Utah firms eager to shine at CES

LAS VEGAS — Make a pitch. Network. Generate some publicity or consumer buzz for new products. Meet with potential partners. Make a few bucks. Perhaps scope out the competition.

The reasons for having a booth at the International CES consumer electronics trade show are myriad, and Utah companies are no different.

Nearly two dozen Utah companies are exhibiting at the show, which concludes Sunday. Each has a different approach, a different goal.

For Draper-based American Covers Inc., Lindon-based EarHugger Inc., Salt Lake-based MotoSat and Midvale-based Phonex Broadband Corp., it has been a chance to showcase a new product to various folks.

The new item for Phonex is a chip technology called ReadyWire that can stream audio, voice and data over a home's electrical wiring.

"We're launching a new chip and a new technology, so it's important to reach developers," said Brad Warnock, marketing director. "So, rather than doing a highly promotional booth, which would reach a broad scope of retail buyers, we put up kind of a briefing center where we can have developers with our major accounts come in, and we get them up to date with the new technology.

"It's a little bit different approach, but we take great pride and thought in doing it."

EarHugger this year has added $50 noise-canceling headphones to its portfolio of products, which includes headphones, cell phone accessories and media cases.

"A show like this you usually think of as an opportunity to show products to the public, but what it's really all about is buyers from retailing groups you're interested in," said Chris Marshall, marketing director for EarHugger, at its seventh CES.

"We work in a nationwide network of sales rep companies, and they bring by their clients. It's really important for us because it's a gathering place for important buyers from large retailers and a lot of medium retailers, distributors and overseas distributors as well."

The appointments with buyers, in fact, were booked several weeks in advance of the show.

"The Bug" was splashed across a big sign over the American Covers booth, attracting attention to its new product of the same name. It's a $2.99 air freshener that uses sticky-gel technology, enabling it to be moved from cars to computers to the bathroom.