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'BIGGEST EVER' SHOW

Construction is gearing up for a return to Las Vegas and connecting in-person

PHOTOS: CONEXPO-CON/AGG

It’s official: ConExpo-Con/Agg the biggest trade show in North America, is getting even bigger. The Association of Equipment Manufacturers (AEM), the organisers of the event held every three years, has announced that all available exhibit space for the upcoming show has been sold out, guaranteeing the 2023 edition will be the biggest in its history.

“The addition of the new West Hall and Diamond Lot at the Las Vegas Convention Center gave us, and our exhibitors, a number of new opportunities to show how we are taking the construction industry to the next level,” said Dana Wuesthoff, ConExpo-Con/Agg show director. “Now at 2.8 million sq. ft. of exhibits, there’s more for construction pros to see than ever before.”

Nearly 5% bigger than the record set in 2020, the show will feature 1,800 exhibitors and 150 education sessions during its run from March 14-18, 2023.

Despite being the largest show ever, AEM noted that recent additions to the Las Vegas Convention Center (LVCC) will make it the easiest to get around as well. Beneath the entire LVCC campus runs the Convention Center Loop, an underground transportation system designed by Elon Musk’s The Boring Co. It transports convention attendees throughout the campus in under two minutes in Tesla vehicles, free of charge.

Phil Kelliher, Caterpillar Senior Vice President and ConExpo-Con/Agg show chair

AEM said attendee registrations were also on strong pace, as preregistrations are nearly double what they were at the same time for the 2020 show.

“This is the event that construction professionals, especially those making company-level decisions, and those needing professional development hours, can’t miss,” said Caterpillar Senior Vice President Phil Kelliher, who is ConExpo-Con/Agg show chair. “Seeing the new equipment and techniques on a screen doesn’t compare to seeing it all in person.

“At the show, you can see the equipment, ask questions of the manufacturers themselves, and really understand what the equipment and education can do for your career and business.”

OEMs prepare their presence

A selection of equipment manufacturers are teasing what they have in store for attendees. Alice Banach, senior marketing manager for Doosan Infracore North America, revealed that ConExpo will be the first-time attendees will be able to see the new brand on its construction equipment, hear the story of why it was chosen and what’s coming next.

“In November 2019, Doosan Infracore showed the first successful live demonstration of a fully autonomous excavator and wheel loader. The demonstration took place at our proving grounds in South Korea,” she explains. “We have developed this technology further and will show the next generation of Concept-X in a demonstration area in our exhibit. There will be other new products and technologies on display including the Doosan electric-powered DX20ZE-7 mini excavator.”

The message the company is conveying with its exhibit is a continuation of a long history of orange equipment in North America. “We are nearing 40 years since we entered this market. We are the same company with the same talented dealers and staff evolving to the next chapter for the industry,” says Banach. “We expect a lot of interest in the new brand, but the most important message is that the machines have not changed, only the name on them,” she said.

The machines on display will include the new DD100 dozer and the first 100-metric-ton crawler excavator: the DX1000LC-7. As for new product introductions, Banach says Doosan will have a few new products that the North American market will see for the first time and some that will be their global debut. “Our second dozer, the DD130, will be shown, as well as the latest working Concept-X models will be on display,” she added.

Stephen Roy, president, Region North America, Volvo CE

Return to Las Vegas

For its part, Volvo Construction Equipment (Volvo CE) readies itself for a return to ConExpo for the first time since 2017. The company pulled out of the 2020 show due to looming concerns over the spread of Covid-19, which wound up shortening the show by one day and emptied Las Vegas shortly thereafter.

Stephen Roy, president, Region North America, at Volvo CE, says it’s important for equipment manufacturers to make their presence known to construction industry professionals planning to attend.

“For me, it’s really being able to highlight where Volvo is and where we’re at in our journey during a time that has been transformative in our industry,” he says. “ConExpo-Con/ Agg offers us a chance to showcase what we have, gather feedback from our customers and engage our industry partners.

“To really make a show like ConExpo-Con/ Agg work, the face-to-face aspect of it is so important,” he adds. “I think that’s why Las Vegas is the perfect venue. It attracts so many people, and with all the changes we’re seeing in our industry, I think it’ll be the perfect environment for people to find the latest and greatest innovations, as well as learn what will help their business succeed.”

Volvo is driving a focus on sustainable power and automation, and how it can help customers be more productive, efficient and successful in their efforts to serve their own customers.

“We always say our goal is to make customers successful with their customers, so that’s the approach we’re taking. More specifically, we’ll have a mix of existing product, product that’s coming out soon and some forward-looking product that – like I mentioned before – will illustrate where the industry is going,” says Roy. “That means a focus on sustainability, using electric machines and other sustainable power.”

Volvo CE will also showcase small compact electric equipment, all the way to larger equipment that has a mix of electric and diesel.

When asked how he feels about Volvo’s return to live, in-person events, Roy says, “We’re very focused on making events and exhibitions like ConExpo-Con/Agg a really valuable experience, so when our attendees are in the booth, they have access to the right information and the right experts who can answer their questions – and we want them to have fun in our booth too.”

EVENT DETAILS

WHAT The largest construction trade show in North America. It connects professionals from every major construction sector

WHERE Las Vegas Convention Center, Las Vegas, US

WHEN 14 to 18 March 2023

www.conexpoconagg.com

Selected exhibitors

METSO OUTOTEC will present its latest innovations, technologies and offerings for the aggregates industry at ConExpo.

“Throughout the whole aggregates and construction industry, sustainability is gaining ground and has become a big driver for innovations and operations,” says Juha Yli-Petäys, SVP, Global Distribution Management at Metso Outotec. “For us at Metso Outotec, sustainability and improved performance are among our key goals with our customers and present in every R&D project. At ConExpo-Con/Agg, we will demonstrate our groundbreaking innovations that address our customers’ key challenges like energy consumption, uptime, safety or carbon footprint reduction,” he continues.

Product on display will include the Nordberg HP cone crusher and Lokotrack track-mounted crushers and screens – the company has said it will give a ‘sneak peek’ at the future vision of the next generation of Lokotracks.

JOHN DEERE POWER SYSTEMS (JDPS) is expanding its product portfolio to include a diversified range of powertrain and electronic solutions. These products will be on display as the company provides insight into how these technologies will impact the industry’s journey towards a more sustainable future. Show attendees have the opportunity to see JDPS’s first engines based on new architecture, the JD4, JD14, and JD18, all of which will be on display together for the first time. John Deere will also feature its new split path electrical mechanical transmission in the booth, which offers improved productivity, ease of operation, uptime, and efficiency all while paving the way to hybridisation and potential for off-boarding electrical power. Show attendees will have the opportunity to check out the latest developments in Kreisel immersion cooled batteries and John Deere charging technology in the booth.

CATERPILLAR will show off more than 30 machines at ConExpo, in what it claims is its largest exhibit to date.

The OEM has taken a 70,000 sq ft demonstration area for the show at the Operator Stadium in the Festival Lot.

John Deere Power Systems will show new technologies

Caterpillar is expected to unveil new models as well as battery-powered prototypes with charging stations. It will also offer two main equipment demonstrations each day, with one focused on the latest Cat technology and the other spotlighting the company’s full equipment line-up.

There will also be hubs offering a look at new technology, services and sustainability. Cat will also present daily spotlight demonstrations that dive deep into industry topics like improving fuel efficiency and jobsite efficiency.

Among the new machines at ConExpo will be: The new Cat 950 medium wheeled loader; a preview of the next generation Cat 926, 930 and 938 small wheeled loaders, slated for production in late 2023; the half-lane Cat PM822 cold planer, featuring integrated Cat Grade technology and the latest System K rotor options.

Fascan International, JEKKO’s official dealer in the US, will represent the Italian company and will put on display as many as eleven products – including the new SPX328, JF235 and MPK20R models launched on the market in October 2022.

Visitors will get to see several models for each Jekko product line. In the SPX telescopic crawler crane line, Jekko will put on display models SPX328, SPX532, SPX650.

SPX328 is Jekko’s new entry model, a crawler crane weighing 5070 lb, featuring a maximum load capacity of 6172 lb, a maximum height with main boom of 34’ 1” and with jib of 42’. This machine is 9’ 8’’ long, 2’ 5’’ wide and 5’ 3’’ high, and it is powered by lithium-ion batteries.

This model is fitted with a user-friendly radio remote control and a revolutionary user interface accessible on an interactive touchscreen featuring an IP67 Protection Rating for operation in any yard and in no matter what weather conditions. As for the articulated crawler cranes of the JF line, visitors will see the JF235, JF545 and JF990 models. In the MPK minipicker line, the models MPK06, MPK10 and MPK20R will be on display.

Jekko will be displaying new models at ConExpo

Manufacturer of remote-controlled demolition machines, BROKK, will show the Brokk 300, which features SmartConcept technology for improved power management, reliability, maintainability and ergonomics.

With the hitting power of a machine three times its size and heavy-duty construction, the Brokk 300 is said to open up opportunities for contractors in challenging industries such as top-down and interior demolition, tunneling and underground construction, processing and more.

AQUAJET will show its newest Hydrodemolition robot – the Aqua Cutter 750V. The new model launches Aquajet’s patented Infinity oscillation that moves the water jet in an infinity – or Figure 8 – pattern, removing more concrete in a single pass while reducing shadowing, eliminating the risk of pipe holes and providing an ideal bonding surface.

The 750V also features the next generation Evolution 3.0 Control System that includes new functions, including the ability to automatically calculate optimal settings for lance motion for greater precision and efficiency.

A central focus of WACKER NEUSON’s booth is a 1.7-ton battery-powered excavator, the EZ17e. “This zero-emission excavator has been a success in the European market and will launch in North America in late 2023 or early 2024,” explained Gert Reichetseder, President and CEO, Wacker Neuson Americas. “This machine will provide a solution for contractors and rental houses looking for a quiet, zero-emission excavator to expand their businesses into new applications, while meeting environmental regulations,” Reichetseder added.

In addition to the EZ17e, Wacker Neuson will further highlight its zero-emission portfolio for battery-powered compaction and concrete consolidation equipment in the ‘Meet the Future’ area of the booth. This includes the debut of the industry’s first battery-powered reversible plate with direct drive, the APU3050e. All of Wacker Neuson’s battery-powered plates and rammer, as well as its concrete vibrator are powered by the Battery One battery and charger system.

CUMMINS will show its new fuel-agnostic 15-liter engine platform with hydrogen, biogas and advanced diesel engines. It offers OEMs the opportunity to accelerate the decarbonisation of heavy-duty off-highway applications.

This new platform, designed for the next level of emissions, has a significant increase in power density with a more compact installation envelope enabling OEMs to increase machine capability and productivity with no impact on running cost.

The fuel-agnostic architecture of the 15-litre next generation engine utilises a common base engine with cylinder heads and fuel systems specifically tailored for hydrogen, natural gas, diesel and biofuels including HVO.

Wacker Neuson will focus on electric powered equipment
The Brokk 300

MANITOU will be launching a new range of skid steers and track loaders of which four models will be present at ConExpo: Gehl V275 skid steer and VT 210 track loader, Manitou 2100 V skid steer and 2300 VT track loader. This new range of compact loaders will be distributed in both Europe and North America.

Another major launch is a new line of Manitou MTA 1255 and MTA 642 telehandlers and Gehl TH 8-42, these models will have a load capacity of 12,000 lbs 6,000 lbs and 8,000 lbs respectively. These models will be exclusively dedicated to the North American market. The company will also present three electric models for the first time, the rotative telehandler MRT 2660e, the compact fixed telehandler MT 625e, and the MEWP ATJ 46e.

KOMATSU’s theme for the show will be ‘creating value together.’ The Komatsu booth will feature equipment, technology and service solutions that address: Construction; Energy/utility; Forestry; Quarry; Smart Construction/Smart Quarry; Sustainability and electrification; Waste.

Numerous machines will be on display at the show, including the company’s latest electric offerings alongside new and recently introduced machines. A sampling of Komatsu machines that will be on the floor include: PC210E (with Smart Construction Retrofit) electric excavator; PC900LC (with Smart Construction Retrofit) excavator; D71PXi-24 intelligent dozer; HD465-8 mechanical haul truck; WA600-8 wheel loader.

Cummis will show its engine range

The LIEBHERR booths at ConExpo offers space for more than 30 exhibits on a total exhibition area of almost 5,600m². The area was enlarged by approximately 670m² due to the addition of a demo area, where Liebherr will show its machines in action for the first time at ConExpo.

Numerous new products and developments from the areas of construction machines, cranes and material handling technology are on display. In addition, Liebherr presents the latest innovations from its components product segment in the South Hall.

For the first time in North America, Liebherr is presenting its new mediumsized wheeedl loaders, which are equipped with a wide range of digital assistance systems.

With a significant increase in performance compared to the previous models, the new machines are prepared for demanding applications in various industries such as mining, recycling or the timber industry.

Road construction equipment manufacturer ROAD WIDENER will show the FH-R material placement attachment, which it says provides contractors with 50% reduced labour at less cost than a traditional self-propelled equipment.

Additionally, the remote-controlled design of the attachment allows the operator of the host machine to control the attachment via remote control – enhancing safety by eliminating the danger of additional workers standing along the jobsite.

“With the current Bipartisan Infrastructure Deal there is a renewed focus on repairing and reconstructing our nation’s roadways,” said Lynn Marsh, Road Widener president. “Now is the time to modernise our infrastructure, making it safer and more resilient. The FH-R allows contractors to get the job done more quickly and efficiently.”

TRACKUNIT will showcase two major new solutions at ConExpo. The company says that it will introduce a set of site-focused features and capabilities to drive efficiencies in the construction industry to the next level by allowing users to leverage live machine data with connectivity to build their site-based business processes.

In addition to these new site-based capabilities, Trackunit says that fleet owners will have enhanced visibility by removing blind spots on job sites, inside buildings, storage containers, and tool depots alongside a new CO2 reporting solution.

Where job-site coverage needs to be enhanced, Trackunit’s new gateway device will provide continuous Bluetooth connectivity throughout the life of the job site. The gateway device enables visibility to approximate indoor location for Trackunit Kin tracked assets and third-party Bluetooth tags while creating a more robust Bluetooth network on the job site.

Road Widener will display its FH-R attachment

WIRTGEN will present a cross-section of its cold milling, recycling, soil stabilising and concrete paving products on the joint booth shared by Wirtgen Group and John Deere.

Alongside nine exhibits from three product sectors, the focus will also be on digital system solutions and assistance systems.

Among the equipment on display will be the W 50 Ri, Wirtgen’s powerful half-metre cold milling machine with rear loading. Its features include a simple operating concept and automatic functions. The W 120 Fi front loader has been designed for working widths of up to 1.3 m (4ft 3in).

The F-Series compact milling machine is fitted with a John Deere engine that has been customised to meet the special demands of cold milling applications. Two large F-Series milling machines complete the cold milling machine range on show.

Cold recycling and soil stabilising equipment will also be on show, such as the W 380 CRi as well as the WR 200 XLi and WR 250i. The W 380 CRi with rear loading and a mixing performance of up to 800 t/h is used for rehabilitating wide roads. It can be deployed in both cold in-place recycling (CIR) and in fulldepth reclaiming (FDR) projects.

Besides cold recycling, the WR-Series wheel-driven recyclers can also carry out soil stabilising tasks. With a working width of 2.4m (7 ft 10 in) as well as high milling and mixing performances, they are well-equipped for use in demanding projects with high daily outputs. The digital system solutions, the AutoTrac steering system and the WPT (Wirtgen Performance Tracker) documentation system further increase process efficiency.

Komatsu's theme is ‘creating value together'

JCB will present its newly-developed hydrogen internal combustion engine at ConExpo. This will be the debut for the H2 ICE engine in North America and the first time it has been presented outside the UK.

The new engine will be presented as part of the International Fluid Power Exposition (IFPE).

Speaking about the H2 ICE, JCB chairman Lord Bamford, said, “The JCB engineering team has made enormous strides in a short space of time to develop a hydrogen internal combustion engine and it already powers a JCB prototype backhoe loader and a Loadall telescopic handler.

“As the first construction equipment company to develop a fully working combustion engine fuelled by hydrogen, I’m delighted we are now able to present this technology on the international stage.”

JCB's hydrogen engine

The H2 ICE will play a key part in the company’s Road to Zero programme. JCB has already launched what is billed as the world’s first battery-electric mini excavator as part of its E-Tech range.

A range of electric machines produced by JCB will also be on display at the show.

Crushing and screening equipment manufacturer MCCLOSKEY will reveal a new colour scheme for its entire product portfolio at ConExpo.

Wirtgen's digital solutions

The company, which is known for its distinctive green brand colour, said the updated livery design would create, “a unified and a more contemporary look” across its product range.

Toni Laaksonen, senior vice president at McCloskey International, said, “As McCloskey and its allied brands grow in response to rising demand globally, we continually are seeking new ways to enhance the brand while ensuring we maintain the equity we have built over time.

“This update reflects our commitment to the foundation built on the McCloskey green while refreshing the product line with a modern approach.”

McCloskey’s green colour will now feature on the chassis and galvanized steel handrails of both its existing and new equipment models – which include electric powered and hybrid machines.

This article appears in January-February 2023

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