Informa plc has acquired Merchandise Mart Properties Inc. Canada, a Canadian corporation and division of Merchandise Mart Properties Inc., owned by Vornado.
Newly named, Informa Canada Inc., the company is one of the largest Canadian producers and marketers of tradeshows, consumer shows and conferences serving the construction, real estate, craft, art and design markets. Under the Informa Exhibitions division, Informa Canada will continue to produce and manage over 59 events in: Calgary, Edmonton, Halifax, Montréal, Ottawa, Québec City, Regina, Saskatoon, Toronto, Vancouver and Winnipeg – attracting over 4,500 exhibitors and 400,000+ attendees annually. Some of its well-known brands include: Construct Canada, Vancouver BUILDEX, Art Toronto, One of a Kind Shows, Interior Design Shows, IIDEX and the Real Estate Forums.
“Informa takes us to a new exciting level,” states Steven Levy, president of Informa Canada. “Over the next few years, plans are to expand our current business through organic growth, as well as by geo-cloning events from Informa’s repertoire.”
Attracted by MMPI Canada’s portfolio and their solid management experience, Informa Canada provides a very stable platform for Informa to introduce some of its international brands and products into the Canadian and U.S. markets.
“Informa places huge value on its events business and to its large scale face-to-face marketing platforms all over the world,” states Will Morris, CEO of Informa Exhibitions. “We are absolutely delighted to be engaged in this Canadian business and look forward to a long and exciting future with a team of passionate and experienced organizers.”
Informa plc was formed in December 1998 by the merger of IBC Group plc, an events focused business and publisher LLP (Lloyd’s of London Press). Since then, the continual growth and vision of the company has been built around the supply of high quality, proprietary business-to-business knowledge through leading brands in the world of publishing, conferences, exhibitions and training.