With more than 900,000 sf of exhibits occupied by 1,739 exhibitors, and professional registrants of 91,628, World of Concrete 2007 was the largest show in its 33-year history.
World of Concrete Show Management awarded Don Martin, of Viper Concrete Ltd. of Canada, with a complimentary trip to WOC 2008 for being the 90,000 person to register at this record-breaking show.
"Our new concrete pump is the largest pump in Canada--second largest in the world-- and is being displayed at the Putzmeister booth. I am here to celebrate with my business partner Joe Giusti, CEO & President of Viper Concrete, his family and the rest of our proud and excited team. Viper Concrete sends a minimum of 6 people, including the CEO, to World of Concrete every year to see new products, equipment and the latest forms. This show is especially important for us because we are so proud to be showing our pump, Canada One," commented Mr. Martin after being awarded this honor.
"Attending World of Concrete is important to my business because this is where everyone comes to see all the latest equipment innovations and trends for the coming year. It is simply a huge marketplace. People gather here from all over the country and bring together new ideas you may not find in your own region. It is about networking and generating ideas," said attendee Chris Hotz, President of SS&L (Sales, Service & Leasing) of Omaha, NE.
Notable were the outdoor demonstration areas, which have increased dramatically to accommodate all of the exciting outdoor exhibitors showcasing in-booth demonstrations. Artistry in Decorative Concrete once again showcased the techniques and endless creative solutions in stenciling, coloring, staining, etching and everything in-between. Masonry Construction's Challenge, which included the SPEC MIX BRICKLAYER 500 ® COMPETITION and the JLG Telehandler Skills Challenge, were once again crowd favorites along with The Concrete Producer's Challenge which included the John Deere Load America Competition and the Mack Truck Safety Competition.
"We are extremely pleased with the result of this show. In addition to the multitude of demonstrations and competitions happening at WOC, along with the newly enhanced Seminar program, and an endless show floor full of the best known suppliers in the business, WOC is the show to attend for all commercial construction industry professionals. This is evident just by the numbers of attendees we have attracted this year," noted Tom Cindric, Show Director. "Furthermore, this is a show that doesn't rest on its laurels. We truly listen to our exhibitors and attendees, and incorporate their feedback to evolve this show into the world-class event people have come to expect from us."
At WOC 2007, THE CONCRETE PRODUCER hosted an Economic Summit which was an exclusive two-hour lunch program focused on the overall U.S. economy and the outlook for the commercial, residential and public works construction sectors. This important forum featured speakers included a trucking industry expert who addressed financial planning and management, fleet-buying strategies, trucking regulatory and legislative and tax issues. Pierre Villere of Allen-Villere Partners discussed what makes a producer profitable. Hanley Wood Market Intelligence addressed the outlook for residential construction, where the markets are hot and how it impacts the concrete producer. More than 100 people who attended The Concrete Producer Economic Summit at World of Concrete in January heard a mostly upbeat forecast for the construction and concrete industries. "The engine for growth will be more subdued for 2007," Ed Sullivan, chief economist for the Portland Cement Association, told the crowd. Sullivan forecasts U.S. gross domestic product of 2.6% for 2007 after a few years of 3.5-4% GDP growth. Sullivan called those past years "Great times. As we go forward, conditions will not be that favorable, but they won't be that bad either."
WOC's seminar program, now with both 3-hour and NEW 90-minute sessions, made this year's educational program one of the highlights of the World of Concrete experience. Over 28,000 sessions were attended by over 10,000 individuals at WOC 2007. WOC sessions are designed for and attended by both attendees and exhibitors and many offer certification.
"My company has been coming here for 20 years. We attend the seminars because they cover the topics we deal with everyday - it's real world information. We attend other shows but there is nothing that compares to this. I've never seen anything like this. You can find everything you need here. I'm always blown away by the whole experience," stated John Yuill, Plant Manager of Quality Concrete in Dartmouth, Nova Scotia.
World of Concrete was proud to have been selected again to participate in the 2007 International Buyer Program. As a member of the 2007 IBP, World of Concrete Management and the U.S. Commercial Service worked closely in the global promotion of the 2007 show bringing international buyers and exhibitors together to expand business both domestically and overseas. As part of the program, delegations from all over the globe attended World of Concrete and had the opportunity to network with other international visitors as well as connect with US exhibitors interested in exporting goods and services. More than 200 Showtime networking meetings, sponsored by the U.S. Department of Commerce, were held during the show.
The second annual Women in Concrete Forum was another successful sold-out event. Hosted by Concrete Construction and The Concrete Producer Magazines, this luncheon and forum brought together 300 women working in the concrete construction industry to network, learn and identify issues important to them.
CIM (Concrete Industry Management) held the second annual unreserved auction at WOC 2007. A Mixer Truck donated by McNeilus was up for bids as well as a Harley Davidson Motorcycle donated by VSL Structural / Baker Concrete and many other great industry and non-industry related items were auctioned off with all proceeds benefiting the National Steering Committee for CIM to support their efforts to establish, support, and sustain its programs at selected universities. The auction, produced by Ritchie Bros.
Auctioneers, raised close to 500,000, almost twice the revenue of the first auction held at WOC 2006.
"Attending World of Concrete keeps me abreast of everything cutting edge in the industry, as well as the technology and innovations and knowledge I gather from the exhibitors and from networking. Even the guy sitting next to me in a classroom is a resource for new ideas. Internationally it is THE concrete show to be at. I see people here from all over the world, which really shows you the value of what is going on here in terms of innovation and progress within the industry," reasoned Peter Boccacio of Design in Concrete, Guadalajara, Mexico.
The World of Concrete bookstore offered attendees a one-of-a-kind Mack Granite Material Handler model truck to commemorate and celebrate World of Concrete 2007. The models sold quickly and World of Concrete will introduce a brand new model collectible for 2008.
On the show floor, exhibitors were thrilled with the packed aisles and quality of the buyers. Many commented it was the best World of Concrete to date and look forward to the 2008 show.
There's only one show for production equipment, handling tools, trucks, the latest technologies, 90-minute and 3-hour seminar programs, indoor & outdoor events & demonstrations, resources and valuable information for the concrete and masonry industry professionals - World of Concrete.
Be sure to save the date for WOC 2008 January 22-25; Seminars January 21-25. Visit www.worldofconcrete.com for details on all World of Concrete events!