Las Vegas days (and nights)

Las Vegas and, more specifically, the Mirage Hotel on that city’s famed ‘strip’ was the magnet for the North American demolition industry (and quite a few from outside that region as they descended on the city on the 24^th of February.

Exhibition space occupied by the various exhibitors totaled 90,000 ft² (8,363 m²) of the expanded exhibition space in the hotel’s Events Center, with a total of 114. separate stands of varying sizes There was notable first in the fact that the largest display space at the show was occupied by Liebherr, who for the first time brought illustrative models of its equipment range to the show, including a 954 hydraulic excavator fitted with a high reach boom.

Of course, the fact that ConExpo was due to take place two weeks later may well has had a bearing on the number of exhibitors and their displays, since much of the equipment on show was intended to be on each company’s stand at the later event as well. Nevertheless, there was much to see around the displays and one advantage of the NDA event (especially for journalists) is the fact that given the relative lack of numbers of attendees when compared to a ConExpo of a Bauma show, stand personnel have more time available and the show is much easier to get around.

As previously reported, the overall event took Nascar as its theme, with Kyle Petty delivering the keynote speech on the Monday morning. Other presentations over the course of the event included “The impact of the CA –in-use off-road diesel rule” by James P Halloran, “National C&D materials recycling and disaster debris management Efforts”, presented by Kimberly Cochran and Paul Ruesch, “A practical guide to managing a lawsuit” by John Mullen, and “Separating from your competitors, for real” by Tom Woodcock. The final presentation which brought the convention to an end was made by the NFDC’s chief executive Howard Button will make a presentation entitled “The NFDC approach; providing a competent and qualified workforce for the demolition industry”.

Next year’s event and the 36^th annual convention of the Association promises to be major draw for those in the industry who are somewhat of a ‘child at heart’ being held as it in Orlando, the home of Disneyland. The Swan and Dolphin Resort will be the venue and the event will run from 5^th April through to the 8^th April, and the Disney theme will apply to the show, with the Association planning to take full advantage of the fact for the theme party on the Monday night. The Association has booked the 100,000 ft2 exhibition space that is available in the Dolphin’s new Atlantic and Pacific ballrooms. Also, exhibitors who would prefer to display their wares in the open air will be able to take advantage of an area outside the venue.