To participate in the ABX, manufacturers and allied members pay for a hotel suite; all ABX suites are located on two or three floors and are within close proximity of each other. AWMA handles most of the details, including converting the suite to a meeting room and scheduling the meetings between distributors and manufacturers.
ABX meetings are held from 8:00 a.m. to 6:20 p.m. on Wednesday and Thursday after the Summit program wraps up on Tuesday. Each meeting is 35 minutes long, with a 10-minute break in between. In 2006, 32 manufacturers/suppliers in 37 suites participated and 46 distributors. AWMA is planning to add even more meetings in 2007.
A hospitality suite is open while the manufacturer-distributor meetings are going on. This hospitality suite offers breakfast and lunch to attendees, as well as beverages and snacks all day long. The suite also is a great place for attendees to gather during breaks in their schedules.
To participate in the ABX, distributors must be an AWMA member – while manufacturers and allieds must be an AWMA member and exhibit at the REAL DEAL EXPO.
