Record setter

Large crowds filled the halls at the nation's largest trade show for construction and aggregates.

ConExpo-Con/Agg 2008 set records for attendance, exhibit space and number of exhibiting companies, and left in its wake a number of new products for the aggregates industry. We bring you many of those product introductions in this issue.

The show was enormous, with more than 144,600 industry professionals from around the world attending the event March 11-15 at the Las Vegas Convention Center. ConExpo-Con/Agg 2008 covered more than 2.28 million net sq. ft. of exhibits, taken by 2,182 exhibitors, and was 21 percent bigger than the last show, held in 2005.

In addition, a record number of international industry professionals visited the shows – more than 28,000, which is more than 19 percent of total attendance and represents more than 30 percent growth compared to the last edition of the show.

The next ConExpo-Con/Agg is slated for March 22-26, 2011 at the Las Vegas Convention Center.

NSSGA convention

The National Stone, Sand & Gravel Association's (NSSGA) annual convention was held at ConExpo-Con/Agg, with hundreds of aggregates industry leaders from around the United States registered. In addition to recognizing the Stars of Excellence for community involvement, NSSGA's chairmanship passed from Louis Griesemer of Springfield Underground, Springfield, Mo., to Steve Sloan of Midwest Materials Inc., Pittsburg, Kan.

A highlight of the convention was the rollout of plans for the association's all aggregates industry event, "Agg 1," to be held in Orlando beginning March 9, 2009.

Scheduled speakers at this year's NSSGA convention included Chad Hymas, president of Chad Hymas Communications Inc.; Jack L. Schenendorf, vice chairman of the National Surface Transportation Policy and Revenue Study Commission; Robert L. Friend, deputy assistant secretary of labor for MSHA; and William M. Wilkins, The Road Information Program's executive director.

The Barry K. Wendt Memorial Commitment Award was presented to Ronald W. Kruse of National Lime & Stone, Findlay, Ohio, and the NSSGA State Association Executive of the Year Award went to Bruce T. Chattin of the Washington Aggregates & Concrete Association.

Construction Challenge

Winners announced for Construction Challenge: An Oklahoma team won the first ever Construction Challenge held during ConExpo-Con/Agg. Teams from Illinois, New Jersey, Ohio and Texas also took home top honors in the teen competition, which was initiated by the Association of Equipment Manufacturers. More than 50 student teams competed at the event.

The teams built pieces of construction equipment, debated other teams on infrastructure issues and created interactive educational products to help spread the word about construction careers and equipment. First place went to a team from Perry High School in Perry, Okla. Each team member won a $2,000 scholarship and a computer. A total of seven teams won titles and prizes.

Cat jump start

Caterpillar jumped to an early start at ConExpo-Con/Agg and introduced new products and updates at a pre-show event held March 7-9 at Las Vegas Motor Speedway.

Cat heavily touted the introduction of the D7E: the industry's first electric-drive, track-type tractor. The company said the-235 hp, 60,000-lb. electric-drive dozer offers 25-percent more material moved per gallon of fuel, 10-percent greater productivity and 10-percent lower lifetime operating costs when compared to its predecessor, the D7R Series II. The D7E also features Cat's SystemOne undercarriage and AccuGrade grade control system as options. The D7E will be available in select North American markets in 2009.