Rod building show hailed as one of the best
A new exhibition hall and its first ever open-grid floor plan helped the International Custom Rod Building Exposition soar to new heights in 2025.
Staged last month in Winston-Salem, North Carolina, USA, the event played host to nearly 40 exhibitors and over 2,000 custom rod builders from across North and South America and Europe.
As the only large scale, long running trade and consumer event for the world’s custom rod builder craft, Expo owner Tom Kirkman said he’s not surprised at the event’s continued success.
“The success and continued growth of the Expo hasn’t been an accident. I’ve employed a careful understanding of the craft’s demographics to select the best location and best time of the year to host this event.
It began in Charlotte, North Carolina back in 2004 and has spent the last dozen years in Winston-Salem, being held annually each February.
Tom added: “The Expo has spawned at least a dozen similar events, hosted by people who thought it would be easy to duplicate what I’ve done. None of the copycat events managed to gain traction and most were one-and-done affairs. Many still try but all come up short compared to what we have.”
Rumours about a possible sale of the Expo continue to circulate and Tom has not denied them: “I will retire one day and have been entertaining offers from several interested parties regarding purchasing the Expo. I want to see it continue for many years into the future.”
According to Tom, the Expo has the reputation and track record that make it a lucrative investment for someone in the rod building industry. “Starting a new rod building event is an uphill battle but the Expo is already at the top of that hill. Within days of announcing the dates for the next Expo my email box and phone blow up with exhibitors wanting to buy booth space. The Expo is a proven entity and its success is almost automatic at this point.”
- Log in or register to post comments
