Northwest Companies Well Represented At CONEXPO-CON/AGG 2005
Contractors, equipment dealers, machinery manufacturers and service providers from throughout the Pacific Northwest joined the crowds in Las Vegas March 15–19 for CONEXPO-CON/AGG 2005.
While the Northwest may not exactly be a hotbed of manufacturing for the construction equipment industry, the region nevertheless had a considerable presence at the show, which drew more than 124,000 industry professionals from around the world during its five-day run at the Las Vegas Convention Center.
CONEXPO-CON/AGG 2005 and the co-located IFPE 2005 featured the latest equipment, product innovations and technological advances of the construction, construction materials and power transmission industries. The shows spanned a record-breaking amount of exhibit space: CONEXPO-CON/AGG 2005 with more than 1746.577 million net square cms of exhibit space taken by 1,968 exhibiting companies; and IFPE with 10374.48 net square meter utilized by 440 exhibitors. That translates into a combined figure of more than 182109.3 square meter — equivalent to more than 41 football fields.
In all, 73 companies listing addresses in the Northwest exhibited at CONEXPO-CON/AGG 2005:
Alaska had no exhibitors, but Ground Heaters Inc. worked closely with Equipment Source, of Fairbanks, in developing its new Arctic Bear HD indirect-fired heater.
Idaho's seven exhibitors were Diamond Z Manufacturing, ECCO, Miners News, Miskin Scraper Works, Preco Electronics, Trailmax Trailers, and Whirlygig Co.
Montana is home to exhibitors Beall Corp., Fast-Way/Ideal Manufacturing, Felco Industries Ltd., and Hydra Spec.
Oregon had the most exhibitors of the region, including Action Equipment Co. Inc., Carco Industries Inc., CAS dba Knight's/Yelton Inc., CEC, Climax Portable Machine Tools, Columbia Steel Casting Co. Inc., Concrete Décor, Envi Road, ESCO Corp., Express Blower Inc., Freightliner Trucks, Hammar's Uniforms and Identity, Hydromix Inc., ICS, Blount Inc., Independent Dispatch Inc., Jewell Manufacturing Inc., Keith Manufacturing Inc., LaBounty Attachments, Morooka USA Inc., My Little Salesman, Peterson, Pierce Pacific Manufacturing, Premier Manufacturing Inc., Rockmore International, Stanley Hydraulic Tools, Sterling Trucks, Tanker Top Inc., The Trading Co., the Western Group, Timberline, Tripod Data systems, Unimog North America, Viewpoint Construction Software, Warn Works/Warn Industrial, and Western Star Trucks.
From Washington came Brokk Inc., Davis-Bacon Pension Administrators Inc., Dexter & Chaney, Digital Control Inc., GT Development, Helac Corp., Innovatech Products & Equipment Co., Kenworth Truck Co., Lampson International LLC, LIUNA Trifunds, Load Systems International Inc., Metallic Arts, PGT Inc., POSDATA Inc., Process Heating Co., PSM Corp., RAHCO International Inc., Ramco Construction Tools Inc., Ramsey Co. Inc., Rockwall Inc., SBIC America LLC, Terex Corp., The Plastiform Co., TrackTrax Inc., Weekend Farmer, Western Dredging Association, and Young Corp.
Strong attendance and exhibit numbers were a product of the improved economy, including pent-up demand to replace aging fleets, the show managers said. But the numbers also reinforced the expositions' reputation as a global "one-stop" source for comparison shopping, educational programs and networking, they added.
Other trends noted during the show included considerable growth in the number of construction machines using rubber tracks and warnings of a likely shortage of tires for OEM and replacement applications this year. In fact, one manufacturer suggested the possibility, not entirely in jest, of delivering new machines to dealers without tires on them.
International attendance was at a record high — more than 21,000, which was 17 percent of total attendance figures. International visitors to the shows hailed from more than 130 non-U.S. countries. Exhibitors hailed from around the world as well. In addition to the leading U.S. and global manufacturers, suppliers and services providers, the show floor included a record number (13) of international exhibit pavilions highlighting products and services developed outside the United States.
U.S. Department of Commerce Assistant Secretary for Manufacturing and Services Al Frink attended March 15–16 to obtain firsthand knowledge of the industry to speak at a public meeting of the U.S. government's Industry Trade Advisory Committee on Automotive Equipment and Capital Goods. Frink also participated in the official opening ceremony for the shows.
The last shows, held in 2002, had more than 108,770 attendees, including more than 15,900 international. CONEXPO-CON/AGG 2002 exhibit space was more than 1,714.06 million net square cms, and IFPE 2002 had more than 1714.061 net square meter.
CONEXPO will return to Las Vegas in 2008.
Other Show HighlightsCarl MolesworthEducational ProgrammingCONEXPO-CON/AGG Seminar Program: Over 115 sessions across 10 tracks, including major product segments such as aggregates, asphalt, concrete, safety, and utility construction, as well as general management and personal development topics, plus industry certifications and examinations. Several sessions offered in simultaneous translation in major world languages.New — CONEXPO-CON/AGG 2005 International Forum — Market updates on China, Mexico, Brazil, and Russia (plus United States) by key in-county industry and government representatives. Held over four days of the show.IFPE Technical Conference: In-depth presentations on the latest power transmission and motion control technology developments, presented by engineers, researchers and educators from around the world. Papers presented published as Proceedings of 50th National Conference on Fluid Power (NCFP) to extend the event's educational value.New — IFPE Best Practices Learning Center: Interactive sessions in three tracks: fluid power basics, electrohydraulics and motion control strategies, and reliability, maintenance and troubleshooting for mobile hydraulic systems, presented by Milwaukee School of Engineering's (MSOE) world-renowned Fluid Power Institute.PTDA Exhibits Pavilion at IFPEPavilion organized by the Power Transmission Distributors Association featured a broad range of mechanical and electro-mechanical power transmission and motion control products made by PTDA members.Information Technology PavilionCONEXPO-CON/AGG 2005's Information Technology pavilion focused on the latest industry software, hardware, telecommunications equipment, and services related to the construction and construction materials industries, to help professionals stay up-to-date on the new tools and rapid changes in this marketplace. Associated General Contractors of America sponsored the pavilion.