Show of the year

Las Vegas will again host the tri-annual ConExpo Con/Agg exhibition for the international construction industry in March. Some 125,000 industry professionals are expected to attend the five-day event, along with the International Exposition for Power Transmission, taking place in the same centre.

Organisers say there will be about 2,000 exhibitors using 2.1 million square feet (195,090 square metres) of indoor and outdoor space, equivalent to more than 48 acres/19.5 hectares.

More than 85 industry organisations from around the world are also expected to participate, some of which will be holding their annual conventions during the exhibition. In addition, there will be 10 international pavilions for Brazil, Canada, China, Finland, Germany, Italy, Korea, Spain, Turkey and the United Kingdom.

An education programme will be available, covering a range of industry issues and trends, as well as management and applied technology. In the new Safety Zone will be live demonstrations and information about jobsite safety.

The crane industry will be out in force with the usual display of new and recently launched products. One manufacturer, Manitowoc, says it will present 12 cranes, including seven new launches.

“ConExpo Con/AGG is a living example of the incredible advances made by the construction industry. It is a culmination of the industry's contributions throughout our history and a showcase for our future,” says a show spokesperson.

The show started in 1909 in Ohio, with 40 exhibitors, all demonstrating equipment that could “do the work of 15 horse-drawn units,” say organisers. During the post-Second World War boom years, the exhibition grew at a pace and in the 1970s began to welcome overseas exhibitors. It made the move to Las Vegas in the 1980s.