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We've been selling our NES Reliable lines of Plastic Folding Tables and Chairs for more than five years and each year we've seen increased sales. Much like with our Plastic Folding Tables, we also get asked daily about the cost of our Plastic Folding Chairs. And like with our plastic folding tables, there is the easy answer (pricelist) and the more complicated answer (why the big difference).

Traditional Samsonite plastic folding chairs typically cost between $8.95 and $19.99 each. Unlike plastic folding tables however, plastic folding chairs with a subpar weight rating can be dangerous for anyone looking to use them. So while some consumers can likely survive with a plastic folding table that has a subpar weight rating, the same is not true for plastic folding chairs. The three key factors in the strength of a plastic folding chair is the use of recycled plastic in the construction of the chair, the limited value of a static rating, and the importance of drop test results.

Many consumer focused companies are proud to say that their plastic folding chairs have a certain percentage of recycled material in the hopes of gaining a green reputation. Many others will hide the fact that their chairs have recycled content because they are worried commercial buyers will avoid their products like the plague. In the case of plastic folding chairs it is extremely important to avoid recycled content. If the manufacturer uses recycled plastic to produce their plastic folding chairs, the chairs will be brittle which means they will crack and break quickly. New virgin plastic on the other hand allows the chair to flex further without breaking and results in a folding chair that is very strong, more durable and not brittle. So why do some manufacturers use recycled plastic then? It all comes down to cost. It is much less expensive to produce a chair using recycled plastic than it is using new plastic.

Static weight ratings are in many cases something else to watch out for. Many companies will have spectacular static weight ratings that frankly fall short in reality. You want to look for a weight rating that is in the 300-350lb range. If they claim higher you should consider asking more questions about the product, especially if the price seems too good to be true (as the saying goes, it normally is to good to be true).

Drop test results are something that is very important to consider when buying plastic folding chairs. The BIFMA standard is 225lbs from 6" above the seat. In the case of the NES Reliable Plastic Folding Chairs, this is the exact test that has been done, and the chair will not fail. Some manufacturers have even stepped up with chairs rated for a 275lb test from 6" above the chair. This is no doubt a very impressive feat for a plastic folding chair however those chairs also come at a premium price.

All of these factors are important to consider when purchasing a plastic folding chair for your church, facility or for your business to rent. If you buy a plastic folding chair that meets all of these requirements, that is:

• Contains only virgin plastic
• Has a static weight rating of 300-350lbs
• Has passed the BIFMA 225lbs drop test

Not only will you be purchasing a more durable plastic folding chair that will last longer, but there is less chance they will fail when someone sits on them.

Registration has opened for The 2013 Rental Show, and there's still time to take advantage of the special $119.00 rate for American Rental Association Members. If you're looking for a reason to go to the show, we've got 5!

1. Meet With Your Suppliers

One of the best parts about attending The Rental Show is that you have the opportunity to meet with most, if not all, of your suppliers in one place. While many rental operators may deal with some local or regional suppliers who have local showrooms, most rental operators don’t have the time to go visit them. Sure you might pick up product from their warehouse once every few months but rarely do you actually go check out their showroom. As a result The Rental Show gives you time to focus on your suppliers, many of whom may have introduced new products since you last saw them. It also allows you to talk to them about your future requirements and new items you are looking for (who knows, one of them may already stock of the item you are looking for!). Spending time with your suppliers also creates a win-win situation for both of you. They get a better understanding of what your requirements are (both now and in the future), and you in return will get products you need with more customized service to meet your needs.

2. Meet With Potential New Suppliers

The Rental Show is one of the only places in the world where you can meet all the top suppliers to the rental industry in one convenient location. Whether you are a rental company looking for a new tent supplier, a wood chipper, or a new dinnerware line, you will be able to find a wide selection of potential suppliers at The Rental Show. To help make your choice easier, you will also find customers of the suppliers you are considering. Many are happy to tell you about their experiences with the supplier and their products (the good, the bad and the ugly!).

3. See New Leading Edge Products

While the new products you find at The Rental Show may not apply to your business immediately, it is a great place to spot the latest trends in the industry. By being aware of trends across the industry it puts your business in a better position to capitalize on those trends when they do reach your customers. Even more important however is that you can also find new products that will immediately have an impact on your business. Even if it is something simple like a new porcelain wing bowl this year, the incremental leadership position that you put your business in can improve your business.

4. Attend a Wide Range of Business Seminars

Each year The Rental Show puts on seminars that you are able to attend with the purchase of the Full Registration Package. This gives you access to all of the trade show exhibits, keynote speakers, as well as the wide array of seminars that are offered. The seminars are led by industry leaders and focus on a broad spectrum of topics ranging from tents to event design. These seminars give you the opportunity to learn more about industry best practices and trends that will help improve your rental business. Don’t forget to take notes!

5. Meet Others in the Industry

The rental industry is unlike any other in that it gives you the opportunity to openly share and exchange ideas with other rental operators whose business is very similar to yours but not directly competitive with you. Many in the industry share ideas with others in their own city because they find it benefits both of them instead of hurting both of them. As a result The Rental Show is a great place to network with others in your region and others from across the United States and Canada. A great place to start with this is at one of the Regional Receptions. For Canadians it would be great to see you out at the Region 10 Reception (sponsored in part by National Event Supply). You can also meet many of your peers in the seminars, on the show floor, and countless other events put on at The Rental Show by the American Rental Association.

Bonus Reason – It’s in Las Vegas!

What better place to combine a business trip with some fun filled pleasure!

National Event Supply offers an impressive range of chair dollies to make transporting our chairs relatively easy. The three chair dollies I would like to focus on today are our Folding Chair Cart, Blow-Mold Folding Chair Cart, and our brand new Chiavari Chair Dolly.

We have been offering our basic Folding Chair Cart for a number of years now. It is made of tough black powder coated steel allowing it to stand up to daily use with ease. This folding chair cart includes two locking and swiveling wheels that make it easy to maneuver the cart even with a heavy load. Additionally the locking wheels allow you to keep the chair cart in one place when loading or when it is not in use, preventing a hazardous run away chair cart. To help you secure your heavy load while in transit our folding chair cart has four tie down points that make it easy to strap down the load. The folding chair cart can be used to move or store both the NES Reliable Plastic Folding Chairs (about 50pcs) as well as the NES Reliable White Resin Folding Chairs (about 30pcs).

Our Blow-Mold Folding Chair Cart is a relatively new item for us as we have been selling this item since late 2011. It is made of a light grey powder coated steel that is very similar in colour to the blow-mold chair and table frames. It features upright support bars that allow you to stack the blow-mold stacking chairs without the risk of them falling over. The Blow-Mold Folding Chair Cart has four locking and swiveling wheels to help with maneuverability. This cart will hold 30 - NES Reliable Blow-Mold Folding Chairs making effective use of storage space.

Click to enlarge pictures.

National Event Supply’ newest chair dolly addition is our Chiavari Chair Dolly. We have been carrying our NES Reliable Resin Chiavari Chairs for over 2 years now and with their success came the interest in a chair dolly to transport them. The cart has two pneumatic wheels to help absorb bumps and is made of red powder coated steel for added durability. The flip down lift bar makes it easy for you to quickly pick up and move resin or wood chiavari chairs.

National Event Supply is pleased to announce that we once again have our full line of Snow Drop and Angelika European fine dining dinnerware available for sale. We were a little delayed getting these fine dining plates back in stock due to our factory shutting down for 4 weeks in July for holidays and retooling, but we now have all items in stock!

Our Snow Drop line of fine dining plates have a traditional French-country look to them, and are quite popular for weddings, kosher events, corporate events, and in numerous fine dining restaurants. With this shipment, we now have an ample supply of the Snow Drop Dinner Plates, 12" Plates, Pasta Plates and Soup Plates to fill the backorders we were holding for these products. In addition, we restocked the accessory pieces that we running low, like our Salt and Pepper Shakers, Creamers, Sugar Bowls, and the like. Our Snow Drop 12" Plates and Pasta Plates both sell for $10.50/ea, while the dinner plates sell for $5.50. Most other pieces (Cups, Saucers, Side Plates, etc.) range in price from $2.25 to $10.00. For additional pricing information or to receive some Snow Drop samples, please don't hesitate to contact us.

Snow Drop wasn't the only line of dinnerware to get restocked; we also received a shipment of our popular Angelika Dinnerware, including Angelika 12" Plates, and Pasta Plates. These gorgeous looking porcelain plates have a nice clean look which is ideal for giving your food that presentation pop you get when great food is combined with a fabulous looking plate. Pricing for our Angelika Fine Dining Plates is similar to our Snow Drop pricing, with 12" Plates and Pasta Plates selling for $10.50, Dinner Plates selling for $5.50, and other pieces ranging in price from $2.25 to $10.00. If you have any questions about specific pieces of our Angelika Line or would like to receive some sample, again please feel free to contact us.

In 1807, Giuseppe Gaetano Descalzi from Chiavari, Italy was asked by the president of the Economic Society of Chiavari to rework some chairs. The result was the Chiavari Chair. And so, a chair that would change special events was born!

Although they are often mistakenly spelled Chivari Chairs, there is no mistaking their popularity in modern media. From award shows to reality competitions, Chiavari Chairs are popping up all over your television. Whenever a movie or tv show wants to imply elegance, class, or sophistication at the event they are filming, they lean on Chiavari Chairs. And there has been spillover from the media into reality. Chiavari Chairs are quickly becoming the Chair that brides and event planners clamour for.

Available in numerous colours and materials, it can be daunting to pick a Chiavari chair that will get you your best Return on Investment. Do you go with a standard white resin Chiavari chair knowing that it will be easy to decorate and is suitable for any environment, or do you go with natural wood Chiavari Chair in your more rustic facility.

Five things to know before investing in Chiavari Chairs:

1. Resin Chiavari Chairs that are factory assembled will be the clear winner in the strength category. Depending on their structure, some factory-assembled Resin Chiavari chairs are rated for drop tests of above 300lbs and can hold up to 1000lbs of static weight

2. Wood Chiavari Chairs can look more natural than their resin counterparts. Because they are made of wood that has been stained using furniture grade lacquers, some people find that wood chiavari chairs look more natural than their resin counterparts.

3. Aluminum Chiavari Chairs need a plywood-base cushion or you can warp the seat. Aluminum Chiavari Chairs need cushions because aluminum chairs are designed to be used only with something that provides support. If manufacturers were to manufacture aluminum Chiavari Chairs with seats thick enough to support the weight of a person, the chairs would be very expensive.

4. Knockdown chairs are cheap to ship but expensive to maintain. Knockdown chairs require constant maintenance to keep Chiavari Chairs from becoming wobbly. After every event you should be making sure that all screws or bolts are tight so that a chair doesn't collapse under a customer. Factory assembled chairs are designed to be put together forever, and use fasteners that their customers don't have.

5. Regardless of the Chiavari Chair material, these chairs are incredibly versatile and have unlimited decor options. With Chiavari Chairs you can change out chair cushions; use different coloured chair covers or sashes; or add bows in order to make the Chair fit the decor. The only limit is your imagination when it comes to decorating these chairs.

Event rental companies, banquet halls, party planners are all realizing the advantages of having Chiavari chairs available. As Fuzion Banquets, wrote:

"We had been receiving numerous requests for Chiavari Chairs for quite some time and now that we have them available in our inventory, we are seeing an increase in our bookings. The new Resin Chiavari Chairs allows us to meet our customers' needs without adding the additional time and expense needed to maintain a large inventory of Wood Chiavari Chairs."

Want to learn more about this fabulous chair and perhaps even see it yourself? Stop by our showroom, contact us for more information about National Event Supply’s Chiavari Chairs, or if you're not ready to speak with one of our sales representatives, request a physical copy of our table and chair catalogue.