ConExpolands

Event details

Essential information

WHAT’S THE EVENT?

Conexpo-Con/Agg

WHERE IS IT?

Las Vegas Convention Centre, US

WHEN IS IT?

March 10-14, 2020

SHOW HOURS?

Tuesday to Friday: 09-17.00 Saturday: 09.00-15.00

WEBSITE www.conexpoconagg.com

Equipment market briefing

Industry experts to speak on global construction industry at Conexpo

Following a successful inaugural event at Bauma 2019, specialist forecaster Off- Highway Research will hold a market briefi ng session during the March 2020ConExpo-Con/Agg exhibition in Las Vegas, US.

Speakers at the breakfast briefi ng on Wednesday 11th March will include Chris Sleight, managing director of Off Highway Research, who will present the latest regional and global for the industry.

He will be joined by Scott Hazelton, managing director of construction consulting at IHS Markit, and columnist at International Construction magazine, who will discuss the underlying drivers for the equipment industry worldwide.

The third speaker is Alex Woodrow, managing director of Knibb Gormezano Partners, who will discuss technical and regulatory changes for the industry.

The event will be held in meeting room N257 of the Las Vegas Convention Center ahead of Conexpo’s offi cial opening time on the Wednesday of the exhibition. This will allow exhibitors at the show to attend without missing valuable time on their stands.

Tickets for the event will be available shortly, with discounts available for Off-Highway Research clients.

Due to capacity restrictions of the room, places are strictly limited to 100 attendees. Please contact mail@offhighwayresearch.com to reserve a place.

View from the top

Inside information from Dana Wuesthoff, show director, Conexpo

HOW WOULD YOU ASSESS THE US CONSTRUCTION MARKET?

  Currently, economic models from the Association of Equipment Manufacturers (AEM) has the US construction industry looking at a 1.7% growth level for 2020, with residential projects leading the way.

That leads us to the unique importance of this year’s show. As North America’s largest construction trade show, with more than two thousand exhibitors showcased over 2.8 million net square feet, and featuring 150 education sessions and 30 presentations on the latest technologies and ideas (focusing on modern mobility, sustainability and smart cities), there is a lot for contractors to take in to keep themselves competitive in the future.

IS THE FEELING POSITIVE GOING INTO 2020? 

Yes. With growth in the construction industry looking to continue through the year, our members are planning accordingly, and Conexpo is an opportunity for contractors to do the same. Anyone who has been around the construction industry for more than a day knows, despite our work often literally being in stone and concrete, nothing about the future of our industry is set in stone. The reason the show is so important is having every new idea and piece of equipment all in one place allows contractors to future-proof their businesses, and prepare for as much of what’s to come as is possible.

WHAT IS DIFFERENT COMPARED TO THE LAST TIME THE SHOW WAS HELD? 

The most obvious answer is the construction going on at the Gold Lot. In the past, the Gold Lot was the hub of everything big: big cranes, big excavators, big equipment in general.

However, the Las Vegas Convention Center has a big construction project going on right now that makes the Gold Lot unavailable to us this year. So this year, the big stuff has moved to an even bigger space, the Las Vegas Festival Grounds, just one block to the West.

The other big difference this year is a focus on workforce solutions. This year we’re introducing our first ever Workforce Solutions Area in the Festival Grounds lot. Our workforce development director, Julie Davis, has put together a great learning experience for people interested in fi nding how to fi ll vacant slots at construction and manufacturing companies. If filling your talent pipeline has been a concern at your company, Conexpo is a great place to fi nd solutions.

DO YOU EXPECT NEW TECHNOLOGY TO BE ONE OF THE MAIN THEMES OF THE SHOW?

Absolutely. In 2017, we introduced theTech Experience. For 2020, the Tech Experience returns with great displays and tech talks on the future of cities, modern transportation, and sustainable construction. We even have a tech talk on how to turn concrete into a battery, which I didn’t know was theoretically possible before this! This is the kind of information contractors can use to future-proof their businesses. 

Dana Wuesthoff

US debuts for Liebherr

Two crawler excavators to be shown for the first time in the US

At Conexpo two of Liebherr’s Generation 8 crawler excavators will be exhibited in the US for the first time, the R926 and the R938.

Thomas Haas, head of product management for earthmoving, Liebherr, explains that, while the products were launched at Bauma Munich, the plan was always for a two-step launch with Conexpo providing the commercial launch pad for North America.

“The US and Canada are amongst our focus countries and a big factor for the development of our division, absolutely. So for us Conexpo is of big importance,” confirmed Haas.

Hass mentions some highlights, including that the R926 will be equipped with a 3D machine control system from the cooperation between Leica and Liebherr and the R938 having a paint job that will make any US citizen feel patriotic.

“The R938 will have a special covering in US colours and the story behind this is quite nice. We highlighted the statue of Liberty in New York as it was designed by French artists in the town of Colmar, the origin of Liebherr crawler excavator, and offered by the French people to a US for the hundred year celebration of their independence back in 1886.”

The April issue of International Construction magazine will feature more information on Liebherr’s crawler excavators in a special earthmoving equipment feature.

Looking up

A roundup of some of the tower cranes on display

Arcomet’s A50 Eco self-erecting tower crane

Europe-headquartered international tower crane specialist Arcom part of the Uperio Group, will be exhibiting at Conexpo for the fi rst time in its 64-year history. Its primary focus will be its A50 Eco self erecting tower crane which it builds in Belgium. Arcomet cranes are available in North America from P&J Arcomet. Self erecting tower cranes offer many advantages over both mobile or truck cranes and conventional tower cranes, Arcomet said.

Manufacturer Wolffkran will show its new Wolff 166

B US luffi ng jib tower crane. It is designed to meet US electrical standards and all requirements regarding structural components. Instead of a conventional rope and winch luffi ng gear it has an hydraulic mechanism. This eliminates the classical tower top and reeving of the luffi ng rope, Wolffkran says. Another benefi t is a smaller out of service radius.

Jaso J265PA luffing tower crane

Capacity of the 166 B US is 26,460 pounds (12 tonnes) in two-fall operation and 13,230 pounds (6 tonnes) in single-fall. Jibs are from 82 to 180 feet (25 to 55m) and can be extended in 16.4 foot (5m) increments. With a 164 foot (50m) jib it achieves a best-in-class tip load capacity of 7,270 pounds (3.3 tonnes) the company claims. Its 60 kW hoist winch gives a line speed of 377 feet/min (115 m/min).

Spanish manufacturer Jaso will show its J265PA luffer. New to the US market, it offers a maximum line speed of 366 m/min and can be set freestanding up to 312 feet (95m).

Features include a clamp type secondary brake system on luffi ng, an optional secondary brake on the hoist; a reduced free slewing device and park radius system, slack rope detection and a load levelling system.

Comansa will have its LCL310 luffi ng jib tower crane with the new Cube cab. Three versions are available, with capacities of 12, 18 and 24 tonnes. Maximum jib length is 60m, adjustable in 5m increments. The company says it is a compact design with reduced out-ofservice position making it ideal for use in cities or congested jobsites.

Liebherr will show the 340 EC-B fl at top tower. Capacity is 26,450 pounds (12 tonnes) and maximum radius is 256 feet (78m).

Wolff 166 B US hydraulic luffer