NAMA CONVENTION FOR 1950
TO CHICAGO
A REVIEW OF THE SHOW BY WALTER HURD
ATLANTIC CITY-The National Automatic Merchandis-
chine Corp., New York, displayed its vendor in this field.
ing Assn., in the third annual convention and exhibit sponsored
Bulk Vendors- Northwestern Corp. and the newer Oak
by the organization for the automatic merchandising trade,
Manufacturing Co., Inc., displayed complete lines of their
well-known bulk vendors. Trend is said to be to penny machines,
elected George M. Seedman to the presidency of NAMA. He
was general convention chairman for the past three years and although nickel models were shown.
also vice-president of the association and the new honor is
Candy Vendors-Eight manufacturers had displays of this
considered a recognition of his work in helping to make the type, most of them introduced to the trade previously. Mills
conventions a success.
Industries, Inc., displayed a new candy machine called Candy
B-A-R Merchandiser, having eight columns. Alco-Deree also
NAMA also raised its board of directors to 19, electing five
new members, and launched a new legislative program for 1950 displayed its refrigerated candy machine with new front design
and increased cooling capacity. James H. Martin, Chicago, dis-
with some $20,000 pledged already on the $35,000 goal. The
main objective will be to prevent per machine taxes on automatic
played a candy conversion unit for Du-Grenier machines.
vendors insofar as possible.
National Vendors, Inc., St. Louis, displayed two models of its
famous Merchandiser, electrically operated, a console unit. It
The 1949 convention and exhibit portrayed many advantages
in the vast display hall, in being more convenient to the eastern
can be used to sell candy and cigarettes in combination, has
half of the country, and in the efficient planning and manage-
three-coin mechanisms which provide for selling nickel, dime
ment for which NAMA has gained a reputation. Total exhibi-
and quarter items, or at any price combination of these coins.
tors were reported at 139, a gain over last year, while total
One or two candy vendor firms had made price reductions on
attendance may have been off from the 1948 record. Some
machines.
Cigar Vendors- Cigaromat Corp. and Malkin-lllion Co.
reports said about 4,300, while the Wall Street Journal put the
total at roundly 5,000 people. The date was Nov. 27-30.
represented this fiel d.
Exhibitors generally made optimistic reports about business
Cigarette Vendors- Seven firms had cigarette vendors on
display, two of which may be considered new in this field . A & A
done at the convention, and many were especially optimistic
about plans for 1950. The number of new machines was below
Co., Inc., Plainfield, N.J., held alphabetical priority on the
convention exhibit list, and displayed an electric cigarette vendor.
last year but the total array of equipment and of supplies was
still very impressive.
AIkuno & Co. recently introduced a lOO-pack vendor which it
Looking ahead, NAMA announced that d1e 1950 convention
had on display. Other firms well known in the cigarette field
would return to the Palmer House, Chicago, November 15-18, displayed models and the trend seemed to be to manual ma-
chines. Champions of electric models report that demand is
thus getting ahead of the two holidays. The board of director~
elected J. Bernard Langan,
still high.
Nik-O-Lok Co., Indiana-
National Vendors, Inc.,
Trends
polis, as vice-president of
reported the good news that
Some trends which were evident at the convention may
NAMA; and John T.
sales of cigarette vendors
be listed as 10IIows:
Pierson, Vendo Co., Kansas
had increased month by
• The special clinics or conlerences lor operators continue
City, as secretary.
to gain in interest and value, with the NAMA stall making
month this year. Its new-
carelul plans, more operators taking part, and the coIIec-
Following the alphabet-
est model is a 7-column
tion and distribution 01 pertinent questions lor the
ical listing of machines as
machine which was dis-
discussions_
used in the SOURCE BOOK
played for the first time
• Suppliers 01 merchandise continue to show a rising tide
OF THE COIN MACHINE
01 interest in vending machine outlets and contributing
at the convention; capa-
much to the success of the conventions. Suppliers of chew-
INDUSTRY, a brief review
city is 345 packs. Its con-
ing gum, soft drink syrups and candy bars indicated in
of convention exhibits is
sole
merchandiser,
for
very definite ways their increasing interest in automatic
given as follows:
either cigarettes, candy or
vending_
Bottled Drink Vendors
• Giving auto and truck makers a chance to exhibit for
other products, was part
the first time gives recognition to the importance of trans-
- Three firms-Atlas Tool
of the display.
portation in the operating business_ THE REVIEW, 01
& Manufacturing Co.,
course, has been featuring the transportation problem lor
Rowe Manufacturing
Bevco and Hydro - Silica
a long time_
Co.,
Inc., had its line of
Corp. - displayed bottle
• FoIIowing some creditable victories in the last year,
D iplomats, including the
NAMA launched a more vigorous fight against unfavorable
vendors which were the
new console models recent-
taxes on vending machines.
well-known types of ma-
• The tide of new manulacturing firms and new models
I y announced. Production
chines made by these firms .
of machines seems to be at low tide, as indicated by the
of console models is being
Actual displays of bottle
exhibits_
speeded up to meet grow-
• Cup vending, with special emphasis on hot-cold com-
machines at the national
ing demand but the firm
bination vendors, promises to take the lead in aggressive
convention of bottlers in
expansion in the automatic vending picture. Cup vending
also reports that the stand-
Detroit, shortly before the
includes some merchandise items with high potential
ard upright Diplomats are
NAMA convention, had
sales possibilities_ In 1947 bollle vendors were taking this
its major product. Eastern
lead_
more bottle vendors, but
Electric displayed its new
•
Spearheaded
by
Wrigley,
vending
of
chewing
gum
even there the total seemed
promises to show revived importance.
lO-column electric model
short of what would be ex-
• From the standpoint of exhibits at the convention, it
recently announced.
pected at a bottlers' con-
appears that pop corn, shoe shiners, scales, bottIe vendors
and bulk vending are at low tide. But there is much greater
vention.
One firm announced a
activity in these fields than number of exhibits would
Book Vendors- Auto-
price reduction at the con-
indicate_
matic Book Vending Ma-
vention.
JANUARY, 1950
19