The 35th World of Concrete show opened today in Las Vegas. This is one of the industry events I really hate to miss because it’s a combination of exhibits and high quality educational seminars. The educational portion of the show started today with the show floor opening tomorrow. More than 1,700 exhibitors occupy more than 900,000 square feet of floor space displaying their products.
There are a few things I won’t miss – standing in line waiting for a shuttle bus, taxi or table in one of the many restaurants; getting up before sunrise to attend a press conference; and walking several miles a day chasing one function or another.
I will certainly miss seeing old friends and looking at the latest products that are introduced at this show. Manufacturers and suppliers from across the globe show off their latest and greatest machines, attachments, technology, software, gadgets and anything else you associate with the industry.
Concrete and masonry have become so integral to construction that they impact every phase of the overall industry. This is an important time to be in tune with industry changes. The release of the Stimulus Package dollars will put a large number of projects back into play. Being able to respond will be critical in order to get the economy moving and being able to deliver within the specified time frame could make the difference between landing a job or not.
Knowing what the latest products, technology and techniques are can help you sharpen your competitive edge. One of the best ways of doing that is gathering as much information as you can from an industry event like the World of Concrete.
In addition to the educational portion of the show opening today, Caterpillar had a press event demonstrating a couple of new products that include new models of compact track loaders; the new 904H Compact Wheel Loader that replaces the 904B and the TH407 Telehandler.
Each day of the show is filled with press events. I’ll give you the list of the next day’s press events daily. On Tuesday the following companies will be holding press events and introduce new products, technologies or services: Terex ASV, Wacker Neuson, Plastiform, Schwing, Navistar (International Trucks), Portland Cement Association, Hydro Tek Cleaning Equipment, MAPEI Corp., Caterpillar, Calera Corp., Western Forms, Makita USA and several related trade associations.
Greg Sitek