ConExpo 2023 opens with high hopes

The crowds start to build at ConExpo 2023 in Las Vegas, US. (PHOTO: KHL)

The 2023 ConExpo-Con/Agg show opened today in Las Vegas with organiser the Association of Equipment Manufacturers (AEM) optimistic about the turnout.

AEM told International Construction that advance registrations indicated that attendance could exceed 130,000 for the week. 

In December, the organisation reported that exhibition space had sold out, making it the largest ConExpo in history. With 3 million square feet of exhibits, it will be 5% bigger than 2020.

AEM President Megan Tanel, speaking at an AEM press conference on the eve of the show, said “Face to face is not going away. I think there is something to be said about the buying and selling process and being able to do so with a real, live person.”

The 2020 event was impacted by the start of the pandemic, but this year AEM has been buoyed by the number of visitor pre-registrations and the scale of the exhibitor turnout, with 2,000 companies taking part.

The show sees the large new West Hall being used for the first time at ConExpo as well as the underground Las Vegas Convention Center Loop, which will transport visitors between the South Hall and the Diamond Lot/West Hall.

AEM issued a report before the show highlighting the role that the equipment manufacturing industry plays in the US economy, supporting 2.35 million jobs and comprising 11% of the total US manufacturing employment base, or 1 in 9 manufacturing jobs.

“The equipment manufacturing industry has shown time and again that it is a resilient force in the North American economy, weathering everything from global pandemics to supply chain disruptions with strength and determination”, said Tanel.

“As we look to the future, we can be confident that this industry will continue to adapt and innovate in the face of new challenges, providing stable jobs and economic opportunities for communities across the continent.”

The show runs from Tuesday 14 to Saturday 18 March, open daily from 9:00 to 17:00 except for the early 15:00 finish on the final day.