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Live Events Industry Launches Coalition in Fight Against COVID-19

Today, over 80 once-competing
live event production companies have banded together to launch Live for Life, a coalition offering engineering and support service solutions
in response to front line needs in the fight against COVID-19. Together, the
companies are applying their world class fabrication capabilities, logistics
expertise, significant raw materials inventories and labor to building
essential support systems, including temporary hospital rooms, testing centers,
emergency treatment patient rooms, PPE and more across the United States.

“Navigating COVID-19
healthcare is in part a logistical challenge – from the need for additional hospital/ICU
beds and drive-through testing centers, to aspects as simple as time and space,”
shared CEO Chris Meyer of George P. Johnson, a founding member of Live for
Life. “Together, the companies involved in the Live for Life coalition
recognized that our industry can make a difference. Event producers specialize
in planning complex logistics – in 2019 alone, we fueled the creation,
production, setup, and breakdown of 6,000 events in the U.S. We are highly organized
and efficient, very familiar with operating at scale, and we know how to build
the impossible quickly. Most importantly, we want to help.”

The live events industry
impacts over six million people – many of whom are now without income due to
COVID-19 restrictions. Dependent on in-person experiences, the damage to the
industry was swift and significant, and this new alliance channels its defining
grit and commitment by coming together to make a real difference. These people
are not just rolling over, they’re mobilizing.

“The idea to convert empty
convention centers to temporary hospitals came to life in a matter of days.
Every leader we contacted agreed to join this coalition without hesitation,”
stated Dave Walens, CEO of founding member, Exploring. “Competitors came
together as partners to meet this extraordinary need. This industry is united
and is making it happen.”

As a united force, Live for
Life has the volume and capacity to meet the temporary structure demand facing
the U.S. The coalition’s production and labor crews can be deployed regionally and
can have field hospitals operational within 72 hours of notification.

“We recognize that this
challenge is larger than any one organization. We are truly collaborating and
learning from each other as an industry,” added Nick Simonette, VP of Sales at
founding member Czarnowski. “Our gratitude and respect for our contemporaries
has exponentially expanded and we cannot wait to come together in a live
environment to talk, shake hands and even hug.”

Live for Life calls for
lawmakers, municipalities, government contractors and more to reach out to response@liveforlifec19.com
or visit https://www.liveforlifec19.com/contact to learn
more.

+++

About
Live for Life

Live for Life is a nationwide alliance of over 80 event production companies
that have joined together to help fight COVID-19. The coalition offers
fabrication capabilities, logistics expertise, significant raw materials and
labor to build essential support systems, including temporary hospitals,
testing centers, emergency treatment patient rooms, PPE and more across the
United States. Participating live event experts include: Czarnowski, Exploring,
George P. Johnson, Exhibitor Media Group, Freeman, 3D Exhibits, Jackson &
Coker, Exhibitor Appointed Contractor Association, Experiential Developer and
Producers Association, ProExhibits, Exhibit Recruiter, Derse, ExpoDisplays, Gem
Exhibits, Classic Exhibits, CorpComm Exhibits & Events, Elevation 3D, STAR,
RENTEX, DS&L Group, Blue Sky Exhibits, CORT, OCTANORM, Exhibit Options, Choura,
CreativeHire, ATN Event Staffing, HighMark Tech Systems, 4Wall, Straight Up Technologies,
NParallel, beMatrix, BrandStand, AIM Meetings and Events, Techtonics, Impact XM,
Gilbert, GES, Gateway, stevensE3, Evo Exhibits, Shepard, Creatacor, Hill and
Partners, DZine International Furniture Hire, Apogee Exhibits and Environments,
Acer Exhibits and Events, Aluvision, Skye Agency, Dimension Design, Aggreko,
Productions Plus, Lighthouse Exhibits Inc, Apple Rock, Skyline Exhibits, GWF
Associates, LLC, Centerpoint Marketing, Brumark Total Flooring Solutions, IPME,
GraphicsNow, Ion Exhibits, EEI Global, Marquis Exhibits, City Graphics
Solutions, Exhibitus, Showbench North America, Evolve, Katherine Frank
Creative, Valley Expo Displays, Vector Five, 616GC, ABComRents, SmartSource, Sparks,
Fern, Synergy Design Group, ITC, AGAM, Moss, TrussWorks, and growing.

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Letter to the Industry

I’ve reached out to many of you and had the opportunity to listen
to concerns and stories of devastation, to share in the heartbreak of having to
let teammates go. We’ve witnessed our industry come to a standstill and watched
our life’s work evaporate within days. We share this common bond of hardship and
worrying uncertainty. When will it end, and what’s next? The unknown is so
uncomfortable and demoralizing after working so hard for so long.

But we have another common bond, and a very important one:
We are all entrepreneurs. We are the same people who started businesses in an
industry that barely existed. We risked it all for an opportunity to not only
build a business, but an industry.

Each of you has taken a dream and developed it into an
incredibly successful business. Your impact as an entrepreneur in this industry
and on this world is undeniable and a term used often these days,
unprecedented. You have hired hundreds if not thousands of people. You have
created opportunities for strangers who are now teammates, clients who are now
friends, and vendors who are now strategic partners.

Perhaps most importantly, you have paid it forward and
changed the lives of many people. As part of EDPA I’ve witnessed what you have
done for your industry and communities. You should stand tall and be proud of
all you have accomplished. This moment in time will not take this away from
you.

Your experience as an entrepreneur will be needed again, and
more than ever. The good news is that this time you all are far more
knowledgeable and experienced. Think about the opportunity before you — you get
to start your businesses again and this time with tremendous experience and
wisdom. You get to reset everything. The mistakes you made the first time will
certainly not be repeated. Remember the first million you sold? How hard was
it? How profitable was it? I assure you the first million you sell this time
will be much easier and much more profitable.

What separates entrepreneurs from all others is our mindset.
That was not taken from us in this crisis. It will be the reason you will
succeed again, only this time better than ever. I can’t wait to witness
it.

Stay tradeshow and event strong!

David Walens, President

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We’re In This Together

There’s no doubt that we’re all facing unprecedented challenges. But we know how strong our industry is — and that we’ll make it through this by supporting each other and working
together.

Brumark is here to help you any way we can. It’s come to our attention that some companies are not accepting flooring returns.
If you purchased flooring for shows or events that have been canceled or postponed, we will take it back. Even if you didn’t purchase it from
us.

  • If you purchased flooring from us, contact your
    Client Experience Manager or Account Manager to discuss return details.
  • If you purchased flooring from another company, we’ll apply a 30% restocking fee and give you a credit for future flooring orders. Contact us to learn more.

You can find contact information
here
or call 1-800-291-9606.

Just let us know how we can help. We are all stronger together.

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Brumark – Managing the Impact of Show Cancellations due to COVID-19

As we all know, everything is not “business as usual” right now. Our industry is going through a challenging time and we recognize the significant impact the recent show cancellations and postponements due to COVID-19 (coronavirus) are having. 

We want to let you know that the Brumark team is here to support you, our valued partners, any way we can and we have policies in place to do that. We are closely monitoring every trade show and event and making adjustments to your orders as necessary. 

If you have ordered flooring for shows or events that have been canceled or postponed or if you have any questions, please do not hesitate to contactyour Client Experience Manager or Account Manager to discuss how we can help. You can find contact information here. 

As you know, the situation is evolving daily. We can work together for the best possible outcome during this challenging time for our industry. We are all stronger together.

We look forward to seeing everyone at EXHIBITORLIVE.

Sincerely,

Dave Walens, President, James Zacharias, Vice President of Sales, and your Brumark Team

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Brumark Partners with EXHIBITOR Magazine Again to Demonstrate the Power and Potential of Innovative Trade Show Flooring

Don’t forget
to look down! Brumark, the Total Flooring Solutions specialist, is pleased to
partner with EXHIBITOR Magazine again to turn EXHIBITORLIVE 2020 conference
flooring into an engaging marketing medium through the use of custom flooring
graphics and other flooring solutions. 

Brumark,
which is raising the bar on trade show flooring with the launch of an
innovative new product during EXHIBITORLIVE, will provide flooring graphics for
the Connection Zone and The Square networking areas and the entrance to the
Exhibit Hall, plus additional flooring graphics for the Awards Ceremony during
the conference. The conference will be held from March 29 through April 2,
2020, at the Mandalay Bay Convention Center in Las Vegas.

“Trade show
flooring provides a tremendous marketing and branding opportunity, and we’re
excited to partner with EXHIBITOR again on flooring solutions that demonstrate
that potential,” says James Zacharias, Vice President of Sales at Brumark. “The
entire Brumark team is dedicated to leading the industry through innovative
flooring solutions and world-class client service. Providing eye-catching
flooring for key areas of the EXHIBITORLIVE 2020 gives us the opportunity to
support a vital industry conference while allowing attendees to experience our
quality and latest innovations first-hand.”

“Our
thanks to Exploring Inc. and the Brumark team for providing quality graphics in
our high-visibility areas helping attendees find their way as they connect with
their species,” said Randy Acker, President & COO of Exhibitor Media Group.

More
information about Brumark, the national leader in tradeshow and event flooring
solutions, is available at www.brumark.com.

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New CA Carpet Recycling Tax

It is always our goal to keep our clients well-informed.
That’s why we want to explain some important industry news that will affect
everyone who purchases carpet in California. We encourage you to take a few
minutes to read and understand this email, as this change affects carpet for
retail, tradeshow, event, commercial and any other use.

What’s Changing

California law AB 2398, the carpet stewardship law signed
into effect in 2010 (and modified in 2017 by AB 1158) is intended to increase
the diversion of carpet from landfills and the recycling of carpet in
California.

The California Carpet Stewardship program is charged with
meeting the requirements for carpet recycling set by AB 2398. It generates
funding to meet the goals of AB 2398 through an assessment on carpet sold in
California. 

Effective January 1, 2019, all carpet sold in or shipped to
California is required to be assessed at $0.35 per square yard at the point of
sale. Please note that this tax is required by California law and all vendors
and distributors will be charging it. 

How the Funds Are Used

Currently, funds from this carpet assessment are used to:

  • Support
    and incentivize the development and markets for products made from recycled
    carpet.
  • Underwrite
    the collection and transport of carpet to and from drop-off sites.
  • Inform and
    educate stakeholders about the importance, opportunities and challenges of
    keeping carpet out of landfills.

While carpet recycling is limited at this time, there are
hopes this program will create new developments that will expand carpet
recycling. 

How This Will Appear on Your Invoices

As the California Carpet Stewardship program affects all
industries that use carpet, you will start seeing this tax on all estimates,
invoices and orders for carpet sold in or shipped to California.

On Brumark invoices, this will be clearly marked as a
separate line item labeled “California Carpet Stewardship Assessment.” 

What to Do If You Have Questions

It is important to understand this law and how it affects
you. If you have any questions, please do not hesitate to contact your Client
Experience Manager. We are here to help.

You also can learn more about the California Carpet
Stewardship Program at the CalRecycle website.

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Alec Pierson Joins Brumark as Client Experience Manager in the Northeast

Brumark, the Total Flooring Solutions Specialist, is pleased
to welcome Alec Pierson to the team as Client Experience Manager in the
Northeast region. He serves clients across New England and the Mid-Atlantic
states, consulting with them on their tradeshow and event flooring needs and providing
expert consultation and assistance during each stage of the project.

Pierson brings tradeshow industry and sales experience to
his new role, having served as an Exhibit Consultant at Skyline Exhibits
Chicago. He is a graduate of Illinois State University and has been an Exhibit
4 Smiles volunteer since 2011.

“With his dedication to providing excellent service and his
industry experience, Alec is a strong addition to the nationwide Client
Experience team,” says James Zacharias, Vice President of Sales at Brumark.
“Our entire team is committed to providing world-class service, and Alec’s
insight will help clients receive the best flooring solutions for their
specific projects.”

More information about Brumark, the national leader in
tradeshow and event flooring solutions, is available at www.brumark.com or by
calling 800-291-9606.

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EXHIBITORLIVE 2018: Elephant, Engagement, and Your Extra Advantage

We love our industry and the opportunity to meet and share
with everyone at EXHIHBITORLIVE!

A big thank you to all those who stopped by our booth. We
had terrific conversations with engaged customers eager to discuss how Brumark
can help deliver true results for their business and their clients.

Here are a few of the many highlights from this conference:

  • Your extra advantage – Our new Advantage XL carpet line was
    very well received. Simply put, this is superior carpet at unbeatable value.
    Contact your
    Client Experience Manager to learn more!
  • Building buzz – Our exhibit received a lot of attention,
    helping us generate excitement about the new Advantage XL carpet line. We used
    a manufacturing theme to support the launch of Advantage XL, which uses
    advanced processes and materials for extra value. And visitors were able to
    experience our extensive line of Total Flooring Solutions in the exhibit.
  • Fabrication excellence – Our sister company at Exploring,
    Inc.,
    ID3 Group, used its proprietary 3Dimensioneering process and unique range
    of expert fabrication capabilities to bring our exhibit concept to life. ID3
    Group works directly with exhibit companies and design and production groups.
    Check them out to see how they can partner with you!
  • Encouraging engagement – We were pleased to contribute to
    the EXHIBITORLIVE 2018 experience as a sponsor, with engaging elements
    throughout the show. We sponsored the giant pink elephant — The Chief Elephant
    in the Room — in the new Connection Zone, which sparked a lot of attention and
    conversation. The elephant was fabricated by the talented ID3 Group and Chisel
    3D team and attendees were encouraged to come by the Brumark booth with their name
    suggestions. This was a “ton” of fun! The winning name, submitted by Theresa
    Van Den Eeden, Event Specialist at Rittal Corporation, was Peanuts.
  • Capturing attention – Brumark
    also provided custom-printed flooring for the
    show entrance, The Connection Zone, the VIP lounge, and the Buyer’s Choice and
    Best of Show awards. The custom graphics were printed on Image White FlexFloor –
    our new print base that allows for exceptional color and quality at an
    unbeatable price.
  • Excellence awarded – We were proud to recognize six valued
    clients with a Bru-E award for their tremendous support. Stay tuned for an
    announcement about the winners!
  • The future is bright – We were honored to have exhibit
    design students from FIT and Bemidji State University stop by our booth. We’re
    always thrilled to share their vision and excitement for the future.

We were especially pleased to partner with the EXHIBITOR
team on the sponsorship this year, along with ID3 Group and Chisel 3D. “The team at Exploring greatly exceeded my
expectations with the execution of the concept,” said Randy Acker, President and COO of
Exhibitor Media Group. “For the attendees and exhibitors the
elephant was a hit before EXHIBITORLIVE had even opened for the week. The goal
of creating an unexpected element within The Square and The Connection Zone
that was also a social media magnet was achieved. This was a great partnership
of bringing an idea to folks who could make it a reality.”

Watch for more information about Advantage XL and our other
Total Flooring Solutions in the coming months. And if you don’t get our e-news,
you can
subscribe here for updates and special offers.

EXHIBITORLIVE is always a great way to kick off a new year. Contact us today to see how Brumark can help you make 2018 your best year yet!

Take a tour of our exhibit and see the new Advantage XL:


Photos from the show:

  

  

 

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Brumark’s Shameka Howell Recognized as Exploring, Inc. Employee of The Year

Exploring, Inc., the parent
company of several rapidly growing Atlanta-based companies, has named Shameka
Howell its 2017 Employee of the Year. This annual recognition is part of
Exploring’s Employee Awards program, which was created to acknowledge and honor
talented employees who go above and beyond in their roles.

Howell serves as Director of Operations in Exploring’s
Brumark Total Flooring Solutions division, which has been supporting the
exhibit and event industry with high-quality flooring for 35 years. Howell
oversees all the different aspects of production and operations for Brumark’s
Atlanta and Dalton facilities, including but not limited to custom fabrication,
estimating, process improvement, inventory control and vendor relations. She
directs the entire Production team as well as the Account Management team to
ensure the highest quality standards from the very initial point of estimating
and bidding to the final point of fabrication and installation.

Howell is a veteran of the United States Army and a natural
proponent for high standards, discipline, structure and compassion, all of
which are a part of her management style. She joined Brumark in 2013 as a
Project Manager and has served as Project Management Team Lead, Client Services
Manager, and Director of Account Management prior to taking on her current role
as Director of Operations in July 2017. Howell has an Associate of Science in
Business Administration from Georgia Perimeter College, courtesy of the EDPA
Foundation Scholarship she was awarded in 2013, and is currently pursuing a
Bachelors of Science in Criminal Justice at Georgia State University in
Atlanta, GA.

“Shameka’s commitment to her work and to ensuring that
Brumark serves clients with excellence shines through in everything she does,”
says David Walens, president of Exploring. “Her dedication and strong
leadership skills are integral to the success not only of Brumark, but to the
Exploring family of companies as a whole. This award is well-deserved, and we
sincerely appreciate all that Shameka does for our clients and our company.”

Learn more about Exploring at www.exploring.com and Brumark
at www.brumark.com

About Exploring, Inc.

Exploring, Inc. is the parent company of several rapidly
growing Atlanta-based companies, including Brumark, Shelmarc Carpets, ID3
Group, Chisel 3D, Atlantis WaterJet and GCI Graphics. These companies offer
services for exhibits, events and environments — including tradeshow flooring
and full-service custom fabrication — as well as commercial and hospitality
flooring. Exploring’s operations include facilities in Atlanta and Dalton,
Georgia and a distribution facility in Las Vegas. Founded in 1999, Exploring
was named to the Inc. 500|5000, Inc. magazine’s annual list of the
fastest-growing private companies in America, in 2009, 2010, 2011, 2014 and
2016. More information is available at www.exploring.com.

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Brumark to Give EXHIBITORLIVE 2018 Attendees an Extra Advantage

Attendees will get an extra advantage when they visit Booth 1125 during EXHIBITORLIVE 2018, held
February 25 – March 1 in Las Vegas.

Brumark has invested in improved materials and processes to bring clients
the new Advantage XL — superior flooring at unbeatable value. The company will
debut its newest innovative flooring solution during EXHIBITORLIVE, where attendees can experience the benefits of Advantage XL and Brumark’s
full line of Total Flooring Solutions in Booth 1125.

Brumark and its parent company, Exploring, Inc., are also pleased to be
an EXHIBITORLIVE 2018 sponsor. Attendees can
experience Brumark custom-printed flooring at the show entrance, The Connection
Zone, and outside the VIP lounge, as well as for the Buyer’s Choice and Best of
Show awards.

“We are extremely excited to unveil the new Advantage XL at EXHIBITORLIVE because this game-changing flooring truly gives our
customers a huge advantage in quality and value,” says James Zacharias, Vice
President of Sales at Brumark. “Attendees will have multiple opportunities to
experience Brumark’s Total Flooring Solutions, from our booth to Brumark
flooring in use in clients’ exhibits and throughout the show floor. We look
forward to talking with visitors about how Brumark’s flooring solutions can
benefit them. ”

More information about Brumark, the national leader in tradeshow and
event flooring solutions, is available at www.brumark.com.