ConExpo-Con/Agg Attracts Nearly 120,000 to Las Vegas

ConExpo-Con/Agg and IFPE (International Fluid Power Expo) 2011 expositions held March 22-26 in Las Vegas proved that despite continued uncertainty in U.S. construction markets and the overall economy, industry professionals are hopeful for a sustained U.S. upturn in the coming months, while global sales continue to be strong, according to event organizers, the Association of Equipment Manufacturers (AEM).

Combined, the two events attracted nearly 120,000 registered attendees. According to organizers, the shows were the global industry gathering place for the year and the largest gathering in North America since 2008 for the construction, construction materials and fluid power/power transmission/motion control industries. Both shows were held at the Las Vegas Convention Center.

Attendees could examine the newest equipment and product technologies and innovations to help them prepare for future business. Exhibitors cited the high quality of customers and reported strong purchases and sales leads to new and existing customers.

"The construction industry has been through some very tough times, with record unemployment since the last ConExpo-Con/Agg and IFPE in March 2008. With these positive numbers and the industry support of the shows, we’re optimistic about the future and look forward to seeing these new sales orders fulfilled," states Megan Tanel, AEM vice president of exhibitions and events.

"There was such a tremendous upbeat feeling at the shows; it was really great to see our industry looking ahead with some enthusiasm after the recession," says Mike Haberman, chairman of the ConExpo-Con/Agg 2011 management committee and president of Gradall Industries.

A record number of more than 860 co-located events, educational programs and pre-planned meetings were held with the shows, plus dozens more meetings scheduled onsite. Co-located meetings included ICON Expo for the concrete products industry and several annual conferences of national industry associations, including the CMRA (Construction Materials Recovery Association) on March 23.

International registrations, representing more than 150 countries, accounted for 24 percent of the total. ConExpo-Con/Agg 2011 and IFPE 2011 were among a select group invited to participate in the U.S. Department of Commerce’s International Buyer Program, which facilitates the participation of international visitors. The shows hosted 42 official international customer delegations from 37 countries, organized by the U.S. Department of Commerce as well as in-country associations and related groups.

"The increased global participation by attendees and exhibitors underscores the importance of world markets to our industry. The U.S. economy is slowly improving, and we have a ways to go, especially in construction, but after 18 to 24 months there is more pent-up demand for equipment to be ready for the upturn," Tanel says.

"IFPE-related markets have fared somewhat better than construction, and there definitely was a lot of positive momentum and interaction on the show floor. At both shows, attendees told us this was the place they needed to be to check out what’s new and get up to speed on the latest industry trends," says Melissa Magestro, IFPE show director.

On the show floor there were more than 2,400 exhibitors taking more than 2.34 million net square feet of exhibit space. IFPE was the largest ever, and CONEXPO-CON/AGG’s exhibit space was the second largest in the show’s history.

Reinforcing the global scope of the shows were 10 international exhibit pavilions - IFPE with pavilions from China, Italy and Taiwan; and CONEXPO-CON/AGG with pavilions from China, Finland, Germany, Italy, Korea, Spain and United Kingdom.

The shows welcomed visits from U.S. Secretary of Transportation Ray LaHood as well as U.S. Department of Commerce Assistant Secretary Suresh Kumar and numerous other government officials.

Industry-focused education was an important component of the show experience, according to organizers, and there were a record number of education, training and certification programs offered.

CONEXPO-CON/AGG’s education program featured a record 126 sessions across nine tracks, with sessions emphasizing industry issues and trends, management and applied technology; numerous industry training and certification programs were also held. New for 2011 were a Crane and Rigging Conference and the Green Roads Summit.

A Lift Safety Zone focused on cranes and other aerial lift equipment and was designed to ensure adequate ground support for the machine and load carried. In conjunction with the Crane and Rigging Conference, a Crane Rodeo promoted education and safety as well as providing attendees with hands-on operational experience. These and the many certification and training programs held at the shows were designed to ensure a properly trained workforce of equipment operators and other jobsite personnel.

The International Mixer Driver Championship by NRMCA recognized driver skills and inspection expertise. The AEM teen-focused Construction Challenge competition, presented by Volvo Construction Equipment, generated interest in construction careers. The I Make America national grassroots campaign had a substantial presence in promoting job-creation policies for manufacturing and construction that improve the economy and keep the U.S. globally competitive.

The next edition of the triennial ConExpo-Con/Agg and IFPE expositions will be held March 18-22, 2014 at the Las Vegas Convention Center in Las Vegas.