2023 World of Concrete Trade Show Recap
For nearly a half-century, the World of Concrete Trade Show and Expo has been the premier event for those who work in the commercial concrete and masonry industries. This convention attracts more than 50,000 attendees from around the world, making this event – quite literally – the foundation of networking for professionals in this trade sector. Phoenix Masonry has been a frequent guest of this trade show, typically held at the beginning of each new year in Las Vegas.
Whether you’re the owner of a commercial construction firm, a contractor, subcontractor, management, dealer, distributor, designer, architect, engineer, repair contractor, or a producer – World of Concrete is our industry’s top gala of the year. This year, the 49th annual event, was held Jan. 17-19 at the Las Vegas Convention Center. Below is a recap of all the happenings that took place.
The Expo Hall
The main convention and expo floor spanned some 700,000 square feet – including indoor and outdoor booths and displays. Approximately 1,000 exhibitors were featured, the majority of which included equipment sellers, tool displays, product demonstrations, decorative vendors, and even a few competitions – including the famous SPEC MIX BRICKLAYER 500 challenge. This involves teams of two masonry professionals working in tandem to build the highest and best-looking 26-foot-long brick wall – in just one hour! This year’s grand champions, Michael Schlund and his tender, Aaron Kowakski, assumed the title of “World’s Best Bricklayers” with a brick count of 646. Together, they earned $125,000 in cash and prizes, part of which included a brand new FORD F-250 4×4 Super Duty truck.
Key Social Events
This year’s key social events in conjunction with World of Concrete included a couple of events where networking was the name of the game. The Concrete Foundations Association (CFA) hosted an upscale social event at the top of the Stratosphere Hotel & Casino on the north end of the strip. During the event, actor Dennis Quaid played host as the trade group unveiled a workforce development initiative, specific to the concrete construction industry. The American Society of Concrete Contractors hosted a “Mexican Fiesta” themed kickoff party on opening night of the expo.
New Product Demos
World of Concrete is always a place for companies to debut new technology and product lines – and 2023 was no different. The Autoclaved Aerated Concrete Pavilion area played host to many new equipment demonstrations, including aerated concrete products, the latest in lightweight cordless equipment, new concrete rollers, next-generation mix trucks, structure scanners, and software-related management platforms.
As in years past, World of Concrete was a successful expo this year. The knowledge gained by attendees help them gain new insights into avoiding disruptions to the supply chain, the latest in safety equipment and standards, and of course – networking. The dates for the 2024 World of Concrete Trade Show and Expo have already been released, set for Jan. 23-25 of next year. Start making plans to attend!