ConExpo-Con/Agg piled up records two and a half years ago.
There was the coverage area record, with ConExpo-Con/Agg 2017 spanning nearly 3 million sq. ft. of exhibits.
There was a record number of exhibitors, with more than 2,800 showcasing their latest wares.
The show even broke a record in tickets sold for its education sessions, as attendees bought up 52,000 tickets for a record 143 education sessions that were grouped into 10 tracks.
“This has been one of the best editions of ConExpo-Con/Agg ever,” said Rich Goldsbury, the former president of Doosan/Bobcat North America who is now retired after serving as the chair of ConExpo-Con/Agg 2017.
One record ConExpo-Con/Agg did not break the last time around was attendance – although the mark of 128,000 attendees ranks among the highest in the show’s history.
ConExpo-Con/Agg attracted 26,000 international attendees from 150 countries in 2017. The international contingent made up nearly 20 percent of the show’s overall attendance.
“Optimism was on display throughout the show, and the traffic was excellent,” said Michael Haberman, president of Gradall Industries who, back in 2017, served as the chair of AEM, the show organizer and producer.
Also in 2017, ConExpo-Con/Agg’s Tech Experience pavilion showcased the world’s first 3-D printed excavator. Attendees heard from industry innovators during a collection of “Tech Talks,” too.
Three interactive zones within the Tech Experience pavilion gave attendees a glimpse at technologies shaping the jobsites of tomorrow, infrastructure development and workforce development.
“Our shows are renowned as an industry showcase of ‘what’s next,’ and this year’s show did not disappoint,” Goldsbury said of the 2017 edition.
Dave Foster, vice president of marketing and communications at Volvo Construction Equipment, was equally excited at the time about the 2017 show’s performance.
“There was an element of confidence and pent-up demand at the show,” Foster said.