CONEXPO-CON/AGG & IFPE 2023 is now in the rear-view mirror, but the impact of the show will continue to influence the industry for some time to come. The event, which attracted almost 140,000 people to Las Vegas in March, pointed at how the construction industry is evolving, and how eager the industry is to embrace new equipment and technologies.
“The success of CONEXPO-CON/AGG & IFPE 2023 is a testament to the resilience and strength of the construction and fluid power industries, which has continued to adapt and innovate despite the challenges of the past three years,” said Marcia Klein, treasurer of Casappa Corp., and show chair of IFPE.
That resilience and a desire to see what’s new ended up exceeding even the largest expectations for show attendance and interest.
“We were expecting a big turnout – and weren’t disappointed” said Buck Storlie of Yanmar Compact Equipment. His company’s new line of compact track loaders marked an expansion of the manufacturer’s offerings, and the machines feature technology, like a telematics platform, that contractors now expect in their professional-grade machines.
Technology of all kinds was hard to miss as attendees navigated the booths of more than 2,400 exhibitors spread across over 3 million square feet of show displays.
“They are literally coming in and saying to us, ‘Mark we need we need technology,’” said Mark Contino of Topcon Positioning Systems. “They don’t just want a widget that does cool stuff; they want that widget to talk to the other widgets on the jobsite and to get that data as fast as they can – with some level of intelligence – back to decision makers.”
That look to technology for data capture as well as analysis is a fast-growing segment of the construction tech market.
“Interest in a broader technology strategy is increasing,” agrees Greg Norris of B2W Software.
“At past shows, most contractors from Canada and the U.S. began the conversation asking about a point solution for estimating, field tracking, scheduling or equipment maintenance,” he said. “This year, the majority were interested in how all the pieces fit together and could integrate with accounting systems and other technology they use.”
That’s an evolution that is likely to continue as attendees analyze what they saw at the show, and what they can incorporate into their company’s operations.
“We’re proud to have provided a platform for industry professionals from around the world to connect, learn, and discover new solutions for improving their businesses and the world we build,” said Klein.
Held every three years, the next edition of CONEXPO-CON/AGG & IFPE is scheduled to hit Las Vegas from March 3 to 7 in 2026.