2004 World of Concrete

An estimated 60,000 attended this year's show in Orlando

by Scott Judy

The 30th annual World of Concrete may have been in Orlando for the last time, but the Central Florida venue sent the concrete industry's leading annual event out on a positive note. Perfect, sunny weather greeted the show's estimated 55,000 to 60,000 attendees - an increase over the event's attendance for its previous Orlando stop in 2000. Beginning with the 2005 show, World of Concrete is scheduled to become an annual Las Vegas event.

"We heard a lot of positive feedback from the exhibitors and attendees," said Jackie James, marketing manager for Hanley Wood Exhibitions, the show producer. The event was held Feb. 16-20 at the Orange County Convention Center.

One of those was Gordon Henderson, JCB's vice president of sales.

"WOC lived up to my expectations in that each day was well attended with potential customers," Henderson said. "There were very few 'time wasters' and we generated a high number of leads. In fact, one customer insisted on purchasing the actual machine on the stand and is now talking of other products to add to his fleet."

advertisement

Carl Carper, vice president of worldwide sales and marketing for GOMACO, the Ida Grove, Iowa-based manufacturer of concrete pavers and other equipment, didn't think it quite measured up to Las Vegas events, but was also mostly positive.

"The show was not as well attended as many in the past," Carper said, "but we sold some equipment on the floor and had good quality inquiries to follow up."

As for the mindset of those customers, and the overall outlook for the coming paving season, Carper was more upbeat.

"We are looking for another busy year with elections and reauthorization of the transportation bill," he said. "Our distributors, customers and potential customers are very positive about the concrete paving work available in 2004."

The show featured an estimated 1,500 exhibitors spread across approximately 600,000 sq. ft. of exhibit space. Outside, industry experts demonstrated some of the latest equipment and techniques in three "Mega Demos," which included a "Placing Jamboree," a concrete overlay exhibition and a "Demolition Derby."

Another highlight was the 2nd Annual Masons' Challenge, presented by Masonry Construction magazine. Referred to as the Spec Mix Bricklayer 500, the event gives masons 500 bricks and 60 minutes in which to build a wall. Bob Boll of Boll Masonry, Conifer, Colo., laid 765 bricks in the given time to win the event.

Roughly 30 press events were held over the course of the event. At a Portland Cement Association press conference, Edward J. Sullivan, PCA chief economist, forecast a 4.4 percent increase in the real GDP this year, but added that the jump will not result in strong construction growth in 2004.

"Softer second-half residential construction activity is expected to be offset by marginally higher nonresidential and public spending activity," Sullivan predicted. "At midyear, an important distinction from past years' construction performance will become apparent - residential construction will cease to be the growth leader." He added that he expects the Federal Reserve to begin raising interest rates by midyear, and predicted only a 1.3 percent increase in cement consumption for 2004.

JCB, the Savannah, Ga.-based North American subsidiary of JC Bamford Excavators Ltd., unveiled for the first time ever its 520-40 Loadall. The company promoted it as "the most compact telescopic tool carrier on the market today," citing its ability to function as both a skid-steer loader and a telescopic handler. Measuring in at 61 in. wide and 77 in. high, the 520-40 is designed to work with many skid-steer and compact tool carrier attachments and is outfitted with a universal skid-steer loader quick-attach system.

More than 90 different three-hour seminar sessions, attracting an estimated 10,000 people, were held over a five-day period. Some of the general topics covered included decorative concrete, repair, residential, masonry, concrete production and management.

Some of this year's new session topics included: "Rental Companies: Five Current Trends and How to Profit From Them," "How Self-Compacting Concrete Can Increase Your Productivity" and "How to Get Started in Decorative Flatwork."