MINExpo wraps up in Las Vegas

By |  October 4, 2016
Liebherr equipment on display at MINExpo International 2016. Photo by Mark Damon, Las Vegas News Bureau

Liebherr equipment on display at MINExpo International 2016. Photo by Mark Damon, Las Vegas News Bureau

About 44,000 attendees registered for MINExpo International 2016 in Las Vegas, according to the National Mining Association (NMA), which hosts the once-every-four-years trade show.

Compared with the last MINExpo in 2012, which drew about 50,000 attendees, attendance was down this year by about 12 percent. Mining equipment sales have plummeted over the last four years, however, with multiple sources telling Pit & Quarry at MINExpo that sales of mining equipment are down 90 percent from their peak four years ago.

MINExpo did draw attendees from significantly more countries in 2016 than it did in 2012, though. Attendees represented 128 different countries this year, NMA says. Thirty-six countries were represented in 2012 and 16 were represented in 2008.

Although the number of registered attendees was down, the number of MINExpo exhibiting companies was slightly up compared with 2012, according to NMA. With 1,950 exhibiting companies, the exhibitor count was up by about 5 percent. Exhibits covered about 840,000 sq. ft.

MINExpo opened with a ribbon-cutting ceremony that included Gov. Brian Sandoval, R-Nevada. Sandoval delivered remarks at the ceremony.

“I know many of you have traveled throughout the world to be here, and we want to make sure you have the very best time you can possibly have,” Sandoval says. “I’m a strong supporter of mining, and I’m very pleased with the mining industry in our great state.”

Kevin Crutchfield, chairman of Contura Energy Inc., and Denise Johnson, MINExpo chair and group president for resource industries at Caterpillar Inc., joined Sandoval in delivering remarks at the ceremony.

“[MINExpo] is dedicated solely to the global mining community,” Johnson says. “It showcases how to be more efficient and economical with the use of the world’s resources, as well as the global reach of U.S. mining technology and expertise.”

Kevin Yanik

About the Author:

Kevin Yanik is editor-in-chief of Pit & Quarry. He can be reached at 216-706-3724 or kyanik@northcoastmedia.net.

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