Visitors to ConExpo-Con/Agg 2005 might want to bring the Web-enabled laptop or hand-held computer they got for Christmas. If they have any trouble finding their way around the record 1.85 million-sq-ft exhibit space, they can check the Virtual Trade Show at the ConExpo-Con/Agg website (www.conexpoconagg.com). Using the Virtual Trade Show, the show-goer can plan an itinerary; search for an exhibitor by company name, booth number or product category; and find the exhibitor’s location on the interactive floor plan.
Electronic information kiosks stationed throughout the show also will help people navigate the maze of exhibits. These kiosks will include e-mail capability; product locators searchable by exhibitor location, product and company name; and information on educational programs, association conventions and industry meetings being held with the shows.
The show management is expecting more than 100,000 registrants. In 2002, the shows attracted an audited attendance of more than 108,770 and earned honors as the largest trade show of any industry that year, according to Tradeshow Week publication rankings. The pace of advance registrations is strong, according to the show management, tracking well ahead of the last ConExpo-Con/Agg held in 2002 and also ahead of the advance registration pace of the record-breaking attendance of ConExpo-Con/Agg 1999.
“We bring together the complete set of exhibitors for the construction and construction materials industry in one place,” Peter Vlahos, one of the managing directors, told Roads & Bridges. Ken Snover is the other managing director. “Secondarily, education is the key to the success of ConExpo-Con/Agg. We’re going to have more than 100 sessions altogether taking place over four days of the five-day show working very closely with a number of association partners to provide the best education that’s available for everyone who’s there.”
Show management attributes the very positive numbers to an improved economy over the past year or so, including pent-up demand to replace aging fleets, coupled with the shows’ reputation as a global one-stop source for comparison shopping and purchasing, industry educational programs and networking opportunities.
“It’s extremely positive based on everything we’ve seen thus far,” said Vlahos. “The economy is doing well. I think that there is an interest by the buyers to update their equipment. Everything seems to be very positive for 2005.”
Over its history, ConExpo-Con/Agg has been a favorite venue for unveiling new products to the industry. “We anticipate there’s going to be a number of introductions,” said Vlahos. “We have seen so in the past. A lot of the companies use ConExpo-Con/Agg as a launching pad, so to speak, and it does make a lot of sense.” Unfortunately, the companies don’t like to reveal all of that information before the show.
Going international
Opportunities will abound for international interaction at ConExpo-Con/Agg 2005. In fact, the construction show and IFPE 2005 have jointly published a book titled Export Opportunities Guide to promote international business connections between exhibitors and show registrants.
The guide contains listings by company name and type of product or service of exhibitors who have indicated they want to enter or expand in the global marketplace.
The Export Opportunities Guide will be distributed to U.S. Commercial Service offices and American embassies around the world prior to ConExpo-Con/Agg 2005 and IFPE 2005.
The shows will host a record number of international exhibit pavilions. The pavilions will provide access to product innovations and services developed outside the U.S. Visitors to the pavilions also will have the opportunity to develop global business contacts through the industry trade groups organizing the pavilions.
The International Trade Center will offer services such as interpreters, meeting rooms, message centers and an international phone and fax service.
Just outside the International Trade Center will be the U.S. Export Pavilion operated by the U.S. Department of Commerce to help exhibitors increase their global sales and facilitate international purchases.
“It’s one of the new benefits that the Department of Commerce has made available to a lot of trade shows,” said Vlahos. The pavilion will be staffed by trade experts from the Commerce Department and other federal agencies. ConExpo-Con/Agg and IFPE are among a select group invited to participate in the Commerce Department’s International Buyer Program, which is assisting with bringing international visitors to the shows.
“It is something we’ve worked very closely with the Department of Commerce because we are one of the few selected trade shows and the only one in our market, specifically the construction and construction materials, that’s been selected by the Department of Commerce to participate in this endeavor,” commented Vlahos. “We’re very pleased with that.”
ConExpo-Con/Agg 2005 will feature eight international exhibit pavilions with exhibitors from China, Finland, Germany, Italy, Korea, Spain and the U.K. The international exhibit pavilions will be located in the North Hall, Central Hall 1, Central Hall 5 and outdoors in the Gold Lot. In addition, satellite stands associated with the international exhibit pavilions will be located in product concentration areas throughout the show.
Safe in the field
Keeping construction workers safe and attracting a qualified work force to the industry are the main themes of the exhibit of the Association of Equipment Manufacturers (AEM) in Booth L-3245 in the Grand Lobby.
Training materials will be available at the AEM booth to help the construction industry work more safely and efficiently. Visitors can support industry scholarships and other worker-recruitment efforts by purchasing a limited-edition ConExpo-Con/Agg model excavator available from the association. Machinery buyers and specifiers can tell manufacturers what they need from equipment in the future via a short customer-preferences survey. The association also will hand out a CD-ROM screen saver featuring a pictorial history of the construction-equipment industry and safety-promotion messages.
Data nations
The International Statistical Committee will meet in Las Vegas during the show to discuss operations planning, policy, procedural upgrades and statistical software issues—all aimed at assuring the timely and accurate transmission of equipment and market statistics among the participants. The committee includes representatives from AEM, the Committee for European Construction Equipment, the Japanese Construction Equipment Manufacturers Association and the Korean Construction Equipment Manufacturers Association.
ConExpo-Con/Agg visitors can check out other ways of managing data at the Information Technology Pavilion. The show within a show focuses on the latest software, hardware, telecommunications equipment and services related to the construction and construction materials industries.
The Associated General Contractors of America is sponsoring the pavilion for the second consecutive show. AGC predicts more industry professionals than ever before will benefit from visiting the pavilion because of the way telecommunications, the Internet and new software applications are increasingly used throughout field, office and maintenance applications.
For more education on the construction industry, registrants can attend one of more than 80 sessions emphasizing industry issues and trends, management and applied technology. Other education opportunities will include “knowledge-sharing” forums and industry-certification programs.
Seminar program tracks include Aggregates, Asphalt, Concrete, Construction Project Management, Equipment Maintenance Management, Equipment Maintenance Operations, Environmental Regulations, Management, Personal Development, Recycling, Safety and Utility Construction.
