Time for a reset

Photos courtesy of the Association of Equipment Manufacturers

Crystal Lake, Illinois-based General Kinematics Corp. (GK), a maker of equipment used by construction and demolition (C&D) material processors and a longtime exhibitor at the ConExpo-Con/Agg trade show, says it intends to increase its presence in 2023 compared with previous years.

The company likely is far from alone, as equipment makers and the contractors and companies that buy that equipment plan to pick up where they left off when the 2020 event closed a day early because of the COVID-19 pandemic.

The 2020 edition of the triennial trade show drew more than 130,000 people to Las Vegas. The show bustled with activity until event organizers, entertainment venues and sports leagues around the U.S. began canceling in-person activities because of COVID-19. The timing coincided with the tail end of the five-day event.

ConExpo brings together heavy equipment suppliers and members of numerous trade associations every three years at the grounds of the Las Vegas Convention Center for one of the world’s largest trade fairs. Its lead organizer is the Association of Equipment Manufacturers (AEM), Milwaukee, which produces the show with help from the Chicago-based Construction & Demolition Recycling Association (CDRA) and additional trade associations.

Eager for more

GK’s announcement that it is eager to expand its role at the ConExpo, taking place March 14-18, seems characteristic of plans being made by construction and heavy-equipment industry sectors that have rebounded since the COVID-19 restrictions of 2020.

“After three years of significant growth within our company, we added more installations to our C&D customer base and expanded our turnkey system offerings,” says Bob Huffer, a GK regional sales manager. “We look forward to seeing [customers] in Las Vegas and discussing new opportunities.”

The massive event is supported by more than five dozen associations, including the CDRA, the Associated General Contractors of America, the Institute of Scrap Recycling Industries, the Portland Cement Association and numerous paving and construction-related trade groups from the U.S. and beyond.

ConExpo attracts business owners and managers with the budget to shop for and purchase capital equipment, making it a leading destination for industry professionals.

Despite the shadow the COVID-19 shutdown cast over the 2020 event, ConExpo organizers, attendees and exhibitors regarded the event as a success.

“We have been pleased with the success of the overall show and attendance in our booth,” said Ingo Schiller of Houston-based crane provider Tadano America Corp. in an AEM news release issued just after the 2020 event. He said the organizers “made a very difficult decision to close the show a day early,” but “we appreciate their leadership, and we look forward to ConExpo-Con/Agg 2023.”

Mike Ballweber of South Korea-based Doosan Bobcat also said, “Tuesday for us was record-breaking in terms of leads and attendance at our booth, which is how we measure how successful the show is for us. We had more people [at] our booth on the first day than all of the 2017 show. This is a once-every-three-years show, and our dealers and customers were really excited to be here.”

That same excitement is easy to detect in the run-up to this year’s ConExpo, with the construction sector enjoying a sustained post-COVID-19 rebound and federal support for infrastructure spending leading to increased demolition, construction and highway project (and subsequent materials recycling) activity.

Sustained momentum

The sustainability movement, including recycling efforts tied to it, has exhibited staying power throughout the 2010s and into the 2020s, and equipment makers increasingly are finding ways to tie into related energy-saving and recycling aspects of it.

AEM says its 2023 event is set to have “the biggest focus on sustainability since the show began in 1948.”

ConExpo Show Director Dana Wuesthoff says, “The construction industry and ConExpo-Con/Agg are evolving in many ways to adapt and showcase sustainable technologies, products and practices supporting a more sustainable world. More than ever, show attendees will see sustainability in action, from electric- and hydrogen-powered construction equipment to more recyclable materials and waste reduction opportunities to changes we’re making to the show to better support sustainability.”

In the demolition sector, AEM says Swedish automated equipment provider Brokk will display its Aquajet Hydrodemolition robots, designed to help remove damaged concrete while leaving undamaged concrete and steel rebar intact.

The roster of companies with a presence in the demolition and recycling space beyond GK and Brokk stretches into the dozens, with ConExpo-Con/Agg attracting manufacturers from around the world.

With the industry having been so active for the past two years, willing buyers likely will have to order machinery rather than bring the demonstration model home with them. GK says it has a buyer in North Carolina lined up for the Aggregate Screen it will display in Las Vegas. Contractors and recycling facility operators of all types who use mobile material handling on the job can expect to see more hybrid or electric-powered models on display at the 2023 ConExpo compared with previous years.

New methods to consider

Volvo Construction Equipment, with North American offices in Shippensburg, Pennsylvania, says it will bring several electric and “autonomous” models to ConExpo, including its EC230 electric excavator pilot, the Volvo Zeux autonomous concept wheel loader and its HX04 prototype hydrogen-powered articulated hauler.

“Our theme this year is ‘Change Starts Here. We’re Ready for It,’” says Stephen Roy, president of Volvo CE’s North America region. “We’ll be showcasing the machines and services that will help our customers succeed in a fast-changing industry that’s increasingly focused on sustainability.”

North American deliveries of the ECR25 Electric compact excavator and L25 Electric compact wheel loader began in summer 2022, and the company is accepting orders for three additional models, with delivery planned in 2023.

Caterpillar Inc. says it will bring four battery electric machines as well as a series of prototype batteries for off-road equipment with power capacities ranging from 48 to 600 volts.

The Deerfield, Illinois-based equipment maker might bring the same four models that it displayed in October 2022 at the Bauma trade fair in Germany: an electric 301.9 mini excavator, 320 medium excavator, 950 GC medium wheel loader and 906 compact wheel loader.

“Caterpillar is well-positioned to help customers reach their sustainability goals, including lowering emissions on the job site,” said Caterpillar Construction Industries Group President Tony Fassino prior to Bauma. “It’s important we meet customers on their sustainability journey today with a variety of solutions, including machines that run on renewable fuels or technology that increases fuel efficiency.”

Japanese compact equipment maker Kubota, which has North American offices in Grapevine, Texas, will display its V3307 Micro-Hybrid engine. The firm says it can be installed in its existing equipment, saving fuel with the attachments used.

Attendees also will have the opportunity to try out engine maker Briggs & Stratton’s Vanguard brand swappable lithium-ion batteries, which the Wauwatosa, Wisconsin, company will bring to ConExpo for the first time, according to AEM.

The organization also says that pertinent to the companies managing sizable fleets of equipment running on internal combustion engines, B3C Fuel Solutions, Conway, South Carolina, is bringing products to the event that help contractors eliminate waste by restoring emulsified or damaged oil, ensuring any lubricant that does find its way into the environment is nontoxic and biodegradable.

Whatever changes or additions contractors and recyclers could be considering to their equipment fleets, ConExpo organizer AEM says it is confident its 2023 event can prove helpful.

It says, “You’ll meet industry leaders and friends. You’ll build new relationships in the community. You’ll find equipment, services and people within your construction field.”

The author is senior editor with the Recycling Today Media Group and can be contacted at btaylor@gie.net.