I will admit that being someone who has traveled extensively the last 20 years, I rarely get excited when an industry exposition pops up on my calendar. But it recently occurred to me that I was very much looking forward to one such event: The 2015 AGG1 Aggregates Academy & Expo from March 17-19 in Baltimore.
I thought about why I would be excited to attend an event that I’ve been to before in a city I’ve visited several times. When I stopped to think about it, AGG1 is truly a unique event.
Sights
AGG1 is still a relatively new event, co-located with the World of Asphalt Show & Conference and hosted by the National Stone, Sand and Gravel Association (NSSGA). It has a different flavor than other shows, which are sponsored by broader industries such as construction or mining. AGG1 is an aggregates-specific event, catering to the quarry and sand-and-gravel markets. And this sounds appealing to me, being in the aggregates industry.
The educational component of the event – the AGG1 Academy – includes various sessions, all of which pertain to current issues or opportunities in the industry. There seems to be some type of seminar for all attendees. For example, attendees can learn about the latest information on equipment technology, automation software, techniques to improve environmental or safety performance, plant optimization techniques or leadership seminars.
The AGG1 Academy isn’t just another lineup of manufacturers looking to sell you on their products. All AGG1 speakers go through an extensive selection process, and the event’s planning committee weeds out any “timeshare” presentations. All selected presentations are submitted months in advance and are criticized by a panel of their peers. The result is that the presentations are generally polished and de-commercialized.
If education isn’t enough to interest you, then you can look to the exposition. Compared to the larger events, AGG1’s equipment exposition is focused solely on our segment. I would say that AGG1 is large enough to have a display of crushing and screening equipment, yet intimate enough to let guests digest the entire expo during the course of the event. The goal is that you’ll see some new technology that might help you in the future such as new types of screen media or more robust connectors for electrical plugs.
Connect with different generations
I believe investing our time to participate in these events is important. Bringing younger associates to these events is a great way to engage them in our industry. I know that those of us who have been in the industry for a while feel like we belong to a special community.
Naturally, I feel obligated to pay it forward and help the community remain vibrant and sustainable. One of the best ways to do this is to recruit young associates into the family.
If you are new to the industry, you might be asking how to engage the community. The simplest approach is through networking, and I suspect some crab cakes on the shores of the Chesapeake Bay will foster new contacts quite nicely. At the same time, something as simple as talking to a stranger during the quarry tour or having lunch with the guy who sat next to you in the last session can forge lifelong partnerships.
I highly encourage anyone under 40 to pre-register to attend the Young Leaders Luncheon. This complimentary lunch will be addressed by a keynote speaker to help the future leaders of our industry gain a critical perspective on how we interact with the state and federal government. It’s a launch pad to join the Young Leaders Council of NSSGA.
The breakout sessions will be another place to meet new faces in real-life scenarios. It’s a great way to get to know a cross section of people from different regions and disciplines of the industry.
For industry veterans, I would challenge you to attend these events so you can give back what you’ve received over the years. A unique thing about our industry is that we rely mostly on tribal knowledge that is passed down.
Also, I encourage you to attend AGG1 not to learn but to teach. Share additional experience and wisdom during the sessions with the audience. Give your feedback on products at the exposition, commenting on what improvements could be made. Introduce younger associates to valuable contacts or people you think they will benefit from knowing in their careers.
Paul Smith is international marketing manager for Astec’s Aggregate and Mining Group. He can be reached at psmith@astecindustries.com.