Retail TouchPoints parent company G3 Communications has been purchased by Emerald Expositions Events, a B2B trade show and conference producer based in San Juan Capistrano, Calif. The acquisition builds on the successful partnership G3 launched earlier this year with Emerald to produce the Retail TouchPoints Live! segment of the RetailX conference, held annually in Chicago.
Addressing the continued convergence of digital and physical channels and strategies, RetailX brought together GlobalShop, IRCE & RFID Journal Live! While each show retained own identity, the collocation provided access to more than 1,200 exhibitors under one roof.
“Customer feedback to [Retail TouchPoints Live!] was extremely positive, and we firmly believe there are significant opportunities to bring G3’s conference programming to many of Emerald’s retail-focused events in the future,” said Johanna Morse, SVP of Emerald’s Creative Group in a statement. “Both the retail industry and the broader B2B sector in general are going through dramatic transformations, largely due to shifts in sales channels and changes in buyer behaviors, and G3 can help us to inform and educate our customers so that they are better prepared for these changes.”
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The G3 team of nearly 50 employees, including RTP Editorial Director Andrew Gaffney, will join Emerald, reporting to Morse. Financial terms of the deal were not disclosed.
Emerald Expositions Events, which trades on the NYSE under the symbol EEX, operates more than 55 trade shows along with numerous other face-to-face events. In 2018, Emerald events connected more than 500,000 global attendees and exhibitors and occupied more than 7 million net square feet of exhibition space.
“The rapid expansion of our events has put us in a unique position for continued growth and to add value to a wider base of industries and job roles,” said Gaffney. “The prospect of leveraging Emerald’s resources, infrastructure and expertise, particularly in the event space, excites us as we look to scale our existing events and launch new ones, as well as deliver new value in the industries we serve.”
“I’m delighted to bring G3 into the Emerald family, as it directly advances our mission of being a year-round partner to our customers and providing critical information and insights that will fuel their success,” said Sally Shankland, President and CEO of Emerald Expositions.
