Next year's biggest construction-industry event—Conexpo-Con/Agg 2005—is less than three months away. If you're planning to go and haven't registered or made travel plans yet, it would be wise to do so soon.
Event dates are March 15–19, 2005, and more than 100,000 people from about 120 countries will descend on Las Vegas for the triannual event. Show officials say bookings for hotel and flight reservations are heavy. For those five days, Las Vegas will host the world's largest concentration of professionals from every segment of the construction, aggregates, and ready-mixed-concrete industries—including contractors, materials producers, and officials from government and other institutions.
The last Conexpo-Con/Agg, in 2002, was the largest trade show in the western hemisphere that year, earning it the top spot in the annual Tradeshow Week 200, published by Tradeshow Week magazine, a sibling publication of Construction Equipment.
In 2005, more than 2,300 companies and organizations will display products and provide information about industry-related services. Exhibits will cover more than 42 acres of indoor and outdoor exhibit space centered around the Las Vegas Convention Center, with 3.2 million square feet of exhibit space and meeting rooms—one of the most modern and functional convention facilities in the world.
In addition to exhibits, Conexpo-Con/Agg's respected seminar program offers 116 sessions organized into 12 tracks targeting current industry issues and trends. Three new tracks focusing on primary workplace functions have been added for 2005: Construction Project Management, Equipment Maintenance - Management, and Equipment Maintenance - Operations.
The Information Technology Pavilion is the place to learn about the latest technologies and services that can help increase productivity and profitability, including computer hardware, software and peripherals, telecommunications equipment and services, and much more.
For those interested in participating in the expanding world economy, the International Forum brings together financial and business experts and government officials to present information about opportunities in fast-changing global markets.
Of course, the highlight for many Conexpo-Con/Agg veterans will be the equipment. Just seeing the variety of machines of every kind and size filling the parking lots around the convention center is truly awesome. And inside the convention center's huge halls is even more equipment.
Once again, IFPE 2005—the International Exposition for Power Transmission—will be co-located with Conexpo-Con/Agg, giving attendees access to two leading industry trade events for one entrance fee. IFPE is devoted to hydraulic, pneumatic, electrical and mechanical power transmission components, systems and controls.
In addition, more than 300 industry meetings, including several annual conventions of industry associations, are scheduled in conjunction with Conexpo-Con/Agg 2005.
Although the size and scope of the exhibits and other activities may at first seem intimidating, show sponsors are doing everything possible to help attendees make the most of their time at the show. There will be 27 product concentration areas to simplify locating specific products, services and exhibitors. Color-coded maps and plenty of on-site signs clearly identify each area. Free trams will speed moving around the various outdoor exhibit areas.
Even so, there's so much to see and do, that planning ahead will help attendees make the most of available time. The Conexpo-Con/Agg and IFPE personal itinerary planner can help. This advance-planning tool works with the shows' web-based Virtual Trade Show, which allows attendees to search for exhibits by name, product category, or booth number; to schedule events, appointments and meetings; and to track educational sessions of interest to compile a personal itinerary. The Virtual Trade Show can be accessed from each show's website.
Planning also ensures time for fun, and where better to have it than Las Vegas? For those who haven't been to the self-proclaimed Entertainment Capital of the World, there are new hotels and casinos, new shows, fabulous restaurants, and a monorail to speed travel up and down The Strip.
The advance-registration deadline is Feb. 11, 2005. Registration and hotel reservation forms may be downloaded from the show website: www.conexpoconagg.com. Questions? Call the registration office between 8 a.m. and 5 p.m. central time, Monday through Friday, at 847-940-2324.
Conexpo-Con/Agg 2005 is sponsored by the Association of Equipment Manufacturers (AEM); National Ready Mixed Concrete Association (NRMCA); National Stone, Sand and Gravel Association (NSSGA); and Associated General Contractors of America (AGC).
It is owned by AEM, NRMCA, and NSSGA, and produced by AEM and the International Concrete and Aggregates Group (ICAG).
