Conexpo-Con/Agg, already recognised as the largest trade show in North America, has officially sold all available exhibit space, guaranteeing the 2023 edition will be the biggest in its history, announced the organiser Association of Equipment Manufacturers (AEM).
“The addition of the new West Hall and Diamond Lot at the Las Vegas Convention Centre gave us, and our exhibitors, a number of new opportunities to show how we are taking the construction industry to the next level,” said Dana Wuesthoff, Conexpo-Con/Agg show director. “Now at 2.8 mil sq ft of exhibits, there’s more for construction pros to see than ever before.”
AEM shared that the show, now nearly 5% bigger than the record set in 2020, will feature 1,800 exhibitors and 150 education sessions during its run from 14 to 18 March 2023. Plus, the current pace of attendee registration is nearly double what it was at this time for the 2020 show.
Despite being the largest Conexpo-Con/Agg ever, recent additions to the Las Vegas Convention Centre (LVCC) will make it the easiest to get around as well. Beneath the entire LVCC campus runs the Convention Centre Loop, an underground transportation system designed by Elon Musk’s The Boring Company that transports convention attendees throughout the campus in under two minutes in Tesla vehicles, free of charge.
“We are excited to welcome Conexpo-Con/Agg back to Las Vegas for another record-setting event,” said Brian Yost, chief operating officer of the Las Vegas Convention and Visitors Authority (LVCVA), which owns and operates the LVCC. “The addition of the West Hall and the Convention Centre Loop will only further enhance the ‘Only Vegas’ experience for attendees and exhibitors.”
“This is the event that construction professionals, especially those making company-level decisions, and those needing professional development hours, can’t miss,” said Phil Kelliher, Conexpo-Con/Agg show chair and senior vice president of Caterpillar.
“Seeing the new equipment and techniques on a screen doesn’t compare to seeing it all in person. At the show, you can see the equipment, ask questions of the manufacturers themselves, and really understand what the equipment and education can do for your career and business.”
Sustainable tech on display
With construction technology around sustainability significantly advancing in recent years, AEM revealed that Conexpo-Con/Agg 2023 is also set to have the biggest focus on sustainability since the show began in 1948.
“The construction industry and Conexpo-Con/Agg are evolving in many ways to adapt and showcase sustainable technologies, products and practices supporting a more sustainable world,” said Ms Wuesthoff. “More than ever, show attendees will see sustainability in action, from electric and hydrogen-powered construction equipment, to more recyclable materials and waste reduction opportunities, to changes we’re making to the show to better support sustainability.”
Across the show floor, sustainable technologies, products and practices will be on display. Here is a sampling of what will be featured:
Volvo Construction Equipment has already announced that it will bring several electric and autonomous pieces to its stand in the Festival Lot, including the EC230 electric excavator pilot, the Zeux autonomous concept wheel loader, and the HX04 prototype hydrogen articulated hauler.
Just steps away, Caterpillar (Booth F-9127) will bring four battery electric machines as well as a series of prototype batteries for off-road equipment ranging from 48 to 600 V.
Aerial work platform specialists Skyjack (Booth F-9427) will have its new SJ120 E on hand, a zero-emissions mast lift with a 30% improvement in duty cycle.
Asphalt recycling equipment from Pavement Recyclers LLC (Booth S-5966) and VSS Macropaver (Booth C-32073) use different processes for recycling asphalt, keeping it out of landfills. Concrete contractors can also get in on the green trend by checking out Holcim’s (Booth C-20405) ECOPact concrete that can eliminate carbon emissions entirely in some instances.
Construction pros that want to maximise their energy efficiency can explore Kubota’s (Booth S-84415) V3307 Micro-Hybrid engine for installing in their existing equipment, saving fuel with the attachments they use, like Rototilt’s (Booth F-8338) Rototilt Control system.
Contractors who work in disaster recovery could save up to 600 sand bags per barrier (and not worrying about disposal should it become contaminated) with Rapid Barrier Systems’ (Booth S-61515) water-inflatable barriers, not to mention the fuel needed to haul it on and off site.
Demolition contractors wanting to reduce waste and preserve still-usable material can see Aquajet’s hydrodemolition robots at the Brokk booth (Booth C-20349) that can help remove damaged concrete while leaving still-good concrete and rebar reinforcement intact.
Compaction is another place where low-efficiency engines can be replaced with battery-operated equipment, according to Wacker Neuson (Booth W-43501) who will be bringing a number of electric tools including, for the first time, battery-powered, reversible plates.
Small engine specialists Briggs & Stratton will bring its Vanguard (Booth D-1033) brand’s swappable lithium-ion batteries to Conexpo-Con/Agg for the first time, available for attendees to test out. And for construction pros that want to make sure their batteries are in proper working condition, Redline Detection (Booth N-10532) is bringing its battery coolant and leak detector.
When it comes to equipment, gas or electric-powered, the environmental impact is more than just emissions, but lubricants. B3C Fuel Solutions (Booth S-61545) is bringing products to the show to help contractors eliminate waste by restoring emulsified/damaged oil, and make sure lubricant that does find its way to the environment is non-toxic and biodegradable.
Wastewater is a major issue, including when construction equipment needs cleaning. Waste2Water (Booth S-64429) is bringing solutions to Conexpo-Con/Agg to help equipment operators keep waste and chemical-laden water out of the environment.
Once attendees have all their sustainable equipment picked out and ready, AT&T’s Equipment and Machinery Solutions team (Booth N-12700) is bringing a solution to help track their actual Scope 1 emissions versus their targets.
More sustainability efforts
Conexpo-Con/Agg has recently formed a partnership with the Arbor Day Foundation, working towards planting 130,000 trees in forests of greatest need, one for every show registrant.
Exhibitors and attendees at Conexpo-Con/Agg can also contribute to the Arbor Day Foundation’s funds, allowing them to further their goal of involving themselves in its mission of planting, nurturing and celebrating trees around the globe. AEM said each dollar contributed to the Arbor Day Foundation will result in one tree being planted in a forest in need.
In terms of education, Conexpo-Con/Agg will offer 13 seminar sessions covering sustainability. Those sessions tackle subjects like reducing the carbon footprint of concrete, getting and managing electric construction equipment, asphalt and concrete recycling, carbon neutrality, and a ‘Sustainability 101’ session for attendees just now starting their sustainability journey.
The Conexpo-Con/Agg Podcast also has several episodes dedicated to the topic, including: ‘Mining Technology Improves Sustainability, Operator Comfort, Productivity’ (Episode 84); ‘Advancing Cement & Concrete Sustainability with Connected Devices’ (Episode 89); and ‘Salvaging the Industry’ (Episode 116).
According to AEM, Conexpo-Con/Agg and IFPE are committed to reducing the environmental impact of the show. This includes partnering with vendors that are dedicated to sustainable practices and reducing waste, helping exhibitors choose more sustainable options, and measuring the show’s total 2023 environmental impact to identify future improvements.
“The sustainability efforts at Conexpo-Con/Agg reflect the focus on sustainability within the entire construction industry,” said AEM. “Many construction companies have realised that their clients are demanding sustainable building practices more and more with each project, and contractors themselves are recognising the benefits of moving to more sustainable equipment and practices.”
All images: Conexpo-Con/Agg
Note: Registration for Conexpo-Con/Agg and IFPE is currently 30% off with code MEDIA30. Construction and fluid power pros should get their badges before 6 January 2023, to get this discount and have a better pick of hotel accommodations.
