Go with the flow! Plumbing industry trade shows go hand-in-hand with staying on top of current plumbing industry trends. While there are only a few plumbing shows in North America (see the list below), these shows serve as an important hub for plumbing professionals and suppliers to network, learn, and discover new innovations. 

If you have never exhibited or attended a plumbing trade show, this article will highlight the benefits of participating in these annual events. Not only will you discover new vendors, products, and clients but you’ll also meet industry professionals and attend workshops, seminars, and presentations. In addition, exhibitors often offer exclusive deals and discounts to trade show attendees. Plumbing trade shows serve as valuable platforms for professionals to expand their knowledge, network with peers, and discover new products and technologies.  

Plumbing Trade Shows: What to Know Before You Go as an Attendee

Attending plumbing trade shows can be incredibly valuable for professionals in the industry. To maximize your experience, here’s a breakdown of essential things to know before you go:   

Define Your Goals:

• What do you want to achieve? Are you looking for new plumbing products, networking opportunities, or educational sessions?
• Having clear objectives will help you focus your time and energy.   

Research Exhibitors and Schedules:

• Review the exhibitor list and identify companies you want to visit. When possible, schedule appointments with the exhibitor to ensure you maximize your time on the show floor. 
• Check the schedule for seminars, workshops, and demonstrations that align with your interests.
• Create a personalized agenda to ensure you don’t miss key events.

Plan Your Travel and Accommodation:

• Book travel and accommodation well in advance, especially for popular shows.   
• Familiarize yourself with the venue location and transportation options. 

Contact the Show Organizer:

• Reach out to the show organizer. Organizers often have events for first-time attendees, like dinners, tours, or meetings with other trade show newbies. 
• In addition, organizers can guide you to important educational events, including featured speaker presentations. 

For most trade show attendees, networking and education are just as important as the trade show floor. Those don’t happen by accident. Actively engage with exhibitors, other attendees, and participate in as many of the sessions and mixers. Who you meet can often lead to additional contacts and lifetime friendships in the plumbing industry. 

The Benefits of Top Plumbing Trade Shows

Participating in a plumbing trade show offers a multitude of benefits for professionals in the industry. Here’s a breakdown of the key advantages:

1. Staying Updated on Plumbing Industry Trends

• Discovering new products and technologies:
• Trade shows provide a firsthand look at the latest innovations, tools, and materials.
• Attendees can explore cutting-edge solutions that can improve efficiency and productivity.

Learning About Emerging Trends

• Seminars and workshops offer insights into industry trends, such as water conservation, smart plumbing systems, and sustainable practices.
• Staying informed about these trends helps professionals stay competitive.

Understanding Plumbing Code Changes and Regulations

• Trade shows often feature sessions on the latest plumbing codes and regulations, ensuring compliance and best practices.

2. Networking and Building Relationships

Connecting with Industry Professionals

• Trade shows provide opportunities to meet and connect with other plumbers, contractors, suppliers, and manufacturers.
• Networking can lead to valuable partnerships, collaborations, and business opportunities.

Meeting Industry Leaders

• Attendees can interact with experts and thought leaders in the plumbing industry.
• These interactions can provide valuable insights and mentorship.

Expanding Your Professional Network

• Building relationships with other professionals can lead to referrals, job opportunities, and business growth.

3. Gaining a Competitive Advantage

Seeing What Competitors Are Doing

• Plumbing trade shows offer a chance to observe competitors’ products, services, and marketing strategies.
• This information can help businesses identify areas for improvement and gain a competitive edge.

Finding New Suppliers and Partners

• Trade shows provide a platform to connect with potential suppliers and partners.
• Building strong relationships with suppliers can lead to better pricing, product availability, and support.

Generating Leads and Sales

• Trade shows can be a valuable source of leads and sales opportunities.
• Attendees can connect with potential customers and showcase their products and services.

4. Professional Development

Educational Opportunities

• Many plumbing trade shows offer educational sessions, workshops, and seminars.
• These sessions provide opportunities to learn new skills, improve existing ones, and earn continuing education credits.

Hands-on Experience

• Trade shows often feature product demonstrations and hands-on workshops.
• These experiences allow attendees to learn new techniques and gain practical skills.

In essence, plumbing trade shows are invaluable for professionals seeking to enhance their knowledge, expand their network, and grow their businesses.

Don’t Miss These Plumbing Trade Shows in 2025

The biggest North American plumbing trade shows for 2025 and 2026, including:

AHR Expo 2026 – February 2-4, 2026, Las Vegas, NV (LVCC)

The AHR Expo is a major event in the Heating, Ventilation, Air Conditioning, and Refrigeration (HVACR) industry. It serves as a hub for professionals in the industry to network, learn, and discover new innovations. The show typically attracts around 1,800+ companies and approximately 50,000+ industry professionals.  

Flow Expo 2026 – March 2025, Pomona, CA (Fairplex)

The Flow Expo is a 50 year old regional trade show for professionals in the Plumbing, Heating, and Cooling (PHC) industry. The show serves as a platform for manufacturers, representatives, suppliers, and wholesalers to connect with contractors, engineers, technicians, and municipal officials.

PCA Plumbing Service Conference 2025 – May 19-2, St. Louis, MO

The show is organized by PCA (Plumbing Contractors of America), which is associated with the MCAA (Mechanical Contractors Association of America). The conference is designed for plumbing service contractors looking to improve their service operations, increase profitability, and stay up-to-date with industry innovations. It offers educational sessions, industry insights, and networking opportunities. The target audience  is Service managers, PHCC CONNECT 2025, October 27-30, 2025, Grand Rapids, MI (DeVos Place)

PHCC CONNECT 2025 is a significant event for those in the plumbing, heating, and cooling industry, offering a platform for professional growth and industry engagement. The purpose is to provide industry professionals with valuable resources and tools to improve their business practices, to facilitate connections and partnerships among attendees, and to keep contractors up-to-date on the latest industry trends and innovations.

CIPHEX West 2025, November 5-6, 2025, Vancouver, BC (Pacific National Exhibition)

CIPHEX West is a prominent trade show in Western Canada, focusing on the plumbing, hydronics, heating, ventilation, air conditioning, refrigeration, and water treatment industries. It is presented by the Canadian Institute of Plumbing & Heating (CIPH), in collaboration with the British Columbia Electrical Association (BCEA) and the Alberta Electrical Alliance (AEA). This show is a combination of the normal CIPHEX show, and electrical industry products.

Plumbing Trade Show Ideas & Tips as an Exhibitor

As an exhibitor at a plumbing trade show, whether it’s your first or fiftieth time, success comes down to identifying your strategy and objectives and creating a detailed plan to meet them. There’s nothing casual about planning for a trade show. It’s a lot of work, but the results can be transformational, be it increased sales, client acquisition, or market research. 

Here’s a comprehensive guide to help you maximize your impact:

1. Define Your Objectives:

• What do you want to achieve? (e.g., generate leads, increase brand awareness, launch a new product, secure partnerships).
• Set measurable goals. (e.g., collect a specific number of leads, schedule a certain number of appointments).

2. Booth Design and Setup:

• The booth design can be intimidating to new exhibitors. The most important first step is to partner with an exhibit house that shares your vision. 
• Next, answer these 15 Essential Design Questions. 
• Finally, keep an open mind to design suggestions and provide the exhibit designer with a detail about your marketing objectives and budget. 
• Decide whether to purchase or rent your exhibit (or a combination of both). There are pros and cons to each approach. 

3. Pre-Show Marketing:

• Promote your presence: Let your existing and potential customers know you’ll be exhibiting.
• Social media: Use social media to generate buzz about your booth.
• Email marketing: Send out email invitations and create a buzz about activities in the booth during the show. 
• Tap into the show organizers pre-show marketing mailings. 

4. Dates and Deadlines:

• Identify the key deadlines, including show specific deadlines, like electrical requirements, material handling forms, hanging sign requests, etc. 
• These deadlines have early bird special prices to encourage exhibitors to submit their information well in advance. Missing those deadlines can be painful both in cost and in logistics. 

5. Staffing:

• Select knowledgeable staff: Choose representatives who are enthusiastic and well-versed in your products and services and buy into your goals. 
• Train your staff: Ensure they can answer questions, conduct demonstrations, and capture leads effectively.
• Staffing schedule: Make sure you have enough staff to cover the booth during peak hours.

6. Lead Generation and Post-show Strategy:

• Use a lead capture system. Preferably one that integrates into your CRM software.
• Identify what information to collect and review the data in real-time at the show data.
• Qualify leads: Develop a system for identifying potential customers.
• Plan your follow-up: Develop a plan for contacting leads after the show.
• Personalized communication: Send personalized emails or make phone calls to follow up on conversations.

By following these steps, you can create a successful and impactful presence at a plumbing trade show.

Plumbing Industry Trends to Keep in Mind

The plumbing industry is constantly evolving, driven by technological advancements, environmental concerns, and changing consumer preferences. Here are some of the key trends shaping the plumbing landscape. 

1. Smart Plumbing Systems:  Smart technology is becoming increasingly prevalent in plumbing, with devices like Wi-Fi-enabled leak detectors, automated water shut-off valves, and smart water heaters gaining popularity. These systems offer enhanced water efficiency, leak prevention, and remote control capabilities.
2. Tankless and Heat Pump Water Heaters:  Tankless water heaters provide on-demand hot water, eliminating the need for a storage tank. Heat pump water heaters transfer heat from the surrounding air to the water rather than generating heat directly. Both are highly energy efficient compared to a traditional water heater. 
3. Advanced Pipe Materials: Cooper and PVC pipes are being replaced with PEX and advanced composites for improved corrosion resistance and flexibility
4. Online and Digital Marketing:  Plumbing businesses are increasingly relying on digital marketing strategies like social media, online scheduling, and customer reviews.
5. Training and Certification:  Smart plumbing and advanced technologies requires plumbers and plumbing businesses to stay current. There are now certifications for sustainability, water treatment, and plumbing software applications. 

These trends highlight the plumbing industry’s commitment to innovation, sustainability, and customer satisfaction. Plumbing trade shows are ideal opportunities for professionals to up their game. 

Dominate Upcoming Plumbing Trade Shows with Exhibits NW!

Exhibit design is far more than just aesthetics; it’s a critical component of effective communication and engagement. A well-designed exhibit creates a strong first impression and reinforces your brand identity. In addition, the exhibit should enhance engagement, maximize space, and ensure smooth traffic flow. The experienced exhibit designers at Exhibits Northwest will create an experience that’s engaging, informative, and memorable… all while maximizing your marketing goals and trade show ROI. 

The professionals at Exhibits NW have over twenty years of experience designing, building, shipping, and storing trade show displays. We would love to guide you through the nuances of trade show marketing. And if you want your new exhibit to impress trade show attendees and draw crowds to your booth, then we’ve got that covered too.