World of Concrete Hosts Nearly 60,000 Registered Construction Professionals for Semi-Centennial Anniversary
World of Concrete Hosts Nearly 60,000 Registered Construction Professionals for Semi-Centennial Anniversary
World of Concrete (WOC), the largest and most expansive event dedicated to the growing concrete construction and masonry industries, concluded its legendary 50th anniversary last week in Las Vegas. The 2024 edition gathered nearly 60,000 registered professionals from various industry sectors for three days of exhibition and four days of education, a 23 percent increase from 2023. Over 1,400 leading companies and an all-time high 185 education sessions highlighted the event’s continuing importance to the evolving industry landscape as a platform to develop, connect, explore and learn.
World of Concrete is the industry’s only annual international event dedicated to the commercial concrete and masonry construction industries. Featuring indoor and outdoor exhibits with the industry’s leading suppliers showcasing innovative products and technologies, exciting demonstrations and competitions, and a world-class education program.
The second largest tradeshow in Vegas, covering more than 700,000 square feet of indoor and outdoor space, convened large crowds in bustling exhibit halls, packed competitions and at-capacity training sessions. Over 450 international exhibitors from around the world, a milestone 325 first-time exhibitors, and well-known brand names like Caterpillar, Hilti, Husqvarna, John Deere, Makita and Stihl comprised the tools, resources and tricks fueling the future of the trade. New audiences and the incoming next generation of concrete professionals continue to be a focus for increasing visibility in the sector.
“Every year, World of Concrete serves as the cornerstone where concrete and masonry professionals exchange knowledge and hone skills that propel businesses forward. We are proud to host the global meeting point that resources the tradespeople who are building the future of America,” shares Jackie James, Vice President of World of Concrete. “We emphasize creating real-world scenarios, hands-on situations to try and test products and share expertise, which is what makes WOC so unique and our community so special. We look forward to continuing to share the latest and greatest in concrete and masonry for another 50 years to come.”
Deemed the Super Bowl of Masonry, the SPEC MIX BRICKLAYER 500® Championship competition took place on Wednesday, January 24, and gathered large audiences to watch enthusiastically as bricklayers from around the country competed for the grand prize after a series of annual regional events. Winners of this year’s competition were Wisconsin duo Michael Schlund and tender Aaron Kowalski laying an astounding 752 bricks in one hour to defend their title as the World’s Best Bricklayer for the second consecutive year, taking home a trophy, cash prizes and a brand-new Chevrolet truck.
Additional events included the Concrete Industry Management (CIM) Live and Silent Auctions, raising a collective $1.8 million for the Concrete Industry Management programs at five public universities, Chico State, Middle Tennessee, New Jersey’s Science & Technology, Texas State and South Dakota State, all of which offer four-year degrees in CIM. Auction items included a concrete mixer truck donated by Mack Trucks, Inc. & Revolution Concrete Mixers; a Peterbilt & ConTech mixer truck; and a concrete pumper donated by Alliance Concrete Pumps & Pape Kenworth.
In honour of the 50th anniversary, World of Concrete donated 50 trees to the Las Vegas Tree Initiative. The ongoing program aims to lower the urban heat island effect that currently makes Las Vegas the fastest-warming city in the United States.
World of Concrete continues to serve as a hub for exploration and innovation as leading exhibitors announced new products on the show floor, administering first-time reveals of new software, tools and machinery poised to increase efficiencies and safety. Mack Trucks showcased the MackGranite, Mack MD7, and Mack TerraPro concrete pumper models, Bosch demonstrated an impressive assortment of cordless power tools, Milwaukee Tool disclosed new submersible pumps and DeWalt highlighted cordless technology and concrete sensors.
Solidifying the bond the concrete and masonry communities share, WOC also officiated a wedding ceremony this year at the main front entrance, celebrating the pride, commitment and resilience the workers of this field are inspired to carry within their daily lives.
World of Concrete will return to the Las Vegas Convention Center January 21-23 (Education 20-23), 2025. Visit www.worldofconcrete.com for more information on the upcoming expo.
Federal Spending, Robust Market Spur Interest in New Machines at World of Concrete 2024
Nervous chatter about supply chain constraints and uncertainty about the post-COVID era was hard to find among the contractors, manufacturers and assorted masonry experts at the World of Concrete trade show held Jan. 23 to 25 in Las Vegas. Equipment makers were filling order books, and firms were looking to refresh and expand their fleets as the big spending from recent federal infrastructure initiatives begins to translate into real projects, even as private construction faces some economic headwinds.
“With a stronger economy than expected, inflation doesn’t come down as fast, and neither do interest rates and those sectors—residential and non-residential [sectors] get hurt,” said Ed Sullivan, chief economist for the Portland Cement Association. “But other sectors not sensitive to interest rates, like infrastructure spending, is expected to show up in a more meaningful way this year and next,” he said, adding that a revitalized U.S. manufacturing sector—buoyed by the 2022 CHIPS and Science Act—is another bright spot for construction, as reported by Engineering News-Record (ENR).
While PCA found a decline in cement consumption of 2.9% in 2023, things are looking up slightly for 2024, with a forecasted rise of 1.4% in consumption. “In our mind, the additional adverse impact coming from high interest rates is partially offset by the stronger economic conditions,” explained Sullivan in a briefing to press at the trade show.
More Comfortable Cabs to Retain Operators
On the show floor, there was a renewed sense among attendees that with supply chain issues mostly sorted and manufacturing up and running, new machines could be delivered promptly for the 2024 construction season. For Caterpillar, there was a lot of attention and buzz around its new compact track loaders, the medium chassis 255 and the larger 265. The new CTLs feature automatic tool attachment recognition and an operator’s cab with more amenities and features than found in earlier models, ENR reported.
A New Era of the Battery Wars
Recent innovations in pushing the limits of lithium-ion power has seen battery-powered tools tackling many applications that used to call for corded power or gas.
New battery lines from Milwaukee Tool and DeWalt were on display and available for demonstrations on the show floor, with concrete rammers, concrete vibrators and concrete cut-off saws running off of new battery platforms. These tasks, which usually call for gas-powered tools, are now doable with batteries that can last the whole shift.
Milwaukee’s new MX FUEL REDLITHIUM FORGE batteries bring longer runtime and extra power for more demanding applications. “What’s really unique about these is they’re really pushing the limits of capacity,” explains Kelli Semon, product manager for Milwaukee Tool.
