The Epicenter of Equipment

CONEXPO-CON/AGG Creates the American
Construction Industry’s Biggest Iron Attraction

The dust is just beginning to settle on a brave new world of machinery. After years of preparation, the CONEXPO-CON/AGG trade show is primed to be the ultimate global equipment experience in 2008. Machines have been landing in Nevada for months, congregating in groups at the Las Vegas Convention Center. Earthmoving equipment, concrete machines, trucks, drilling rigs, information technology systems, engines, aggregates and ever onward have been separated, set up, polished and pulled into thousands of booths, creating North America’s biggest macrocosm of machines.

Warp back nearly a hundred years to when CONEXPO debuted in Ohio in 1909 as a road show with forty exhibitors, displaying “amazing new devices” that could do the work of “15 horse-drawn units.” Today, it's the show to attend for American construction professionals who work in a global equipment marketplace. The stage is set for more than 100,000 industry professionals from around the world to explore the industry of construction equipment. Second in size to only Germany’s behemoth BAUMA, the CONEXPO trade fair only happens every three years, which only increases the pageantry and size of the show.

Unfortunately, only a fraction of our readership will get to enjoy the grandeur of this gigantic equipment event, so in our March and April issues we plan to bring the CONEXPO experience directly to you. In our cover story — “CONEXPO Cometh” — we detail the enormity of this gathering of construction equipment and break down 12 essential booth visits, complimented with insider tips for cruising CONEXPO and the adjacent Hilton casino and hotel.

While we can’t reveal every booth experience (many companies prefer to keep these secret), we’ve created a shortlist of compact equipment booths to visit on page 34. Thumb down to John Deere, wander through the North Hall to booth N-1541 and enjoy treats like Deere’s new small-frame construction 313 skid steer encased in a giant toy box. Marketing teams spend months and millions of dollars creating such elaborate devices to sell their machines and brands.

Head to the South Hall, booth S-11139, to check out ASV’s new and improved PT-60 compact track loader. Take the opportunity to discuss ASV’s recent acquisition by Terex. CONEXPO is an outstanding venue to meet each company’s top brass and premier product managers, so press them for equipment tips and corporate objectives.

Just don’t forget to visit the small guys that make equally great equipment for niche markets. Companies like Lowe Mfg. in the Central Hall at booth C-4837 will be exhibiting products like its FIXED universal mount on Lowe models XR-14, XR-21, XR-25 and XR-35 Series trenchers.

Before the sun sets on another CONEXPO, mosey over to booth C-4921 in the Central Hall, where you can find Compact Equipment headquarters (with sister publications like Utility Contractor and Tunnel Business Magazine). Regal us with your trade show stories and start the new work season off right with a renewal subscription to the industry’s best machine magazine.

Keith Gribbins
Managing Editor
kgribbins@benjaminmedia.com

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