Candle event generates heat

More than 350 people assembled in New Orleans to attend “Lighting up the Bayou,” the National Candle Association’s (NCA) 2015 Annual Conference & Expo.

NCA’s June 2-5 Expo, the longest-running supplier’s show in the global candle industry, set another record with 47 exhibitors.

The event featured technical presentations and workshops, networking events, industry updates, and a suppliers’ trade show. Issue-focused presentations included “The Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC) & Residential Candle Safety”, presented by Scott Ayers.

In the session Ayers detailed how the decline in candle-related deaths and incidents since 2002 can be attributed to a combination of factors, including substantial industry compliance with the voluntary safety standards. The CPSC staff cited the candle industry’s success in implanting voluntary standards as a key factor in CPSC’s decision not to issue mandatory safety standards in 2014.

Rob Harrington of Renegade Candles discussed EU’s classification, labeling, and packaging regulations (CLP.) This covered details on the globally harmonized classification and labeling system, such as specific hazards and labeling requirements.

Several presentations offered information on the best ways to adapt and react to current trends and consumer demands. In “Making Your Core Values a Competitive Advantage,” Bill Main of Bill Main & Associates explained the strategic value of finding and defining core values and their relationship with the company’s brand. Dan Coates of Ypulse stressed the popularity of candles to millennials in “Millennial Insights”, and offered ideas on how to market products to this generation.