technology installation industry, such as specifiers, designers and architects, can come along and visit with potential business partners and pick up some new skills.

With the final stages of planning for the event now under way, we asked Salton which feature on the 2009 CEDIA calendar he is most looking forward to. Although he said he didn’t like favouring any event over another, he did identify speaker Utz Baldwin as one to watch.

“He's the chairman of CEDIA USA and I've heard him speak before. He's great to listen to, he's very informative; in tune with what's going on, across here as well as through North America, and he has great insights into what technologies are coming out and what's popular. Also, for the members, [information on] marketing opportunities and running businesses, because he runs his own business too.”

The 2009 CEDIA exhibition is on at the Sydney Convention & Exhibition Centre in Darling Harbour; 15-17 July 2009.