Yanik: The spectacle that is ConExpo-Con/Agg returns

Yanik

I flew out to Las Vegas in early February with Dino Vitanza, Pit & Quarry’s associate publisher, to walk the World of Concrete show floor.

We got in on a Tuesday afternoon and immediately headed over to the Las Vegas Convention Center to visit with exhibitors. After a dinner that evening, we returned to World of Concrete on Wednesday for a full day of the show.

A mere 36 hours passed from the time I left my house Tuesday morning to the time Dino and I wrapped up our business Wednesday. Exhaustion, however, had set in for both of us.

Inching our way toward the front of a cab line while departing the convention center, I turned to Dino and asked: “If we’re tired now, how are we going to get through a week of ConExpo-Con/Agg?”

Bracing for the big one

Yes, ConExpo-Con/Agg is here. If you’re like me, regular rounds of Starbucks and sheer will are the recipe to gut through those long show days (and nights).

In industry circles, bemoaning the size of the show has become like commenting on the weather: It’s a topic everyone can relate to, and most everyone has a strong take on it.

But the show remains something to see. It’s still a spectacle. It’s the one place where all things construction cyclically come together, giving people the chance to explore the latest tech, sharpen their skills and catch up with friends across the industry.

ConExpo-Con/Agg provides all of that and more for me personally. For the magazine, the show offers us a wealth of content and countless story ideas that can be carried out on Pit & Quarry’s pages in the months to come.

ConExpo-Con/Agg also provided us a lot to look forward to over the last several months. P&Q’s preshow coverage stretches back to September 2019, when we debuted our Countdown to ConExpo-Con/Agg Countdown section online.

Preshow press releases have been steadily streaming in to my email inbox since early January, with manufacturers teasing their latest developments and offering a preview of what customers can expect to find in their ConExpo-Con/Agg booths. You’ll find some of those previews this month within our special section looking ahead to ConExpo-Con/Agg and the NSSGA Annual Convention.

I’ll be navigating between both events once I make my 2020 return to Las Vegas. You can keep up with our coverage at pitandquarry.com/conexpo2020.

During the show, we’ll also share live updates with special editions of our enewsletter. If you don’t already subscribe, sign up at pitandquarry.com/subscribe and click “Sign up for enewsletters.”