Paperworld USA– The World of Office and Paper Products
Miami Beach Convention Center November 8 - 10, 2006

Paperworld USA Features New Innovations Marketplace at November School & Office Trade Event

Dayton, OH - August 23, 2006 - SHOPA (the School, Home, & Office Products Association) in cooperation with its global partners, Messe Frankfurt and ProPaper, is providing a new forum for qualified inventors of school and office products to meet with key buyers in the office products market as part of its upcoming trade fair, Paperworld USA, November 8-10, 2006, at the Miami Beach Convention Center, in Miami, FL.

According to SHOPA President Steven Jacober, "Product innovation and new product development are perhaps the most critical needs in the $323 billion school and office products market. Although some companies maintain a dedicated NPD (new product development) effort, the majority of manufacturers spend, on average, less than .01% of sales towards the NPD process."

Interestingly, resellers expect manufacturers to provide a steady stream of market-relevant new products. Inventors, meanwhile, have the product ideas the industry is looking for, they just lack the visibility with the right players in the industry who can bring the ideas to market.

The Innovations Marketplace at Paperworld USA would provide the opportunity for inventors to meet with resellers representing significant volume opportunities as well as channels of distribution to the market. The advantage to resellers is to preview and purchase totally new products and concepts, not seen previously in the market. Manufacturers are interested since many of the inventors at the show will look for partners to help them bring these products to the market through the resellers that are requesting the products. There is a lowered risk to the manufacturer as the inventors' products, as a result of the exposure at the show to the top resellers, could potentially have a commitment from the buyers for market placement. The bottom line is that all attendees will win.

Paperworld USA attracts industry buyers from the following channels such as Office Supply Superstores: Office Depot, OfficeMax, and Staples, Inc.; Drugstores: CVS, Longs Drug Stores, Rite-Aid Corporation, and Walgreens; Wholesale Clubs: BJ's Wholesale Club, Costco Wholesale, and Sam's Club; Craft Stores: Dick Blick Art Materials, Hobby Lobby, Jo-Ann Fabrics, and Michaels Stores Inc.; Supermarkets: Albertsons, Kroger Co., and Raley's Inc., just to name a few.

For more information about the Innovations Marketplace, contact Al Arends at 651.485.4119 today.

About Paperworld USA . . .
Paperworld USA is patterned after the highly successful Paperworld global trade shows, including Paperworld Frankfurt, Hong Kong International Stationery and Paperworld China, as well as ProPaper in Spain. Paperworld is the collection of the world's leading trade fairs for private and commercial office supplies, with a host of innovations, new products, concepts, ideas and visions, as well as specialty shows. Visit www.paperworldUSA.com for more information.

About SHOPA . . .
SHOPA, founded in 1991, is a nonprofit trade association representing nearly 900 manufacturers, manufacturer representatives, retailers, wholesalers, distributors, commercial/contract stationers, and service companies involved in the production, distribution, and sale of school supplies and office products. The Association also sponsors The SHOPA Kids In Need Foundation, a charitable organization founded in 1995, is funded by donations from SHOPA member companies and other corporations and individuals interested in supporting education in the United Sates. Visit www.shopa.org for more information.

About Messe Frankfurt . . .
The Messe Frankfurt corporate group, one of the world?s leading exhibition corporations, organizes more than 100 trade fairs worldwide and is one of the few global players in the trade fair sector. Visit www.usa.messefrankfurt.com for more information.

About ProPaper . . .
ProPaper is the leading stationery sector trade association in Spain and is the co-organizer of DIPA (International Stationery Fair), the only Fair of its kind in the south of Europe. Visit www.propaper.es for more information. 

You will find further information about Paperworld USA and Messe Frankfurt on the Internet at www.paperworldUSA.com and www.usa.messefrankfurt.com.

Information about SHOPA is to be found at www.shopa.org and about PROPAPER at www.propaper.es.


For more details, contact:
Messe Frankfurt, Inc.
Attn: Scott Easton
1600 Parkwood Circle, Ste. 515
Atlanta, GA 30339