What producers can expect at AGG1 2024

After attracting more than 10,000 attendees to AGG1 2022, Jen Dugas of the National Stone, Sand & Gravel Association says AGG1 2024 registration is trending above the previous show’s attendance. Photo: NSSGA

Nashville is home to a plethora of attractions that make it a go-to spot.

Between the food, live music and the night life, Tennessee’s state capital has something for everyone.

Tourists aren’t the only ones drawn to the Music City in recent years, though. The aggregate industry is steadily finding a home in Nashville, with next month’s AGG1 Aggregates Academy & Expo serving as the city’s next big event.

AGG1 2024 will take place March 25-27, returning to the Music City Center downtown. This year’s show marks the second straight time AGG1 takes place in Nashville – and the third overall since 2016.

Jen Dugas of the National Stone, Sand & Gravel Association (NSSGA), the organization that puts on AGG1 with the co-located World of Asphalt, says the current buzz around this year’s show is very positive.

“I’m hearing nothing but excitement and energy about returning to Nashville,” says Dugas, who serves NSSGA as vice president of membership and events. “Nashville is a great draw and a great place for everyone to convene. It lends itself as a great host to a co-located show. It also allows for a lot of drive-in attendance, which is terrific. A lot of folks can get there in four or five hours. Nashville is a great place for us to be again in 2024.”

Focused on feedback

After every AGG1, NSSGA receives feedback from attendees and exhibitors that ultimately shapes the next iteration of the trade show. The handling of feedback following the last AGG1 in 2022 was no different.

As Dugas describes, having a gap year between AGG1s this time around – with ConExpo-Con/Agg in-between – was beneficial to AGG1 2024.

“When you have a year off in a show cycle, it allows you a lot of time to take a look at the feedback from attendees from the prior year and make adjustments,” she says.

“When you have [a show] in back-to-back years, it’s not impossible to do so; it’s just not as easy. I think what we’ve done well this year is take feedback from the 2022 show to bring out the best in 2024.”

Much of what is new this year is being kept under wraps, according to Dugas. Areas NSSGA focused on when planning AGG1 2024, however, were additional Music City Center food options and maximizing the floor space.

“It’s a smaller footprint than many other convention centers that we go to, so [we want to make sure] we utilize the space so it makes the most sense for folks to feel comfortable, have a place to hang out, get something to eat and more,” Dugas says. “Our primary goal is to get people on the show floor, talking to exhibitors, making sales and making connections.”

Trending strong

Dugas

AGG1 2022 attracted more than 10,000 attendees and 200-plus exhibitors. Dugas says exhibitor space for this year’s show has been sold out for the last eight to nine months.

Similarly, attendee registration is trending ahead of AGG1 2022.

“I’m very bullish in terms of what our attendance is going to look like,” Dugas says. “Registration trends have changed in the years post-pandemic, but right now, I’m feeling very good about where we’re at in 2024. I think we’re going to have another great year.”

As is the case with every AGG1, part of the draw is a plentiful slate of education sessions. This year, more than 100 sessions are available covering topics such as business and people management, the environment and sustainability, paving, safety and health, and more.

“NSSGA prides itself on delivering the freshest, most innovative content to attendees,” Dugas says. “We work really closely with a team of industry professionals who are volunteers for the association and work tirelessly to select sessions that are not only innovative, but also informative.”

As the industry evolves, so, too, does NSSGA’s approach to its education sessions. In reviewing feedback, Dugas found attendees sought more emphasis on professional development.

So while the 2024 building block topics remain the same – crushing, washing, operations, production – NSSGA made a concerted effort to meet attendee needs.

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