This ConExpo article was published in Construction Equipment Guide (CEG) on April 2, 2008. This and other ConExpo articles to follow will be part of a continuing series that take a look back at ConExpos past through the reporting of CEG. We hope you enjoy these retros as much as we did searching for them deep in our archives.

ConExpo-Con/AGG 2008 and the co-located IFPE 2008 expositions have set records for attendance, exhibit space and number of exhibiting companies. ConExpo-Con/AGG 2008 is the largest trade show in North America of any industry in 2008.

ConExpo-Con/AGG 2008 and IFPE 2008 expositions are known as global showcases of the latest equipment, product innovations and technological advances for the construction, construction materials and power transmission industries.

More than 144,600 industry professionals from around the world attended ConExpo-Con/AGG 2008 and IFPE 2008 during their five-day run March 11 to 15 at the Las Vegas Convention Center in Las Vegas, Nev.

ConExpo-Con/AGG 2008 covered more than 2.28 million net sq. ft. (211,966 net sq m) of exhibits, taken by 2,182 exhibitors, and was 21 percent larger than the last show, held in 2005.

IFPE 2008 also was the largest in its history with more than 129,000 net sq. ft. (11,994 net sq m) of exhibit space used by 469 exhibitors — a 16 percent increase in space compared to 2005.

A record number of international industry professionals visited the shows — more than 28,000, which is more than 19 percent of total attendance and represents more than 30 percent growth compared to the last edition of the shows. International visitors to the shows hailed from more than 130 non-U.S. countries.

The shows were the industry gathering place in 2008. Some 105 allied industry groups were “supporting organizations” of ConExpo-Con/AGG 2008 and IFPE 2008, bringing their memberships to the shows. In addition to U.S-based groups, these included international industry-related organizations from Brazil, Canada, Chile, China, Finland, Germany, India, Japan, Korea, Mexico, Spain, Taiwan, Turkey, United Kingdom and Venezuela.

A record 11 associations held annual conventions or board meetings at the shows, and overall a record number of more than 530 industry-related meetings were held in conjunction with ConExpo-Con/AGG 2008 and IFPE 2008.

ConExpo-Con/AGG 2008 hosted a visit by Admiral Woody Sutton, the U.S. Department of Commerce Assistant Secretary for Manufacturing and Services, on March 12. Sutton toured the show and met with show officials and exhibitors to discuss global trade issues.

ConExpo-Con/AGG 2008 also was the site of the first ever Construction Challenge competition, initiated by show organizer Association of Equipment Manufacturers (AEM). The creative problem-solving competition was designed to interest teens in construction careers, while calling attention to industry workforce shortages and infrastructure renewal needs.

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