A review of the Mid-Atlantic Hardscape Trade Show MAHTS 2014 – Sponsored by EP Henry

EP Henry Incorporated sponsored the Mid-Atlantic Hardscape Trade Show (MAHTS) in Atlantic City, NJ from February 11-13. The trade show offers a wide range of educational seminars tailored to hardscape installation crews, landscape designers and landscape company managers. Approximately fifty vendors attend and set up trade show booths to promote their products.

Much of the show is a marketing platform for EP Henry products. EP Henry paver and wall system products were some of the earliest available in the industry. Though an early innovator, EP Henry products have not kept up in aesthetic appeal when compared to other producers such as CST, Techo-Bloc or Unilock. It seems they have realized this in the last few years and made some positive advancement in both the colors and the styles of the product. In wall systems they have added the 3-length Coventry wall which allows for a variety of block sizes and a much more dynamic character. The 3 piece modular, the Cobblestone & the Bristol Stone are paver systems with an end product that has a character at the higher aesthetic and quality end for paver installations. EP Henry still produces the Coventry paver lines, which for many people look unattractive and outdated. Overall, I see EP Henry moving in good directions. It is not my first choice, but if a client asks for the product I have and will continue to use it.

The vendor line up at the show is limited overall. Focus Industries was there with a display of landscape lighting products. I’ve known these guys for a few years and like the products. Focus Lighting has a wide range of budget oriented LED landscape lighting products. The ratio of quality to price is outstanding and I especially like the Small Ledge LED light (SL-42). Ray Murray Incorporated was there with outdoor kitchen product displays. I have worked with them on FireMagic and Twin Eagles brand orders in the past. The Twin Eagles is an outstanding grill with a very positive price to quality ratio. The company was started by an innovator who helped develop some of the better known company products over the years and recently started his own venture. All products are made in the USA. Aquarius Irrigation was at the show presenting a wide range of products for water features. The aqua bloc system is always a show stopper for an efficient approach to building pond less water features in the landscape.

The education seminars range in quality. Installation oriented seminars tend to get moderate reviews from the field installation teams who attend. I received my International Concrete Paver Institute (ICPI) certification at the MAHTS show during two day long seminars several years ago. Those courses were taught by an especially well qualified concrete paver installation professional and I learned a good deal. This year I focused on internet marketing seminars. They were also taught by an extremely well qualified professional who understood the topic in specific relation to the landscape industry.

Overall, I recommend the MAHTS show for any landscape contractor in the Pennsylvania & New Jersey regions. It is rather inexpensive overall and well worth every penny in my experience. The show is an opportunity to stay current with landscape industry products, knowledge and other professionals in our industry.